On Saturday June 20th 2009, a memorial dedication service was held at the site of the former Taipei Prison to honour and remember the 25 American airmen who were captured by the Japanese when their aircraft crashed or were shot down over Taiwan in the fall of 1944 and the spring of 1945.
These men were not considered to be POWs but rather 'war criminals' and as such were held in the old Taihoku (Taipei) Prison, often in solitary confinement. They were starved and beaten and suffered great hardships. On May 29th 1945, 14 of these airmen were given a mock trial with no defense and were sentenced to death by firing squad. The sentence was carried out on June 19th 1945 – less than two months before the Japanese surrender! The remaining 11 airmen were released in September 1945 and returned to their homeland again.
On June 19th 2005, a memorial service was held by the wall to commemorate the death of the US Army Air Force and US Navy airmen who were murdered 60 years ago on that date. It was decided then that some kind of plaque should be placed on the wall of the old prison to remember the sacrifice of those men for our freedom.
The Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society is pleased to have worked with the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Taipei City Government, and with the support of the ROC Veterans Affairs Commission and the American Institute in Taiwan, we are proud to have brought this project to its completion.
The memorial service, held by the old north wall of the former Taipei Prison and attended by more than 40 people, featured speeches rendered by representatives of the ROC Veterans Affairs Department, the American Institute in Taiwan, the Taipei City Goverment and the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society. Other Society members and friends read poems and items of tirbute. Wreaths were placed along the wall beside 14 poppy crosses adorned with the names of the slain airmen and the Taps was played, two minutes of silence were observed and Reveille sounded to bring the service to a close.
This memorial will stand as a remembrance of the courage and strength and sacrifice of those American airmen many years ago. They were needlessly taken from us when they were so young. They are gone – but they will never be forgotten!
THE LIST OF AMERICAN AIRMEN HELD IN THE TAIHOKU PRISON
ALDRO HARRY H. ARM2C USN MURDERED 6/19/45
BECK CALVIN C. CPL. USAAF RELEASED 9/01/45
BUCHANAN J.C. AMM3C USN MURDERED 6/19/45
BUETTNER VICTOR T. LT./JG USN RELEASED 9/01/45
CARTER DELBERT H. AOM3C USN MURDERED 6/19/45
CHASTAIN CLIFFORD L. S/SGT. USAAF RELEASED 9/01/45
EHLERS CARL L. 2/LT. USAAF RELEASED 9/01/45
GATEWOOD HENRY 2/LT. USAAF RELEASED 9/01/45
HART TED U. 2/LT. USAAF RELEASED 9/01/45
HARTLEY RALPH LIEUT. USAAF MURDERED 6/19/45
HATHAWAY DONALD C. AMM3C USN MURDERED 6/19/45
LANGIOTTI JAMES R. ARM1C USN MURDERED 6/19/45
LAWRENCE BOBBY L. S/SGT. USAAF MURDERED 6/19/45
MCCREARY FREDERICK E. ARM1C USN MURDERED 6/19/45
MCVAY CHARLES M. AOM2C USN MURDERED 6/19/45
MONCRIEF BERNARD H. F/O USAAF RELEASED 9/01/45
MURPHY HOWARD H. 2/LT. USAAF RELEASED 9/01/45
PARKER JOHN R. AMM2C USN MURDERED 6/19/45
RIGGS MERLIN S/SGT. USAAF MURDERED 6/19/45
SEE FRANCIS V. LIEUT. USAAF RELEASED 9/01/45
SHARP HARWOOD S. LIEUT. USN MURDERED 6/19/45
SHOTT JOHN CPL. USAAF RELEASED 9/01/45
SPIVEY HARRY J. S/SGT. USAAF MURDERED 6/19/45
THURMOND ROY C. LIEUT. USAAF RELEASED 9/01/45
WILSON WAYNE W. ARM3C USN MURDERED 6/19/45