World War II Honoree

John J. Wilpers, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Saratoga Springs, New York

Honored By

Michael J. Lynett

HE WAS ON THE DETAIL GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR DISPATCHED TO ARREST HIDEKI TOJO, SOUGHT BY THE ALLIED POWERS SO HE COULD BE TRIED FOR ATROCITIES COMMITTED BY JAPANESE TROOPS DURING THE WAR, INCLUDING THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH. HE WAS PART OF A FIVE-MAN UNIT ORDERED TO ARREST TOJO AT HIS HOME IN A TOKYO SUBURB ON SEPTEMBER 11, 1945, NINE DAYS AFTER JAPAN’S SURRENDER ENDED THE WAR. WHILE THE SOLDIERS WERE OUTSIDE, TOJO ATTEMPTED TO COMMIT SUICIDE BY SHOOTING HIMSELF IN THE CHEST. HE ORDERED A JAPANESE DOCTOR AT GUNPOINT TO TREAT TOJO UNTIL AN AMERICAN DOCTOR ARRIVED. TOJO SURVIVED, WAS CONVICTED OF WAR CRIMES AND WAS EXECUTED IN DECEMBER, 1948.