Response from 厚勞省

A friend in Japan has finally reached the 厚勞省 officer on our behalf, and this is what he has found:
我們的在日朋友終於聯絡到厚生労働省一名負責戰歿者事務的官員,据友人告知:

"...the Koro-sho officer explains to me that she cannot help us anymore because she has no further information on Shinsei-maru and the news in the 1955 Kanagawa Shimbun is based on hearsay. Plus no official documents [about the ship] exist in Koro-sho. So they have no intention of investigating this matter further..."
"...此厚勞省官員解釋說她己無法可助,因為她沒有任何有關神靖丸的資料.而1955年的神奈川新聞報導只是傳聞.厚勞省本身並無官方文件.因此他們不會對神靖丸事件再作任何調查..."

In other words, if Kosei-rodo Sho厚生労働省 has no files on Shinsei Maru's recovery, then the event does not exist. Even though common sense tells us that it would be totally absurd for a newspaper to invent such a piece of news.
即在厚生労働省無存檔的情況下,神靖丸之引揚報導並不算數.但依常理來說,報社不會空穴來風,無端發佈不實的新聞.

This is not right.
這是不對的.
これは不公平である.

Always

新竹縣北埔鄉濟化宮

這世界真的是有善心人,他們建了一座七層大樓,設了每一位的牌位,來紀念兩萬多位二戰出征未歸的臺灣人.這就是新竹北埔鄉的濟化宮.
This world truly has many kind-hearted and magnanimous people. Some of them have put up a 7-story building and enshrined the name plates in memory of more than 20,000 of WWII Taiwanese war-dead. This place is the Ji-Hua Kung located in the town of Bei-Pu, Hsin-Chu County.

除此處之外還有位於台中市,立了"靈安故鄉"紀念碑,規模比較小的寶覺寺.兩處的工作人員都告知,戰歿人名單乃抄錄自日本東京的靖國神社.家屬們的接受關鍵事實上是在名冊的正確度及開放性.
In addition to the Bei-Pu site, there is another located in Taichung, the Bao Jue Shi, a small temple with a stone monument also in memory of the Taiwanese war-dead. The workers at both sites told us that the names were copied directly from Yasukuni Jinja in Tokyo. The key to acceptance for us the surviving family members, in fact, is the authenticity and the accessibility of the name lists.

台中寶覺寺的名冊只在每年中元節開放瀏覽.我們還沒能查閱.北埔濟化宮的則是家屬在辦公時間內隨時可查,比較便民.
The name lists in Bao Jue Shi in Taichung are available only once a year during Chung Yuan Ji-e; whereas the ones in Bei-Pu are readily accessible to all family members, during office hours.

濟化宮的名冊分成兩種.第一種似是原始版,並非手抄而是排字式的.除姓名外還有原日治時代居住地址,但無其他資料.可能是靖國神社名冊的節縮版.第二種則是濟化宮整理的抄寫版,基於原住地,如台北州等,而且以姓同列 (似乎只有漢姓),所以可以很容易的查到牌位供奉位置的排,段,號.牌位以毛筆正楷書寫:格式是"故某人靈璽"格式.花的功夫不小,令人欽佩.當然名冊錯誤或遺漏大約不可能避免.當以靖國神社正版為主.
Ji-Hua Kung has two versions of the name lists. The first seems to be the original with names and pre-1945 addresses but without additional facts. This may be an abbreviated Yasukuni version. The second is hand-written, categorized by family names and the original area of residence. With the latter, the location or the "address" of the name plates can be easily found. There are unavoidable errors and omissions, the true original is still the one preserved inside the Yasukuni.

在目前還沒有數位化的情況下,要短期內找到與神靖丸共歿的全體人員名單是會有相當程度的困難.反過來說,我們在這兒從手抄本中也很快的在數分鐘內找到了台南州的陳茂淇醫師和臺中州的洪元約醫師 (兩位一起供奉在三樓),所以並不是完全不可能.只是資料不全是一大障礙.
Without digitization at present time, it is very difficult to complete the name lists of all who went down with Shinsei Maru. On the other hand, we are able to seek out the names of Dr Chen and Dr Hong in the record books and where their name plates are placed in the building. It is not totally impossible to recover the names; although the incomplete personal data remain a major obstacle.

也許這段己被遺忘的神靖丸歷史能再見一線曙光吧 - 我們遺屬先在此謝謝一些熱心人仕的協助.
Perhaps this long-forgotten Shinsei Maru story can see the light of the day again. We the surviving families would like to hereby express our gratitude to those who have assisted us along the way.

1955年的神奈川新聞全文

(可點擊上圖放大, click to enlarge)

1955年5月26日神奈川新聞有關神靖丸的報導終於在友人山中教授協助之下找到了原文.神靖丸確是在由日本"北川Salvage公司"打撈時發現約300人遺骨.報社訪問了在橫濱市工作的保川先生(船上倖存的"副罐手"),他指認了是當年台灣高雄市征用臺灣醫務工員云云.另外提到空襲時間是1945年1月12日清晨7點早餐之時.船左側中至近彈一,第二艙蓋中了命中彈一,右側中了空中魚雷一,沉沒於9時40分.
With the help of Professor Yamanaka, the original report published on May 26, 1955 in Kanagawa News has now been found. It is preserved in the microfilm archives. Indeed, Shinsei Maru was recovered by Kitagawa Salvage Co from Japan and during the operation, about 300 sets of remains were found. The newspaper interviewed a Mr Bokawa of Yokohama who had been on board as one of the ship's officers. He confirmed that the deceased were medical draftees from Kaohsiung. In addition, the ship was attacked on Jan 12, 1945 at 7AM breakfast time. It received a bomb hit on the port side, another directly on Hatch No 2, and the starboard side was hit by an air-torpedo. The ship sank at 9:40AM.

据該報導,神靖丸船身送給了越南作為賠償,但是隻字未提遺體的下落.日本厚生労働省承認在1966年7月時有5位神靖丸無名者送返東京的千鳥ケ淵墓園安葬.但"不知"其他人的下落.即無完整的資料,只知沉船處在佛印頭頓海面,可能連上引神奈川新聞報導都還不知道.
According to the report, the hull of the wreakage was delievered to Vietnam as a compensation. It, however, did not mention anything about the fate of the remains. The Japanese Kosei-Rodo Ministry informs us that in July of 1966, five unidentified Shinsei Maru deceased were returned from Indochina to the Chidorigafuchi Boyen in Tokyo for burial; however, they do not have any information on the others. They do not seem to be even aware of the 1955 news report.

再努力吧.
We will keep on trying.

News: 台湾将迎回二战流落海外中国军人英灵

Posted by Eyedoc

台湾将迎回二战流落海外中国军人英灵
http://taiwan.huanqiu.com/news/2009-03/393194.html

"环球时报驻台北特约撰稿人韦博报道，二战时被日本送至巴布亚新几内亚当劳工的中国战俘，乱葬于当地长期无人闻问，经台湾媒体去年底披露后，台当局“ 国防部”于上周派员前往当地勘察。据台湾《联合报》5日消息称，项目小组明天(6日)傍晚将带着忠魂牌位返回台湾，在中正机场举行简单军礼迎灵后，将直接 前往大直忠烈祠安位。"

我們應當更努力的尋找與神靖丸共歿的無名人員名單.

The Shinsei Maru convoys

Posted by EyeDoc

(A W-19 class minesweeper, see http://www.combinedfleet.com/W-102_t.htm)

一向弄不清楚与神靖丸同行的船隻總數和船名,總算在追尋W-102號掃雷艇行蹤時找到了答案. 1944年12月1日從高雄出發到香港由W-102護送的"ホ103"船團僅3艘货船: 神靖丸,華頂山丸及Kanshu(館州?)丸.

同年12月15日W-102號掃雷艇再護送"ユ502"船團從香港到海南島榆林.這船團只有神靖丸及另一船(船名不詳).

其後W-102大約是回到基隆,1945年元月9日在基隆外海被TF38戰机炸傷.但10-11日又航向聖雀舺.12日護航"蔵40"號有5艘船的船團,早晨3時從聖雀舺出航不久,在7時30分被美机發現,11時開始被TF38大舉轟炸,損失3條船後,折返原出發地.

W-102原屬英軍Bangor級minesweeper, 在香港尚未竣工時被日軍接收,略作更改後服役.吃水580噸,裝備了1 x 4.7-inch (120-mm)/45 口径大砲, 8-Type 96 25-mm 高射砲及 36 枚深水炸彈.

下文列出W-102號掃雷艇護航船團詳情:

1 December 1944:
At 0755, W-102 departs Takao escorting convoy HO-103 consisting of SHINSEI, KACHAOSAN and KANSHU MARUs to Hong Kong.

3 December 1944:
At 1000, arrives at Hong Kong.

15 December 1944:
At 1500, W-102 departs Hong Kong escorting convoy YU-502 consisting of SHINSEI MARU and an unidentified ship.

17 December 1944:
At 1512, arrives at Yulin, Hainan Island.

9 January 1945: The Invasion of Luzon, Philippines:
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Thomas C. Kinkaid lands troops of LtGen Walter Krueger's Sixth Army at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon.Vice Admiral (later Admiral) John S. McCain's Task Force 38 supports the invasion with attacks on Formosa, Ryukyus and the Pescadores Islands. In the Formosa Strait, TF 38's planes damage W-102 and auxiliary subchaser NITTO MARU No. 22 off Keelung.

10-11 January 1945:
W-102 departs Keelung for St Jacques, Indochina.

12 January 1945:
At 0300, W-102, W-20 and minelayer YURISHIMA depart St Jacques escorting convoy SASHI-40 consisting of SHINTAI, HOKOKU, FUSHIMI and FRANCE MARUs and tanker KYOEI MARU No. 7 At 0730, an enemy aircraft sights the convoy and drops flares. At 1100, an air attack begins and continues until 1400. During this time, SHINTAI MARU and KYOEI MARU No. 7 are bombed and sunk and FRANCE MARU is hit and badly damaged and ran ashore where she subsequently burns out. The remaining ships flee back to St Jacques and the convoy is dissolved.

3 February 1945:
N of Hainan Island, China. W-102 is damaged severely by unknown causes at 25-40N, 119-50E.

1945:
Repaired at an unidentified location, probably Hong Kong.

15 August 1945:
LtCdr Okazaki notifies his crew of the end of hostilities.

從海南島到聖雀舺一程,有一艘海防艦 [砲艇] 護送神靖丸.但中途被美机擊沉.

這類輕噸級掃雷艇及海防艦,都不是真正戰艦,在輕裝備的情況之下,不可能有效的防空或防潛. 特別是1944年末開始,美軍以航母為流動基地的戰鬥机群變成了攻擊船團的主力,日方護航艦艇,不論噸級,寡不敵眾.掃雷海防有名無實.

歷史記載偶而也提到犧牲人數,都是令人震憾.像上提的SHINTAI MARU (新泰丸?),有1,266人隨船沉沒.

[740噸級第二号型（丁型）海防艦 - 2/26/1944]
裝備: 2 x 12.7-cm口径単装高角砲, 2 x 25-mm連装機銃, 120枚深水炸彈

It was Air Group VF(N)-41

Posted by EyeDoc

(Hauling a torpedo - towards a Hellcat)

According to various sources, 1/12/1945 was a very busy day for TF38, for example:

1. "On January 12, 1945, 1,500 sorties were flown by the aircrafts of the 14 fast carriers, resulting in 46 of Japanese ships being sunk."

2. "Codenamed “Operation Gratitude,” the attacks are wildly successful. Despite rough seas and high winds from a dangerously close typhoon, Japanese bases at Saigon, Cape Saint Jacques (Vung Tau), Cam Ranh Bay, Qui Nhon, and Tourane Bay (Da Nang) are hit hard, resulting in the destruction of docks, barracks, weapons depots, hangars, and scores of Japanese seaplanes and other aircraft, as well as the sinking of more than 40 enemy ships. "

3. "Bombardements massifs des appareils de la Task Force 38 américaine sur le sud de l'Indochine, notamment contre la base japonaise de Camranh Bay et Saïgon : une quarantaine [i.e., about 40] de navires japonais sont détruits, dont 11 petits bâtiments de guerre. C'est la première fois qu'une escadre américaine entre en mer de Chine méridionale depuis le début de la guerre."

The loss, according to Japanese sources, was put at 33-34 ships sunk, not >40. And it is now clear that the principal attacking group was TG 38.5:

"Literally within a matter of a few hours [days?] after the formation of TG 38.5 [note: on January 5 , 1945], 20 VFN from this group led the way in to Luzon in a predawn sweep. From then on, for the next 17 days aircraft from ENTERPRISE and INDEPENDENCE participated in operations against Formosa and the southern Nansei Shoto [i.e., 琉球海溝], operations against French Indo-China coastal positions from Saigon to Tourane (Da Nang), operations against the China coast of the Hong Kong-Swatow area and against the Formosa-Pescadores area (including the destruction by Air Group Ninety VTN and VFN of the presumed enemy radio and weather station on Pratas Island) and further operations against Formosa and the Nansei Shoto attendant on and after the withdrawal of the task force from the China Sea. "

And TG 38.5 USN personnel involved in the air raids:

"The Night Air Group 90 (12/24/1944 - 5/31/45) was commanded by Cdr William I Martin. The 34 Hellcats (VFN) were led by LCdr Robert J McCullough and the 21 Avengers (VTN) by LT Russell F Kippen (killed in action on 21 January 1945)." [Note: Air Group 90 was based on USS Enterprise.]

"USS Independence usually carried 30+ planes, e.g., 24 VFN fighters (Hellcats) and 9 VTN torpedo-bombers (Avengers)."

"Air Group VF(N)-41 [19 VFs + 8 VTs] (Aug-44 to Jan-45) was based on USS Independence (CVL-22), led by Cdr T. F. Caldwell; its "Top Ace" was LCdr William Henry (9.5 kills)."

It would appear that both Caldwell and Henry of Night Fighter Air Group 41 were directly involved in the attack of Shinsei Maru et al.

按照基於USS Enterprise 第90魚雷机中隊航空日誌提到的,於1945年1月12日從USS Independence 起飛,同時參戰的12架VF及4架VT,就是由 TF Caldwell上尉領隊.其中戰績最高的是一名William Henry中尉 (擊落了9.5架日机).這一群戰机並沒有參与攻擊ヒ86船團,但很明顯的是攻擊了西貢聖雀舺一帶的船艦.

就是這個41夜戰中隊, VF(N)-41, 炸沉了神靖丸.