Taihoku Prison

Type   130 Prison Camp
Historical Name of Location   Taihoku, Taihoku, Taiwan
Coordinates   25.032306000, 121.525417000

Contributor:

ww2dbaseThe Taihoku Prison in the city of Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan was a prison for ordinary criminals and not for prisoners of war, but this prison held 25 US Army and US Navy airmen during WW2, who were considered war criminals rather than prisoners of war because they had conducted bombing against civilians. 14 of them were executed in Jun 1945, while the remaining 11 would survive the war to return to the United States. The 14 executed were:

ww2dbaseUS Navy

ww2dbaseUS Army Air Forces

ww2dbaseSources:
taiwanairpower.org
taiwanpow.org

Last Major Update: Nov 2014



Taihoku Prison Interactive Map

Photographs

Interrogation transcript of Taihoku Prison captive Airman First Class Frederick McCreary of US Navy, mid to late Oct 1944Interrogation transcript of Taihoku Prison captive Airman First Class James Langiotti of US Navy, late Oct 1944Interrogation transcript of Taihoku Prison captive Lieutenant Harwood Sharp of US Navy, late Oct 1944Aerial view of Taihoku Prison in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan, 17 Jun 1945

Maps

Map of Taiwan (Formosa) indicating the locations of Prisoner-of-War facilities, 1945

Taihoku Prison Timeline

29 May 1945 14 of the 25 captured US Army and US Navy airmen imprisoned at the Taihoku Prison in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan were sentenced to death by firing squad; the execution was to be carried out on 19 Jun 1945
19 Jun 1945 14 US Army and US Navy airmen were executed at Taihoku Prison in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan in the early morning. They were found guilty of "indiscriminate bombing" of civilians of Taiwan. Their remains were cremated and their ashes placed a local shrine.
19 Jun 2005 A ceremony was held at the site of the former Taihoku Prison in Taipei, Taiwan to remember the 14 US Army and US Navy airmen executed by the Japanese on 19 Jun 1945.




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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Anonymous says:
20 Jun 2017 04:32:28 PM

Gross hypocrisy, considering Japanese atrocities. I notice that the Japanese people surrendered rather than commit suicide, the trait they most despised in their enemies.
They have neither compensated nor apologised for their barbaric conduct.
2. Wayne E. Spivey says:
16 Feb 2019 12:03:57 PM

Looking for any record of Harry J. Spivey.He was executed June 19,1945 for war crimes against the people of Japan.
3. Caitlynn Spivey Brock says:
26 Nov 2019 02:00:22 PM

I'm looking for information on Harry J. Spivey. I believe that he might be my great uncle. If this is the case, I think my father has letters that Harry sent while he was a POW.

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Search WW2DB
Modern Day Location
WW2-Era Place Name Taihoku, Taihoku, Taiwan
Lat/Long 25.0323, 121.5254
Taihoku Prison Photo Gallery
Interrogation transcript of Taihoku Prison captive Airman First Class Frederick McCreary of US Navy, mid to late Oct 1944
See all 4 photographs of Taihoku Prison


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