Leopold Anthony Kulikowski
Leopold Anthony Kulikowski served as a Machine Gunner with Company A, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment when he was Wounded in Action and buried alive by an enemy shell on 3 May 1942 during the Battle of Corrigedor. He was then captured on 6 May 1942 and was sent to the Cabanatuan POW Camp where he would remain until 6 March 1944. At that point, him and other prisoners from the Cabanatuan POW Camp were put into cattle cars and shipped to Manila. From 6 March 1944 to 24 March 1944, the POWs were held at the Bilibid Prison.
On 24 March 1944, Mr. Kulikowski and 307 other POWs were put aboard the Hell Ship Taikoku Maru, a 3000 ton Japanese Freighter armed with two 3 inch Guns. At the start of the voyage, all of the POWs were able to lie down to rest despite the severe overcrowding aboard the ship. However, three days later (27 March 1944) after arriving in Takao, Formosa; the ship was hit by a storm and water began leaking into the POW quarters which housed a quarter of the men which prevented any of the men to lie down for the remainder of the trip. Shortly after, due to the wetness of the hold and lack of warm clothing; most if not all of the POWs developed colds, the flu, as well as one case of pneumonia. On 3 April 1944 the Taikoku Maru departed Takao and arrived at Osaka, Japan on 9 April 1944.
Aboard the ship, men were allowed to use the latrines without restriction both day and night. The latrines facilities consisted of a small shed built over the side of the ship. Washing facilities were non existent with the exception of being able to wash mess equipment. In Comparison, the food was good. Cooking was performed by prisoner cooks under the supervision of prisoner mess officers without much interference by the Japanese. The cooking facilities aboard the ship consisted of stoves made by cutting 55 gallon drums in half and using them as fire boxes using wood as fuel. Upon these, a large cauldron was placed in which the cooking was performed. The POWs were treated well by the guards on detail which was commanded by Warrant Officer Sakashita with Sergeant Olgas the second in command and interpreter. No POWs were recorded as lost during this voyage.
On 10 April 1944, Mr. Kulikowski and the other POWs boarded a train and was put into coach cars which were severely overcrowded. The food aboard the train was good and was prepared in individual bento boxes. The POWs arrived at Hitachi, Japan on 11 Apr 1944 after an 18 hour trip via train.
Mr. Kulikowski was sent to Tokyo POW Camp #1-B Kawasaki. Here he was assigned Prisoner number 93 and was forced to work at the Kawasaki ship yard.
On 29 August 1945, Mr. Leopold Anthony Kulikowski and the other POWs at Tokyo POW Camp #1-B were Liberated by Allied Forces. Mr. Kulikowski would become instantly famous with two photos of him circulating on the front page of newspapers all across the United States and even the World. (See photos below) He would continue to serve in the United States Marine Corps as a Military Escort for fallen Americans being reinterned stateside.
On 26 October 1948, Mr. Kulikowski was aboard a train when it derailed while he was apart of the reinternment detail. He was very fortunate to survive not only being a Prisoner to the Japanese for 3 1/2 years but also by surviving a highly fatal train wreck with only slight bruising.
*Note: the Taikoku Maru was sunk by the submarine USS Sand Lance (SS-381) on 17 May 1944.
*Taikoku Maru Details Source: Affidavit of Lt COL (Inf) Arthur G. Christensen, II Corps, G2
On 24 March 1944, Mr. Kulikowski and 307 other POWs were put aboard the Hell Ship Taikoku Maru, a 3000 ton Japanese Freighter armed with two 3 inch Guns. At the start of the voyage, all of the POWs were able to lie down to rest despite the severe overcrowding aboard the ship. However, three days later (27 March 1944) after arriving in Takao, Formosa; the ship was hit by a storm and water began leaking into the POW quarters which housed a quarter of the men which prevented any of the men to lie down for the remainder of the trip. Shortly after, due to the wetness of the hold and lack of warm clothing; most if not all of the POWs developed colds, the flu, as well as one case of pneumonia. On 3 April 1944 the Taikoku Maru departed Takao and arrived at Osaka, Japan on 9 April 1944.
Aboard the ship, men were allowed to use the latrines without restriction both day and night. The latrines facilities consisted of a small shed built over the side of the ship. Washing facilities were non existent with the exception of being able to wash mess equipment. In Comparison, the food was good. Cooking was performed by prisoner cooks under the supervision of prisoner mess officers without much interference by the Japanese. The cooking facilities aboard the ship consisted of stoves made by cutting 55 gallon drums in half and using them as fire boxes using wood as fuel. Upon these, a large cauldron was placed in which the cooking was performed. The POWs were treated well by the guards on detail which was commanded by Warrant Officer Sakashita with Sergeant Olgas the second in command and interpreter. No POWs were recorded as lost during this voyage.
On 10 April 1944, Mr. Kulikowski and the other POWs boarded a train and was put into coach cars which were severely overcrowded. The food aboard the train was good and was prepared in individual bento boxes. The POWs arrived at Hitachi, Japan on 11 Apr 1944 after an 18 hour trip via train.
Mr. Kulikowski was sent to Tokyo POW Camp #1-B Kawasaki. Here he was assigned Prisoner number 93 and was forced to work at the Kawasaki ship yard.
On 29 August 1945, Mr. Leopold Anthony Kulikowski and the other POWs at Tokyo POW Camp #1-B were Liberated by Allied Forces. Mr. Kulikowski would become instantly famous with two photos of him circulating on the front page of newspapers all across the United States and even the World. (See photos below) He would continue to serve in the United States Marine Corps as a Military Escort for fallen Americans being reinterned stateside.
On 26 October 1948, Mr. Kulikowski was aboard a train when it derailed while he was apart of the reinternment detail. He was very fortunate to survive not only being a Prisoner to the Japanese for 3 1/2 years but also by surviving a highly fatal train wreck with only slight bruising.
*Note: the Taikoku Maru was sunk by the submarine USS Sand Lance (SS-381) on 17 May 1944.
*Taikoku Maru Details Source: Affidavit of Lt COL (Inf) Arthur G. Christensen, II Corps, G2