Keibitai Japanese Navy Guards in the Pacific
Partial list of Allied prisoners from World War II in the Pacific
 The Imperial Japanese Navy Keibitai (Naval Special Police) was a Navy Guards unit tasked with detaining prisoners of War (POW). They were the Japanese Navy's equivalent of the Japanese Army's Kempeitai (military police). Some wartime documents incorrectly refer to the Keibitai as "Keibetai".
Japanese Navy POW Camp 81st Naval Guard Unit at Rabaul on New Britain
The 81st Naval Guard Unit (81st Naval Garrison Unit) was part of the Keibitai (Naval Special Police headquartered at the Keibitai Headquarters (Rabaul Navy POW Compound) in Rabaul.
82nd Naval Guard Unit (82nd Naval Garrison Unit) at Lae on New Guinea
The 82nd Naval Guard Unit (81st Naval Garrison Unit) was based at Lae.
2nd Lt Henry A. Keel, O-004018 pilot B-25C 41-12462 ditched May 23, 1942 transported to Rabaul executed
Naval Guard Unit at Buin on Bougainville
Possibly, there was a Naval Guard Unit based at Buin on Bougainville. Some Allied prisoners captured in southern Bougainville were transported to Rabaul, others were detained on Bougainville and executed.
Naval Guard Unit at Kairuru Island off New Guinea
Possibly, there was a Naval Guard Unit Saint John's Mission (Barakam, Bagaram) on Kairuru Island off New Guinea. Likely a Keibitai unit or detachment was present at this area or responsible for prisoners.
Between September 1943 to April 1945, Japanese Navy on Kairiru Island was responsible for the detention, interrogation, torture and execution of at least eight Allied Prisoners Of War (POW) including six American and two Australian in the vicinity of Saint John's Mission.
Known Allied Prisoners Of War detained and executed
F/O John D. Blain, T-120110 (POW, MIA / KIA, BR) Breckenridge, TX pilot B-25D 41-30319
F/O Charles P. Wells, T-186489 (POW, MIA / KIA, BR) Ashland, KY co-pilot B-25D 41-30319
S/Sgt William F. Green, 15104526 (POW, MIA / KIA) Whitehouse, OH navigator B-25D 41-30319
S/Sgt Robert J. Capocefalo, 32377421 (POW, MIA / KIA) Syracuse, NY radio B-25D 41-30319
S/Sgt Jack Bowman, 14063635 (POW, MIA / KIA) Johnson City, TN gunner B-25D 41-30319
2nd Lt. Robert Eric Thorpe O-810434 (POW, executed May 31, 1944, MIA) Cranston,
RI pilot P-47D 42-22661
Australian Army (Z Force) commando captured during "Operation Copper" during the middle of April 1945 and executed.
Australian Army (Z Force) commando captured during "Operation Copper" during the middle of April 1945 and executed.
During the 1948 Yokohama War Crimes Trail, Thorpe's executioner Hiroshi Odazawa plead guilty. The others plead not guilty. Lt Commander Kaoru Okuma, was convicted in 1948 for the crime and hanged in 1949. Captain Kiyoshisa Noto was found guilty for his role in Thorpe's execution and found guilty of the execution of two Australian Army commandos. At the Rabaul Wart Crimes Trial, he was sentenced to twenty years but only served one year of his sentence then was released.
45th Naval Guard Unit at Palau
1st Lt. Grant M. Rea, O-684047 (MIA / POW, executed circa September 1944) Montebello, CA pilot B-24J 44-40596
SSgt Earl R. Curry, 36014451 (MIA / POW, executed circa September 1944) Monmouth, IL right waist gunner B-24J 44-40596
Captured by a landing craft then treated by the medical officer of the 45th Guard Unit, turned over to Kempeitai.
Naval Guard Unit at Samarinda on Borneo
At Samarinda on Borneo, the Keibitai detachment "Samarinda detachment" commanded by Lt(jg) Yamaguchi Sentaro in an office. During the night of February 15, 1945 three POWs were executed by sword and buried behind the office. Postwar, their remains were recovered by the Australian Army.
2nd Lt. Leslie W. Jacobs, O-2056602 (POW, executed February 15, 1945, BR) Akron, OH navigator radio B-24J 44-41078
Cpl Frank J. Molinari, 32967255 (WIA / POW, executed, February 15, 1945, BR) Brooklyn, NY engineer B-24J 44-41078
Sgt James W. Hagerty, 13167406 (POW, executed February 15, 1945, BR) Youngstown, OH assistant radio B-24J 44-41078
References (Samarinda)
Australian Army, 7th Division
"Investigating Officers Report - Events and circumstances leading to the execution of three U.S. Airmen at Samarina February 1945, and other information on the case." [Jacobs, Molinari and Hagerty from B-24J 44-41078].
Ueki Detachment, Yokosuka Keibitai at Ofuna Camp in Japan
"Yokosuka Kaigun Keibitai Ueki Bunkentai" (Yokosuka Ueki Detachment for Yokosuka Naval Security Force) under the command of Yokura Sashizo were based at Ofuna Camp. Americans referred to the location as "Ofuna POW Camp" or "Ofuna Interrogation Center" After interrogation, prisoners were transfered to the Japanese Army Kempei Tai (Military Police).
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