Colonel Henry Lyon's War Crimes Papers
This collection contains prosecution and defense material relating to the Yokohama war crimes trials arising out of the Japanese defeat in World War II. Materials include special orders regulating the detention, interrogation, and trial of suspected war criminals, and consist primarily of defense exhibits and prosecution exhibits complete with photographs and maps. The mistreatment of prisoners of war is the subject of many of the deliberations.
Dates
- 1948
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
3 Linear Feet (3 record boxes)
Abstract
This collection contains prosecution and defense material relating to the Yokohama war crimes trials arising out of the Japanese defeat in World War II.
Biographical/Historical Note
Colonel Henry Lyon, a native of Greeneville, Tennessee, served as president of a War Crimes Commission trying Japanese war criminals at Yokohama in 1948. Colonel Lyon's military career began in 1917 after he completed a degree in electrical engineering at Virginia Polytechnical Institute. He served as an officer at posts in New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and the Canal Zone, and was a professor of military science to ROTC groups in Nebraska and Alabama. As commander of infantry units and training regiments, Colonel Lyon saw service in Montana, Panama, Colorado, California, Georgia, and Alabama. After his War Crimes Commission appointment was conducted, he remained in Yokohama until 1950 as deputy commander of the Yokohama Command. On his return to the United States he was appointed chief of the Kentucky Military District at Louisville.
Henry Yost Lyon was born on November 12, 1895 to William Risley Lyon (1872-1936) and Kathryn Bellfield (Yost) Lyon (1876-1957) in Greeneville, Tennessee. He married Margaret Lowery (Morrow) (1903-1963) in 1924, and the couple had one child, Patricia Ann (Lyon) Hodges (1930-2015). Colonel Henry Yost Lyon died on February 3, 1980 and is buried in the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery in Greeneville, Tennessee
Arrangement
Collection consists of three boxes.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository