Hellfire Pass Interpretive Center
Details:
Just of the main road. Museum
A museum and series of walking trials along the Hellfire Pass portion of the Burma-Thailand Railway (Death Railway).
From the Hellfire Interpretive Center website:
The Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre and Memorial Walking Trail are dedicated to those Australians and other Allied prisoners of war and Asian labourers who suffered and died at Hellfire Pass and elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region during the Second World War.
During the Second World War, thousands of forced local laborers and Allied prisoners of war (to include Americans) suffered and died constructing and maintaining the Burma–Thailand railway. The Australian Government constructed the interpretative memorial in cooperation with the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand. The memorial, dedicated in 1998, was designed and constructed by Hewitt Pender Associates Pty Ltd, Australia and Woods Baggot Limited, Thailand.
The Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre and Memorial Walking Trail symbolises the importance of this site to the Australian people. The interpretive centre explains to visitors the story of why and how the railway was built and attempts to convey the hardships and suffering endured by so many who were forced to work in extremely harsh conditions. After visiting the centre, visitors are encouraged to proceed to the memorial walking trail.
Source: www.dva.gov.au
Most of the American prisoners of war were captured on Java in the Dutch East Indies (present day Indonesia). They were primarily Soldiers along with Sailors and Marines from the USS Houston, a United States Navy heavy cruiser sunk in the Sunda Strait on March 1, 1942. Before sinking, the USS Houston’s crew rescued Merchant Marines and Soldiers of the 2-131st Field Artillery, 36th Division, Texas National Guard.
Monument Text:
Commemorates:
Units:
131st Field Artillery
131st Field Artillery Battalion, 36th Infantry Division
U.S. Merchant Marine
U.S.S. Houston (CA-30)
United States Army
United States Army National Guard
United States Navy
Wars:
WWII
Battles:
China India Burma Campaign (CBI)
Pacific Theater
Other images :
