We left Apad and went back to town. I had no thoughts of going back to the Army or to the Civil Service. I felt sorry to leave behind my garden plants but I took along our two male and female chickens, which we gave to Mg. Aniang, a widow from Bangued who had a house at the outskirts of the town and whose husband never returned from a business trip at the outbreak of the war.
Her bamboo house was along the dusty road. Every morning upon waking up, we were full of dust caused by continuous Army vehicle movement without let-up, day and night. Pat and I decided to look for a better place.
In the meantime we enjoyed the Army food shared with us by the soldiers who camped near the house, consisting of soft-boiled rice mixed with condensed milk, bacon, eggs, bread, and biscuits, even chocolate candies and bars!
Rudy and Tony would just go near their camp and these two little boys would bring home cans of food enough for us for the day.
News reached me that the U.S. Army Headquarters in Bayombong was searching for ex-USAFFE soldiers like me, who are called MIA (Missing in Action). I reported and immediately I was designated as Chief, Philippine Civilian Aid Unit (PCAU) of Nueva Vizcaya, charged with giving FREE prime commodities to the liberated civilians in need. I was given the keys to the warehouse containing rice, soap, lard, salt, canned goods, clothes, matches, etc., to give away to those selected by a Board headed by the Catholic Priest of Bayombong.
Many came to me daily, including an old Jap carpenter who did not join the retreating Jap soldiers and who lived in Bayombong for many years before the war.
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