While I was writing about the incident with the gun and the lizard in Bataan, I digressed from the topic and began to think about Memorial Day. I am thinking about my not half-, but full brother, Felix, who died in the Capas Concentration Camp in May, 1942. He was born on May 18, 1920. […]
Archives for May 2017
1994 Memoir – 86. “Mamira Go” (Japanese For “Manila Go”)
Later on there was news that we were all free to go to Manila. Many brought along souvenir items, like myself and Cpl. Castañeres, who brought along our rifle, side arms, helmet and liner, gas mask, canteen, canteen cup, bayonet, and some ammunition. We all thought we were FREE! Along the way to Mariveles we […]
1994 Memoir – 85. Surrender & Earthquake
Now and then bombs were dropped in our bivouac area without casualties I know of. We were hidden under tall, large trees in the forest and had dugouts through their roots. Our troops were assigned to guard the western coast of the Peninsula near Corregidor. I was able to watch a Japanese armed boat try […]
1994 Memoir – 84. The Pigeon With a Bleeding Heart – Lost Meal!
One early morning I noticed a flock of white pigeons with a red spot on their breasts feeding from a small fruit-bearing tree not very far from our Camp. I said to myself: Here is a good source of fresh meat. I fashioned a slingshot and got a lot of small pebbles from the creek. […]
1994 Memoir – 87. Through A Burning Forest
At Mariveles we were told to proceed to Manila down the “Little Baguio” dusty road It was the only road to the next town. All of us walked down that knee-deep dusty road with both sides of the forest trees burning! The dust covering our faces and the smoke suffocating us caused many to collapse […]
1994 Memoir – 83. Bataan Peninsula
Pearl Harbor in Hawaii was bombed, American battleships were sunk, Clark Air Base was raided, American planes were destroyed, Japanese troops landed on Philippine shores and pushed back the American and Philippine soldiers into Bataan Peninsula. Troops retreated from all fronts. Manila was declared “Open City.” Our Philippine Army Headquarters in the Far Eastern University […]