The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Deaths: Captured Tojo

From the March 4, 2013, Seattle Times "US WWII veteran who captured Japan's Tojo dies" by Chris Carola, AP.

JOHN J. WILPERS, 93

Last surviving member of the U.S. Army intelligence unit that captured former Japanese Prime Minister Hidecki Tojo.  The five-man unit arrested him September 11, 1945, nine days after Japan's surrender.

While the soldiers were outside, Tojo attempted to commit suicide and shot himself in the chest.  Wilpers drew his pistol and threatened a Japanese doctor present into treating Tojo until an American one arrived.

Tojo survived and was convicted of war crimes and executed in December 1948.

There is a famous photo of Wilpers holding the pistol on the doctor.

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