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Oral History Interview with J. S. Gray, August 21, 2001
The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral history with J S Gray. Gray was born in Catahoula Parrish, Louisiana on 14 July 1920. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1937 and after various assignments was shipped to Manila, Philippine Islands, serving in the 27th Bomb Group, 454th Ordnance. Gray tells of the Japanese attack on Clark Field and ultimate surrender of United States forces by General King. He describes conditions encountered during several forced marches, including the Bataan Death March. Gray also discusses internment in Camp O’Donnell and Cabanatuan and the horrific conditions encountered on POW “Hell” ship to Japan. He worked in a copper smelting plant in Yokkaichi. He mentions the sabotage methods used while working in a steel casting plant, kindness extended by two individual Japanese guards, his near death experience from treatment by a guard, and the saving and concealment of the stars cut from an American flag. He details the making of an American flag out of scraps and the retained stars prior to release from the POW camp [the handmade flag is now on display in the museum’s gallery]. When he returned to the United States, he was hospitalized, and then …
Date:
August 21, 2001
Creator:
Gray, J. S.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with J. S. Gray, August 21, 2001
The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral history with J S Gray. Gray was born in Catahoula Parrish, Louisiana on 14 July 1920. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1937 and after various assignments was shipped to Manila, Philippine Islands, serving in the 27th Bomb Group, 454th Ordnance. Gray tells of the Japanese attack on Clark Field and ultimate surrender of United States forces by General King. He describes conditions encountered during several forced marches, including the Bataan Death March. Gray also discusses internment in Camp O’Donnell and Cabanatuan and the horrific conditions encountered on POW “Hell” ship to Japan. He worked in a copper smelting plant in Yokkaichi. He mentions the sabotage methods used while working in a steel casting plant, kindness extended by two individual Japanese guards, his near death experience from treatment by a guard, and the saving and concealment of the stars cut from an American flag. He details the making of an American flag out of scraps and the retained stars prior to release from the POW camp [the handmade flag is now on display in the museum’s gallery]. When he returned to the United States, he was hospitalized, and then …
Date:
August 21, 2001
Creator:
Gray, J. S.
Object Type:
Sound
System:
The Portal to Texas History