ABSTRACT
The Mitsui family is the most powerful dynasty in Japan, outside of the Imperial Palace. Japanese soldiers goading American captives with threats about Omuta knew their country's largest coal mine, operated by Mitsui Mining Company near the town of Omuta in Japan's Fukuoka district, was a hazardous and frightening place to work. Mitsui had hired American engineers and purchased almost exclusively American equipment to build its Omuta mine in 1917. Harold Feiner recalled the irony of being handed woolen uniforms, which had been looted by the Japanese from British supplies in Hong Kong. One ex-POW said he wished the Swiss inspectors could have seen the Japanese guards eating the Red Cross food. A total of 1,859 prisoners, including 821 Americans, were sent to Mitsui's Omuta coal mine. Gap Silva was also made to wait without assistance after the mine ceiling collapsed on him in September 1944, on orders of the Mitsui foreman.
