I have another document (again too large to post, because I scanned them) from a John K. Borneman, Chaplain.
Date: 9 August 1947
"In May of 1941 I arrived in the Philippines for duty and was assigned as Chaplain for the 60th Coast Artillery anti-aircraft Regiment on Corregidor.
Following the surrender of Corregidor in May of 1942 the Japanese would not permit us to bury our dead, the majority of these were killed in action during the invasion the night of May 5-6 1942.
Several days after the surrender the Chaplains took the iniative and went around Corregidor burying the dead and this included the digging of the grave. However no markers could be placed on the graves due to the tense situation then prevailing; in fact the Japanese threatened to shoot or decapitate any person discovered in the act of taking care of the American casualties.
This work we continued until 1 July 1942 when all of us were removed to Philippine Military Prison Camp No. 1 at Cabanatuan. During our internment in this camp 2,666 men died and were buried in the camp cemetery. It was from here that I was liberated 30 January 1945 by action of the 6th Army Rangers.
In the summer of 1946 I spent three months on Corregidor and in Manila locating isolated graves. This work was not entirely satisfactory to me due to the fact that it was the rainy season and our work was constantly interfered with by typhoons. In addition I twice had the Japanese prisoners who were the labor detail, removed from Corregidor for long periods and finally at the end of September they were taken away permanently for preparation to be sent back to Japan.
No map was available of Corregidor as it existed in peace time and this was necessary due to the changes in topography caused by American action in retaking the Rock in February 1945.
As nearly as I can estimate there are about 112 bodies still to be recovered on Corregidor. I have secured an engineer map from the Army Map Service and forwarded it to the Memorial Division in Manila.
Since my return home I have answered more that 2,200 letters from relatives of men who did not survive the war or prision camp and these are still coming in at the rate of about 50 a month.
I am therefore much interested in the repatriation of our Philippine dead.
Is there a possibility of returning to Manila under the auspicies of the Memorial Division to complete this work? I know there is none under the Chaplains Corps due to the dwindling number of Chaplains required in the Philippines and the consequent cut in funds for their work..."
No idea if the military took him up on his offer.
It looks like they took him up on the offer, but I can't tell if it was before or after he wrote the letter in 1947. Here's a transcription of a 1946 memo which mentions the good chaplain. Note the date. (I've not transcribed the roster originally attached.)
Declassified E.O. 13526
IDENTIFICATION SECTION
REPATRIATION RECORDS BRANCH
MEMORIAL DIVISION
Elmer Fisher
Leonard Citrenbaum 12 December 1946
Investigating Clerks Date
Manila #2, Luzon, P.I.
Cemetery
IDENTIFYING DATA
Reports of Re-interment in US Military Cemetery, Manila #2, Luzon, P.I., for each of the deceased listed in the attached roster (Incl #1).
a. All Reports of re-interment indicate an Unknown X-Number and the name of a deceased member of the U.S. Armed Forces.
b. All Reports of Re-interment indicate that the original burial was in the American POW Cabanatuan Camps 1 & 3 Cemeteries and the plot, row and grave from which the deceased was disinterred.
c. All reports of Re-interment indicate the place of death to be Cabanatuan Prison Camps 1 & 3, Luzon, P.I.
d. All Reports of Re-interment indicate the date of death to be within the period of time that the Cabanatuan Prison Camp was in operation as a POW Camps.
3. The majority of Reports of Re-interment indicate that the original burial reveals more common graves than individual burials.
f. All Reports of Re-interment contain a tooth chart of the deceased concerned.
2. Photostat list taken from original notebooks which contained the death records of Cabanatuan Camps No. 1 & 3, was compiled by Captain Robert E. Conn, Jr. during his internment at Cabanatuan (Incl #3). The original notebooks were used by the War Crimes Commission in connection with the trial of General Homma.
3. Roster of individuals originally interred in the American POW Cabanatuan Camps 1, 2 & 3 Cemeteries, indicating in some instances the grave location (See Incl #2). This roster was received from the Mira Loma Depot, California, and constitutes a part of the records of an inactivated unit, the 111th QM Graves registration Platoon. The cover letter of the roster was signed by Maurice S. Beard, 2nd Lt. GWS.
RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION
1. AGO Reports of Death are on file for each of the deceased listed in Incl #1. The place of death and the date of death as shown on each Report of Re-interment agrees with the place and date of death indicated on the AGO Reports of Death.
-1-
Declassified E.O. 13526
Camp Cabanatuan, Manila #2, Luzon, P.I. (Results of Investigation, cont’d)
2. The grave location indicated on the face of each of the Reports of Re-interment agrees with the grave location on the original Roster of POW Interments at Cabanatuan POW Camps 1, 2 &3, (Incl #2), where indicated. Grave markings for the common and individual graves were not used until 30 July 1942. Until this date, 1260 deceased were interred in Cabanatuan POW Camps 1, 2 & 3 in common graves without markings.
3. A letter was obtained from Captain Conn, (Incl #4), mentioned in paragraph 2 directly above, the person directly responsible for the compilation of Death Records in Cabanatuan (Incl #3), which states that he, Captain Conn, sincerely believes the roster burials (Incl #2) is accurate.
4. A signed statement by Lt. Col. John K. Borneman, Ch.C., O-266084, (Incl #5) TDY to this office, substantiates that he, as one of the 14 functioning Chaplains of Cabanatuan Prison Camp, conducted services for many of the deceased listed on attached roster (Incl #1). He also confirms the fact that Captain Robert E. Conn, Jr., was directly responsible for the gathering and recording of information shown on Death Records of Cabanatuan (Incl #3).5. Dental Records for each deceased indicated on the inclosed roster (Incl #1) were obtained from AGO Demobilized Records Branch, St. Louis, for a comparison with the dental charts made on the reverse side of the pertinent Report of Re-interment. A verified comparison was made in each case by Colonel George R. Kennebeck, DC., and Major Donald C. Shenberger, DC., and a signed certificate to this effect attached to each case.
BASIS FOR IDENTIFICATION
1. Agreement of AGO Report of Death and Report of Re-interment as to place of death and date of death in each case.
2. Agreement of the original grave locations noted on the Reports of Reburial in Manila #2, with the roster of burials (Incl #2), and Death Reports of Cabanatuan 1 & 3 (Incl #3).
3. Statement by interested parties (Incls #4 & #5) that the roster of burials is authentic.
4. Verified tooth chart comparisons on the names listed on Incl #1. The comparisons as made are in agreement with grave location indicated on the roster of burials (Incl #2).
CONCLUSION
In view of the above indicated facts, it is determined that the remains now interred as Unknowns in US Military Cemetery, Manila #2, as indicated on the inclosed roster (Incl #1), are those of the deceased whose names are listed on the same line of the roster.
-2-
Declassified E.O. 13526
Camp Cabanatuan, Manila #2, Luzon, P.I. (Results of Investigation, cont’d)
Although there are 2,663 deceased listed on the roster of burials for Cabanatuan POW Cemetery, 1,575 are cases to be identified by this office. The remaining deceased have either been identified or there is no Report of Internment covering the case on file in this office. This case history covers the identification of 287 of the total 1,575 to be identified. The number of case remaining to be identified, 1288 are not being presented as part of this case history as further investigation is necessary to complete the cases. It is felt that the 287 covered by this case history should be approved as soon as possible in order that each pertinent next of kin may be notified at an early date.
CONCURRENCE: /S/ H. C. Mann 12 December 1946
Chief Identification Clerk Date
/S/ James C. MacFarland 12 December 1946
Major, QMC, Chief of Section Date
RECOMMEND APPROVAL:
/S/ Edward V. Freeman /S/ Arthur W. Folaros
EDWARD V. FREEMAN ARTHUR W. FOLAROS
Colonel, QMC, Chairman Capt., QMC
/S/ Martin G. Riley /S/ Charles C. Cornelius
MARTIN G. RILEY CHARLES C. CORNELIUS
Major, QMC Lt. Col., QMC
/S/ John L. Jacks, Jr. /S/ Caleb A. Shreeve
JOHN L. JACKS, Jr. CALEB A. SHREEVE
Capt., QMC Lt. Col., QMC
APPROVED: /S/ Geo A. Horkan
GEORGE A. HORKAN
Brigadier General, QMC
Director of Division
________________________________________________________________________________________
RECORDS COPIES BR TO 293 FILES FIELD ADVISE EFFECTS BUREAU AGO (BR)
CORRECTED RECORDS SECTION
-3-
Enclosures (removed)
1. Roster of 287 deceased servicemembers
2. Roster of 2,663 individuals originally interred in the American POW Cabanatuan Camps 1, 2 & 3 Cemeteries
3. Photostat list of original notebooks which contained the death records of Cabanatuan Camps No. 1 & 3 compiled by Captain Robert E. Conn, Jr.
4. Letter from Captain Conn authenticating enclosure 3 above.
5. Statement of Chaplin who conducted burial services.