Japanese Prisoners of War

Well we had a pretty good life you know, we, we, we were like on loan to the Americans so we, every once and a while, we got a little treat. Some ice cream or something that the Americans were getting. Interviewer: Americans always had everything didn't they? Yeah they did. But we had a lot compared to the Australians. There were Australians up in the same area we were and they became very good friends, I became very good friends with some Australians. And we said we'd meet when I got back down to Sydney, and you get down there and call someone up or get in touch with them somehow and, "Let's go out to dinner", and "No", he couldn't go out to dinner. "Why?" " I can't afford it." "That's alright I got the money." "No, if I can't pay my way I don't go." And that's the way they were, but they're great people. And they're great gamblers. My Heavens they'd gamble on anything. Interviewer: Would they? Oh yeah. A guy is dying over in the, in the, one bed in the hospital and they're taking bets on what day he's gonna pass out. They never did, but I saw Japanese who were taken prisoners and marched right in front of me, the Americans took them prisoners and they were... Interviewer: What were they like, what are your memories? Well, I think they're like everything else we see, it wasn't very good for them if they stepped out of line. They had to keep in line. And the Americans were much the same as the Japanese were, I guess, when they were took prisoners. If they stepped out of line, look out.

Mr. McVicar talks about the differences between the Americans, Canadians and Australians, he also talks about seeing Japanese prisoners of war, and how they were treated by their American captors.

Carl McVicar

Carl McVicar was born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, on August 23, 1925. His father was a coal miner, who developed tuberculosis during the 1930s, so times were tough. Mr. McVicar left Glace Bay in 1941, at the age of 16. He learned how to work as a wireless operator at a young age. His father was friends with a gentleman who was in charge of Marconi Towers in Glace Bay and Mr. McVicar learned how to work in the radio room during their frequent visits to Marconi Towers. At the young age of 16, Mr. McVicar enlisted with the Merchant Marine and was taken right away, because they were in need of Wirless Operators. He trained with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals and was sent to Labrador to build stations. After receiving an overseas medal, Mr. McVicar was shipped to Victoria, B.C., for specialized wireless training, then he was sent to Australia and New Guinea, where he witnessed such amazing things as the Enola Gay taking off to drop the first atomic bomb on Japan. He remained in the South Pacific until coming home to Canada after the War was declared over. After returning to Canada, he lived and worked in Toronto, until he returned to the East Coast after one year.