WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor (ADBC) will be passing a resolution at an upcoming meeting at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Herndon, VA on April 13; it will address the grievances of misconduct by the Japanese military for their brutal treatment of POWs and to the many Japanese companies that placed POWs into slavery during World War II.
The ADBC is a nationally recognized, non-profit Veterans’ organization; it is their mission that this resolution be addressed during an upcoming visit between President Bush and Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe.
Official records of the U.S. government reveal that 27,465 Americans became prisoners of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II; they interned at various facilities in Japan and throughout Southeast Asia. 40 percent of these POWs were killed or died of treatable diseases due to severe mistreatment, malnutrition, and lack of medical care.
The Far East Tribunal on War Crimes, created by General Douglas MacArthur, reported that these prisoners of war died from shooting, decapitation, vivisection, drowning, lack of food and medical attention, death marches, beatings, torching, slave labor, and even cannibalism.
The ADBC membership has dwindled to approximately 200 who are survivors of the Bataan Death March, the Fortress known as Corregidor and all those surviving Americans who fought on other islands in the Pacific.
Although an apology stating, “irrefutable facts of history,” was made in 1995 by the former Prime Minister, Tomiichi Murayama, it failed to address the barbaric treatment of American POWs.
The ADBC is requesting an official apology, made and ratified by the Japanese Cabinet, to be given to them and be stated in their official communique to other Nations.
“Time is growing short,” Lester Tenney, Senior Vice Commander for ADBC, said. “Our members are reaching the end of their lives and seek closure to this prolonged and shameful event.”
Tenney adds that there is strong evidence that their organization cannot long endure - a year or two would be stretching their ability to continue seeking the justice they have fought for all these years; time is of the essence.
“I cannot help but wonder if it is already too late,” Tenney questioned.
Tenney is also a national speaker and author of “My Hitch in Hell” (ISBN-10: 1574888064, ISBN-13: 978-1574888065, Potomac Books) an historical account of the Bataan Death March; he has addressed POW issues on the O’Reilly Factor, 20/20, and in Parade Magazine. More about Tenney: www.think.org/pow/.
Prime Minister Abe will be visiting the United States later this month and is expected to have an audience with President Bush. ADBC is requesting that the resolution be discussed and President Bush takes positive action on their behalf.
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