World War II: September 1996 Letters

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JAPANESE WAR CRIMES
Regarding the interesting article in the September, 1996 issue,"Justice Under the Sun." I think there is a minor error.General Homma died by firing squad, not by hanging, as I recall.

Frank D. Slocum
Waianae, HI

In reference to your article, "Japanese War Crime Trials"in your September 1996 issue. The 98 people killed by the Japaneseon Wake Island in 1943 were not Pan Am employees. They were civiliancontractors left on the Island after capture to run the heavyequipment. The Pan Am employees were flown out by a China Clippera few days after the attack began.

Stan Cohen
Author
Enemy on Island: Issue In Doubt
The Capture of Wake Island
Missoula, MT

LOST FREEDOMS
I wish someone would research an article on "The FreedomsWe Have Lost Since WWII." I was asked about this by my grandkids-and didn’t have a good reply- can you help? This is certainlyNOT covered in the school system- where even Washington &Lincoln are almost ignored.

Bob Steiner
(combat vet from WWII and Korea)
Yoder, CO

MISPLACED MEDALS
I was reading the September 1996 issue of World War IImagazine and the picture on page 14 caught my eye. It seems tome that the negative may have been reversed.

There are a few things that tipped me off to this, but I’m notpositive. First, wasn’t it customary to tip covers to the rightduring the WWII era. Second, the Navy Cross was pinned on to hisright chest instead of the left. Third, the Marine Corps EagleGlobe and Anchor is facing to the wearers left instead of hisright.

My final inquiry is that of the Marine Corps Emblems on SergeantSchmid’s coat. When I went through Marine Corps basic training,we were taught to wear the emblems with the anchors facing inboard.Did the Marine Corps change uniform policy, did Sergeant Schmidmake an error, or did the reversed negative effect how they appearin the picture?

Thank you for your time! I have always enjoyed reading your magazinefrom cover to cover and always look forward to each issue. Pleasepass along my compliments to your staff for their excellent work.

Thomas J. Spratt
United States Marine Corps Reserve
Trabuco Canyon, CA

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