Testimony of Harold W. Poole
before the Senate Judiciary Committee
Wednesday, June 28, 2000
Good Morning Mr. Chairman, and members of the Committee. And thank you Senator Hatch for your kind remarks in introducing me. As previously indicated, my name is Harold Wood Poole. I am an 80-year-old widower living in Salt Lake City, Utah. I have a son and a daughter, and nine grandchildren. I retired 20 years ago from the United States Postal Service, having served 30 years as a letter carrier.
As a young man many years ago, I joined the United States Army in 1940. After a brief period of training in California, my army air corps unit, the 20th Pursuit Squadron, was shipped out to the Philippine Islands. I was assigned to the armament section, and worked on the guns on our planes. Life in the Philippines was initially quite pleasant until war broke out.
I don't have to tell you anything about Pearl Harbor. It is all well known and well documented history. But what is not so well known was the Japanese attack on the Philippines the day after Pearl Harbor. I know, I was there. I was stationed at Clark Field, northwest of Manila. Waves of Japanese planes bombed and strafed the field, going after our planes and munitions. I will simply say, hoping not to appear immodest, that I received the Silver Star for Valor in Combat for my actions in shooting down a Japanese plane that day. But I did not receive that medal until after the war, and a lot happened in between. That's what I want to tell you about today.
After holding the invading Japanese at bay for four months, the decision was made to surrender the U.S. forces. We were cut off, out of food, ammo, medicine and supplies. I will tell you it was a bleak day. Many bleak days followed. 3 1/2 years to be exact. The Japanese guards continually berated us as cowards for surrendering, saying that we disgraced our country, ourselves, and our families, and didn't deserve to be alive. They refused us the dignity of the title, "Prisoner of War." Rather, they referred to us as "captives," and as such, we had no rights.
You have all heard about the infamous Bataan Death March. Well, I lived it. 6 days and nights of pure hell. We were already weak and ill before we began. We walked in stifling tropical heat, without water, food or adequate rest. We were prodded along by bayonets, and, if you failed to move fast enough, you were run through with the bayonet. I lost a lot of buddies on the march. I lost a lot more over the next 3 1/2 years. 200 members of my squadron surrendered. Only 50 ever came home. There are now only about 20 of us left.
I was shipped to Japan in one of the so-called "hell ships." Having survived the Death March and the hell ships, my greatest challenge was still ahead. 2 years of forced slave labor for Nippon Steel Corporation. We worked 7 days a week, 10 hours a day. We were starved, beaten and abused. We suffered disease, deprivation and depression. I nearly died twice, once from malaria, the other time from pnuemonia. We suffered from dysentery, beriberi, scurvy and pellagra. Many of these diseases resulted from surviving on starvation rations. If you became too ill to work, these already meager rations were further cut in half. Before the war broke out, I weighed 180 pounds. When we were finally liberated I weighed 97 pounds.
We worked at Nippon Steel doing heavy labor. Sometimes we unloaded freight cars, worked to supply a blast furnace, or unloaded ships. If you didn't work hard or fast enough, you were beaten. For a long time, we were not allowed to receive or send mail. It was several years before my mother even knew whether I was dead or alive. But with all due respect, most of what we experienced and lived through cannot be fully or adequately described. Suffice it to say, you had to be there.
I mentioned previously that only 50 of us came home from the war. I have often wondered why I survived and why so many of my buddies did not. Obviously, these are questions whose answers are ultimately known only to God. But I attribute my survival to Him. I am a religious man, and I believe my Heavenly Father heard and answered my prayers while I was a prisoner of war. My faith in Him, and my country, gave me the strength to hang on when there was nothing else to hold on to. And now, over 50 years later, I think I know why my life was preserved. I am here today to speak not only for myself, but also for all those young men who never came home. I am here to ask for your help as I seek justice not only for me, but for all of us who served and suffered, both living and dead. Justice has been long delayed, but it must not be denied.
I am currently a plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking justice. I am not alone. Other POW survivors are involved as well. Our lawsuit is not against the Japanese Government -- nor the Japanese people. I have long since forgiven them. Indeed, as a practicing Mormon, I sent my son to Japan for two years to serve as a missionary. We are all God's children.
But forgiveness does not eliminate the demands of justice. My lawsuit is against Nippon Steel -- the corporation which benefited directly from my forced slave labor. I want the world to know what happened to me and my fellow soldiers who were forced to work under such despicable conditions for Nippon Steel.
I am not a lawyer, but my attorneys tell me that a similar lawsuit such as mine was brought in New Jersey by survivors of the Holocaust. Many of them were slave laborers as well. In that case, I am told, the Department of Justice was requested to submit the position of the United States concerning the suit. The Department of Justice took no position. But now I am told that the Department of Justice has taken a position opposing our right to bring suit and to seek justice for the Pacific survivors of forced slave labor. I acknowledge that I am not educated in the law -- but I think I know what is fair -- and what is right. And I am here to respectfully tell you that it is neither fair nor right for the United States Government to take such a position against American soldiers -- albeit over 50 years later -- who when called upon so many years ago -- faithfully answered their country's call.
So what I simply ask today, Mr. Chairman, is your aid and assistance in helping us right this wrong. If the United States is not going to support us, then for heaven sakes, they should not oppose us. I am told that there are very strong legal arguments why we should be allowed our day in court. Obviously, I believe there are equally strong equitable reasons as well. I have confidence and trust in our American system of justice. I know if you will just allow us our day in court, our cause will speak for itself. As for me and my buddies, I will speak for those who are no longer here to speak for themselves. Please help us have that opportunity.
Thank you. I would be happy to respond at the appropriate time to any questions you may have.