Oral History Interview with C. L. Pryor, December 5, 1987 Page: 37
This book is part of the collection entitled: UNT Oral Histories and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Oral History Program.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
with nine other Americans to an area in Thailand
that few knew about. The Japanese had built a large
workshop area in virgin jungle out here about.. .it
would be about twelve kilometers out of the city of
Kanchanaburi. That's where the bridge over the River
Kwai is. They had conscripted labor--Chinese labor,
for the most part--out of the tin mines of Ipoh and
Kuala Lumpur, down in the Malay Peninsula. They had
commandeered machinery, machine tools--lathes,
shapers, planers--and they had established a
foundry. They could melt down scrap iron, and these
Chinese workmen could make a sand mold and mold
almost any kind of piece that might be needed for a
machine. Then they'd finish it off on the shapers,
planers, lathes, so forth and so on, drill presses.
There were only ten Americans in this camp along
with 300 English, about 300 Dutch, and about eighty-
five Australians.
As we were still yet completing this camp
itself, such as roadways and drainage ditches and so
forth, we worked with a crew to build drainage
ditches. You worked in two-man teams. You had a pick
and a shovel, and you worked in two-man teams. We37
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
Jones, Waller F. & Pryor, Charley L. Oral History Interview with C. L. Pryor, December 5, 1987, book, December 5, 1987; Denton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1584976/m1/39/?q=%221920-02%22: accessed August 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Oral History Program.