Dith Pran, the former New York Times photojournalist known for his coverage of Cambodia in the 1970s, died March 30 at age 65 from pancreatic cancer.

The story of Cambodian-born Pran is chronicled in the Academy Award-winning 1984 movie "The Killing Fields."

Having taught himself English, he worked as a translator for the U.S. Military Assistance Command until 1965, when Cambodia severed ties with the United States. In the early 1970s, as Cambodia descended into civil war, Pran served as an interpreter for...