POW Journal of Louis Harris
CAMP #1 at Chungson, North Korea.In an attempt to locate others who might have been interned with PFC Louis A. Harris I provide the recently discovered information:
When taken as POW by the North Koreans, PFC Louis A. Harris was a member of Company A, RTC, 24th Army Division.
Remnants of a recently discovered diary reveal that he was interned at RED CAMP #1 at Chungson, North Korea.
Legible statements from his diary are as follows:
"I and others started a long march to the POW camp. The march was lengthy with practically no food. i don't remember how many days it took us to get there. We just walked and walked and I became so weak that I lost track of time. The food was terrible - just sorghum seeds, or what we called cow food. There was no phyusical brutality or violence on the march, but some of the men died of malnutrition.
When we arrived at the prison we were put in a room 16 X 16 feet that housed 10 men. Then we had a meal of rice added to our diet - just once a week The rest of the time we lived on that 'cow's food'.
Our summer clothes were made out of material worse than flour sacks. Our winter clothes were padded cotton. During the winter we could scrape the ice off the walls of our room. We had to sleep on the floor.
Every day we were forced to attend classes that were held to try to indoctrinate us to communism. That was about the worst of the whole thing. They told us over and over how terrible the States were and how right communism is. Some of the fellows even switched over to communism."
An additional note: A newspaper article extracted from the Arizona Republic (Aug., 1953)lists Edward C. Kirby, 4025 E. San Carlos, Phoenix, AZ as one who was imprisoned with Louis A. Harris.
Please keep me informed if this information is helpful and produces additional leads.
Sincerely,
Mrs. G. Richie
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