Heindel, James P, 1928-2012

Biography

James “Jim” Heindel, 1928-2012, served in the United States Army as part of the occupation forces in Japan following World War II. Born in Kaukana, Wisconsin, Heindel enlisted after admiring returning World War II veterans and seeking to experience military service for himself. From 1946 to 1948, he served with the Eighth Army as a jailer at Sugamo Prison, which housed Class A, B, and C Japanese war crimes suspects and convicted prisoners connected to the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. According to the family accounts, the Army intentionally staffed Sugamo with “fresh G.I.’s” rather than combat veterans in order to reduce the risk of retaliation or mistreatment towards Japanese prisoners. As a jailer, Heindel worked within the prison, overseeing inmates, distributing food, and maintaining order. During his service, he became acquainted with several prisoners, including Fujiki Fumio and Tobito Tokio. Family recollections describe Heindel as generally reserved about his military service, though he occasionally recounted stories from his time patrolling the prison cell blocks at Sugamo Prison. After leaving the service, he attended St. Norbert College in DePere, where he graduated with a major in English and a minor in Spanish. He married Mary Brittnacher on June 22, 1955, in Wrightown, and was employed for 38 years as a Spanish and Latin teacher in Beaver Dam, retiring in 1980. He died on February 7, 2022, in Beaver Damn, Wisconsin.

Found in 1 Collection or Record: