An American Morris-Knudsen civilian contractor captured when the Japanese forces seized Wake Island during World War II was executed on this date in 1942.
Julius “Babe” Hoffmeister’s essential offense was alcoholism; this indeed was the reason for his presence on Wake in the first place, as he’d signed up for this remote hitch in an effort to force himself to cold-turkey detox. Thereafter finding himself in a war zone did no favors for his illness.
During the December 1941 Japanese bombardment of Wake, Hoffmeister looted alcohol from the hospital and stashed it around the atoll, stealing back to them periodically in the subsequent months of slave labor for the occupiers to self-medicate against the misery of his situation. By May those stockpiles had been exhausted, forcing Hoffmeister to more desperate ventures.
We catch a glimpse of this unfortunate man his countrymen’s diaries.
One of those observers was an officer named Leal Henderson Russell, whose rank entitled him to milder treatment and a degree of cordiality with his Japanese opposite numbers. On May 8th, Russell’s journal (self-published in 1987 and hard to come by) recorded —
Wakened by guards on coming into the barracks. They went inside and I could hear them questioning someone. After breakfast I found that they had arrested Babe Hoffmeister who was out of the compound during the night. Okazaki told me later he had broken into the canteen. They called several of the men in to question them concerning it but I think he was alone at the time. I also heard he was drunk. It is apt to go very hard on Babe as he had been repeatedly warned.
Two days afterwards, it did go very hard.
May 10th — Julius ‘Babe’ Hoffmeister was murdered this morning. Nearly all foremen and dept. superintendents were called to witness it. Possibly it will serve as a warning to some who still feel that they have some rights here.
A different prisoner, Logan Kay, noted well the warning —
The Japs made Hoffmeister crouch on his hands and knees. A Jap officer took his sword, laid the blade on his neck, brought it back like a golf club and then down on his neck, severing his head with a single blow.
Far more extensive horrors awaited the prisoners of Wake as the war progressed.
On this day..
- 1682: Four at a Lisbon auto de fe - 2020
- 1896: Five Persians by gatching - 2018
- 1643: The Book of Sports - 2017
- 1756: Owen Syllavan - 2016
- 1945: Sudeten Germans, known but to God - 2015
- 1527: Johann Hüglin, Meersburg martyr - 2014
- 1794: Elisabeth of France, sister of the king - 2013
- 1956: Andreas Dimitriou and Michalis Karaolis, the first EOKA men hanged - 2012
- 1900: Three Algerians in Setif - 2011
- 1821: Stephen Merrill Clark, boy arsonist - 2010
- 1994: John Wayne Gacy, scary clown - 2009
- 1987: Sadamichi Hirasawa, by old age - 2008
This was my grandfather. You spelled his last name incorrectly. It’s Hofmeister, one f, not 2..
My grandfather was Leal Henderson Russell, one of whom wrote the account of your grandfather. I am sorry for your family’s grief over Julius’ horrific fate. Stephanie Russell Persson