During World War II, some 3,000 Okinawan soldiers, conscripts and civilians were imprisoned in Hawai‘i as prisoners of war. Twelve of them died while in captivity here in Hawai‘i and were buried in the cemetery at Schofield Barracks 73 years ago.

Schofield Barracks Casualty Affairs Office spokeswoman Stefanie Gutierrez said the remains of 12 Okinawan prisoners of war were disinterred and returned to Japan in 1946. That was the Army’s conclusion after searching their records and contacting local mortuaries and cemeteries. The Army does not, however, have records listing the specific locations where the POWs’ remains were reinterred after being returned to Japan.