Interview with Cecil J. Sims, September 28th, 1987

Partial Transcript: It's September the 28th, 1987. I'm in the home of Cecil Sims in Danville, Kentucky.

Synopsis: Colonel Arthur L. Kelly introduces Cecil Sims, a World War II veteran. Sims served with Company D, 192nd Tank Battalion in the Philippines. He also participated in the Bataan Death March to Camp O'Donnell and was later sent to Moji.

Keywords: 192nd Tank Battalion;Camp O'Donnell;Company D;Danville(Ky.);Death March;Moji Prison Camp(Japan);Philippines;WWII

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Let's start at Clark Field, Cecil.

Synopsis: He talks about the Japanese bombing Clark Field.

Keywords: bomb attacks;Bomb explosions;Clark Field

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Partial Transcript: After Clark Field, and the tankers go north- did you go up north from Clark Field also?

Synopsis: He talks about leaving Clark Field and the fighting at Lingayen Gulf. He describes his duties in the kitchen.

Keywords: Clark Field;Colonel Wickard;Headquarters Company;Lingayen Gulf

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: When you get into Bataan there, they're going to cut your rations considerably.

Synopsis: He discusses how he would feed all of the soldiers after rations were cut until their surrender to the Japanese.

Keywords: Food Rations;Surrender

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Do you remember any of the stories where somebody told you an unusual war story or some funny incident or close call?

Synopsis: He tells how his morale fared as things began to get worse. Looking for reinforcements kept them moving, but eventually his company found out that they weren't coming. The Americans had surrendered.

Keywords: Food shortages;Surrender

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Let's go to the next morning, when all of the sudden they tell you you've surrended. Let's talk about that.

Synopsis: He talks about the surrender to the Japanese and how it affected his company. He also gives his thoughts and feelings on the surrender.

Keywords:

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Partial Transcript: Can you recall anything that occurred there that was pretty bad?

Synopsis: Cecil Sims describes the beginning of the Bataan Death March to Camp O'Donnell.

Keywords: Bataan Death March;Camp O'Donnell (Philippines)

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: You say by this time, now you're becoming numb, more than hardened. Would that be the correct way to say it?

Synopsis: He tells how he became mentally numb during the Death March and how his fellow soldiers tried to help him through that time. He mentions that he had dysentery.

Keywords:

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Partial Transcript: OK, Cecil. Let's continue the march.

Synopsis: He describes the train ride from San Fernando to Gapan. From there, they marched to Camp O'Donnell, then to Cabanatuan to be sent to Moji.

Keywords: Camp O'Donnell (Philippines);Gapan (Philippines);San Fernando (Philippines)

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Let's just get Goodpaster while we got it.

Synopsis: They talk about Sims' fellow soldier Edward Goodpaster, who died at Moji. He was also a part of the 192nd Tank Battalion. Sims describes his experience at Cabanatuan before going to Moji.

Keywords: 192nd Tank Battalion;Cabanatuan (Philippines);Diseases;Edward Goodpaster;Moji Prison Camp

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: You were talking about work detail and getting beat up. Give me a specific example, please.

Synopsis: He talks about being on work detail in Cabanatuan before going to Moji.

Keywords: Abuse;Cabanatuan (Philippines);Moji Prison Camp (Japan);Prisoners of War (POW);Work Details

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: When we got to Moji- by the time we got there I was down in a weakened condition again.

Synopsis: He describes his arrival at Moji, his experience at the prison camp and the abuse he endured as a prisoner.

Keywords: Moji Prison Camp (Japan);Prisoners of War (POW)

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: So, one night they didn't get the detail finished as soon as they wanted to and they had to work us 'till it got dark in the warehouse.

Synopsis: He recalls the abuse he received as a prisoner and his first beating.

Keywords: Abuse;Japanese Officers;Moji Prison Camp (Japan);Prisoners of War (POW)

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: ...Effort to keep it from interfering with the way I would treat them.

Synopsis: He gives his opinion on the Japanese and how their brutality affected his thoughts about them.

Keywords: Japanese People

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Let me quickly cover a couple of things here. One is the bombing...

Synopsis: He describes how the Americans dropped bombs on Japan. The bombings burned nearly everything in the area he was in.

Keywords: Atomic Bombs;bomb attacks;Japan

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Partial Transcript: What happens to you after the American contact?

Synopsis: He discusses being liberated. He took his time coming home after the war. He describes the state of Japan after the bombing.

Keywords: Airfields;Japan;Liberation

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Partial Transcript: And from there you came on home on a ship?

Synopsis: He explains what it was like to come home and how he adjusted. He went back to school then, eventually becoming an educator.

Keywords: Employment opportunities;Harrodsburg (Ky.);Teachers

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Let me get your parents' names. Who was your father?

Synopsis: He gives his family history and educational background. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Children;Education;Family History;Family Members--Parents

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