711.94114A/10–1944: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)
3738. American Interests—Japan. Legation’s 6946, October 19, Legation’s 6788, October 11,84 Intercross US2373, October 10 to PIWAR, and Intercross Geneva C1006.
Request Swiss Government to have Gorgé deliver the following message textually to the Japanese Government:
The American Government was advised, one year and a half after the event occurred and only after inquiry on its part, of the shooting of an American prisoner of war, Private Coleman Greelich.85 The American Government considers such perfunctory notification in direct contravention to Article 77 of the Geneva Prisoners of War Convention which states that the Information Bureau shall receive from the various services concerned full information respecting internments and transfers, releases on parole, repatriations, escapes, stays in hospitals, deaths, as well as other information necessary to enable it to make out and keep up to date an individual return for each prisoner of war.
The American Government expects that the Japanese Government will take all steps necessary to prevent in the future such unjustifiable delay in making official reports.