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About Herald and news. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1942-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 1945)
Sgtr Joe Lavson Returns To Klamath After 3 Years In Jap Prison Camp Br joy bioos , i Prisoner Number 21, of Jap prison Camp 7, Fukuoka, city of Dmula, returned to his home In Klamath Falls December 2 . Twenty-one was the number ! jlven to lstSgt. Joe Lawson, ton of Mr. and Mrs. G. M. Law ion of 109 N. Broad, who was held a prisoner of the Japs from May 6, 1942, when he was cap lured on Corrcgidor, until he was liberated September 16, 1945 by recovered personnel groups from the U. S. navy. Joe doesn't care much about eating rice now and wouldn't choose to work in a coal mine. He had his share Of both during the three years he was a prison er. He lost 45 pounds during his Imprisonment. Early to Work Joe left for work in the Jap coal mine at 2:30 a. m. and was in bed again at 7 or 8 p. m as soon as he got back from work. He received 15 sen per day wages. Of course, his board and room were thrown in. His bed was the thick mat floor of a barracks housing 50 men. A "box" lunch was taken to the mine. It contained about 650 grams of steamed rice with a "pickled" radish (vitamin B), rice for supper, or sometimes soup made with plenty of water and a few leaves from vege tables. Sometimes the odor of meat was present from the 30 kilos or so divided among 500 men. GI spoons and mess kits were used with bowls or cups cut from a section of bamboo trees. Joe was issued short pants and a shirt for work and one uniform for dress inspection. U. S. Machinery Machinery used, in the mine was American and new 20 years ago. The name General Electric was on it, and there were American steel rails, shipped in before Pearl Harbor. Joe was an assistant section leader part of the time, over 50 to 75 men. The rest of the time he worked as one of the gang excavating coal. The work week was nine days, with the 10th off, and no holi 'days observed. The prisoners were docked wages for sick time. On Christmas work progressed as usual; the boys celebrated on their nearest day off. Christmas of 1943, each man was issued an individual relief box from the Red Cross, con taining what was left after the Japs had first choice. Christmas of 4944 each box was divided between two men. Between Christmas and V-J Day parts of boxes from ship ments received previously were issued, and' on August 15 boxes which had not been picked over were given the prisoners and they knew then it was all over. About 300 or 400 B-29's had been seen over the camp for some time and the men were bet tine on how long it would take before the Japs surrendered and called it V-J Day. One officer bet on August 15 as the day. It was. ' Clouds from the atomic bomb ing of Nagasaki, less than 100 miles from the camp, were seen "Welcome Home, Son" r 1. T- , W is 1X ft if ". O O o G. M. Lawson welcomes his son, Sgt. Joe Lawson. home after three years' internment in a Jap prison camp. and there was some speculation regarding the type of bombs being used. Joe was down in the mine that day and didn't see the clouds. Red Cross packages containing food and medical supplies which had been held out were now is sued. Then the guards moved out and the prisoners took charge of the camp themselves. Some left immediately to try and hitch-hike to the coast and home, but Joe stayed with the major ity, many of whom were too ill to be moved. After V-J Day, B-29's dropped supplies by parachute, of medi cine, food and clothes, so they had about 30 days of better ra tions before they were released. George Weller, war correspon dent ot the umcago uany mews was the first civilian Joe saw. Captured in May Joe was due for a furlough in February, 1942, but he couldn't get out of Corregidor. He was captured in May. First he was taken by way of Formosa to Mojl on the Island of Kyushu and from, there to Camp 7, probably the biggest Jap prison camp. Other Klamath Falls men in the regiment whom he met in prison were Alonzo Palmer, Ralph Floyd, James Orth and Ma. Denton J. Rees. Joe was used as a section lead er in the Philippines, which kept him from the regular detail, but just before they were moved he did work on the detail with 500 others, cutting wood and garden ing. He received about nine letters from home during his three years internment and one pack age which was opened by the Japs. All packages were opened and writing materials, paper, pencils and knives were all con fiscated. . " A very few men were allowed to fill out forms to be broadcast saying they were "fine and get ting enough to eat." Joe filled out one. The messages were to be broadcast toward the United States from a radio station near Tokyo for interception by U. S forees. He never knew definite ly whether his message was used or not Once some canned meat disap peared from the Jap supplies and the whole camp was punished by having three meals withheld. Sgt. Lawson is home on a 90 day furlough; he is still in the army. He wears ribbons for the Asiatic-Pacific theater, American defense, Philippine defense, Vic tory; Purple Heart, Presidential Unit citation with two Oak Leaf clusters, four battle stars for ma jor campaigns in southern Lu zon, Bataan and two on Corregi dor. KUHS Graduate Lawson is a graduate of KUHS. He has two brothers in the service, one in the navy sta tioned in Alameda, Calif., and one in the beaoees somewhere in China. He came home on an aircraft carrier to Okinawa, from there by navy transport- to Manila, and on to San Francisco on the Marine Shark. Transportation was pretty crowded and it seemed terribly slow, Lawson said. LAST WORD ALBUQUERQUE. N. M.. Dec. 6 (JP) Anything can haDDen these days when it comes to rent ing a house. George c. Taylo, district OPA rent attorney, says wis Happened. An apartment house owner evicted four families to raze the building as the site for a business structure. One of the evicted tenants bought a house and evicted the renter who waa the apartment house owner. Siromberg-Carlson Radios. Derby's Muale Co. When your ears turn red And your nose; turns blue, ) 1 The time te get anti-fieeze v Is Vay past due J Ell -.. MltYW7 i i j Remember, you can never put in anti-fireeze too early but you can think of it too late. Protect your car with Du Pont "Zerex" or War Emergency "Zerone" today. $1.40 a gal. War Emergency "Zerone" gives thorough protection against rust and corrosion as well as freezing. Until regular "Zerone" returns (this season's production went to war), there's no better buy at the price. Remember, it's made by Du Pont. $2.65 a gal. A limited supply' of , "Zerex," Du Font's non-evaporating anti freeze, is now available. "Zerex" won't boil out. One filling lasts all winter. Gives complete protection against rust and corro sion won't form sludge or clog radiators. WW , itst .'..-oU. tj((j as Thursday, Dee. 8, 1945 HERALD AND NEWS EIGHT Student Aviation Pilot Wil liam David Ganger, son ot Mrs. Gladys J. Ganger of Tulclako, has completed the navy's pre flight training course at Iowa City, la. Young Ganger was ac tive in Tulelake high school af fairs and a member ot the bas ketball and track teams. At Washington Stato college he studied to be a veterinarian. Ganger was in the navy two years before taking flight train ing. Sgt. Eddie C. Owens, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Owens, 2144 Vine, has been assigned to headquarters ot the Middletown air technical service command at Olmsted field, Pa. Sgt. Owens Is a graduate of Klamath Union high school and prior to entering service was employed at the Wil lard hotel. His wife lives in this city, I In the United States after 30 j months overseas is Sgt. Allison ' Chamberlain. Before entering service, June 10, 1941, he was1 a Tnoulder operator for the Weyerhaeuser Timber company in Klamath Falls. He was discharged in October at Fort Lewis. He has the coin bat infantry badge, Philippine liberation medal with two Bronze Stars, Bronze Star med al, Asiatic-Pacific ribbon with four Bronze Stars, American de fense ribbon and good conduct medal. His brother, SSgt. Harold Chamberlain, Is on his way home after 29 months in the South Pacific. John Paul McCulley, F lc, of Malm, and Walter Smith, F 2c, of Bonanza, served during the war on the attack transport USS Barnstable which saw ac tion from Guadalcanal to Japan, and which is engaged at the present time in serving with the "Magic Carpet" fleet, help ing to return high-point veter ans to the United States. RESERVE TUESDAY EVENING, DEC. 1 1TH FOR KLAMATH COUNTY YOUTH FOR CHRIST JUBILEE WATCH THIS SPACE for announcement of nationally known: MASTER OF CEREMONIES SPEAKER SONG DIRECTOR THE PUBLIC IS URGED TO ATTEND SECTION RESERVED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE FREE! j Ik 8foz? k iTOV.Wj$i$W -f Mil When your ayes begin to water and twitch, fog and falter, tee double or nothing , . . watch out! Your good vision is being "blocked out" by long-neglected faults that should be corrected Immediately! "Putting off" may prove dangerous and costly ... so don't wait! See the experienced, registered optometrist at your nearby Standard Optical office right away. He will tell you frankly if glasses are not needed! Stylish, Guaranteed Glasses Created by Craftsmen TERMS IF DESIRED mi w?r ...,. Youryesf .Stndard , y Med 9oes Vour, SCo,Vft1 byZ 'ens'Qre y rnQd9 775 Main St in Klamath Falls DR. BYRON FRIEDMAN, optometrist.
