The news itself was “ripped and read” from an INS teletype by announcers with no experience in editorializing. INS news tended to reflect the personal political philosophy of its owner William Randolph Hearst, who himself tended toward non-intervention. As Japan continued with its territorial expansion in Asia, America’s worried and increasingly desperate allies in Malaya, China, Indochina and the Philippines, were dismayed by radio broadcasts coming from the US, which seemed to be in sympathy with Japanese propaganda.
Since almost all international stations at that time were operated by governments, listeners to KGEI would assume that KGEI likewise reflected official US Policy. KGEI was the only radio station at that time on which news from the United States could be heard in the Pacific.
Reports of General MacArthur
The Campaigns of MacArthur in the Pacific
“One of the purposes of the Philippine campaign is to liberate the Filipinos; they will not understand liberation if accomplished by indiscriminate destruction of their homes, their possessions, their civilization and their own lives; humanity and our moral standing throughout the Far East dictate that the destruction of lives and property in the Philippines be held to a minimum, compatible with the assurance of a successful military campaign; indications are that in some localities the Japanese are evacuating cities, leaving Filipinos in residence, either failing to warn them or compelling them to stay; aerial bombing causes the greatest destruction; our objective in areas we are to occupy is to destroy totally hostile effort in order to insure our own success; in other areas we neutralize, to weaken any hostile effort which may tend to increase resistance to our occupation objectives; in the latter areas, our attack objectives are primarily airfields and shipping, not metropolitan areas or villages or barrios; to the extent possible, we must preserve port facilities that we plan to use. The Commander Allied Air Forces will, and CINCPOA is requested, to issue general instructions in consonance with the above objective of minimizing destruction of life and property of Filipinos. . . . .”
Carol and Bobby in 1942
Two months prior to internment
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
PRAY THAT WE
MAY NOT FALL SHORT
Last letter out from Dorothy and Fred, and
ONLY letter out prior to three-year imprisonment:
Calinog, Iloilo
April 15, 1942
Dearest Families:
Have just found that there is a possible chance of getting a letter thru to the States, and am I taking it! I was feeling particularly like having a visit with you all and so had sat down to write to you when this friend came in. I decided to do it all over again on the machine so that I could get more in, and tell you more. Of course this will be censored, but think I am not very full of information other than family, so don’t worry if something is deleted.
It has been such a long time since we heard from you altho have taken it for granted that had anything special happened that if the Boards knew about it they would have cabled us as we have had several cables from them as a group and have sent several back to them.
I think the last letters we had were dated about the first week of November. How we would like to know what is happening to each and all of you—Fred and Wink, Carol, John Martin, Johnny and Ruby, Midge, Vi, the two Mothers, Marian etc. We have wondered and wondered. Have also wondered about Bill Reardon. Would love to be able to write to Helen. I wrote to him as soon as I had word of his arrival in these parts, but communications were interfered with shortly after that so know nothing.
Shortly after war was declared the schools all closed—students just began going home. So, within a few days, the College was closed. We stayed on and I was carrying a rather heavy schedule of Red Cross First Aid classes and was teaching about four or five hours a day.
Had just started a new class of forty students when the big bombing raid on Iloilo occurred. That came about one o’clock. We went into our air raid shelter at once—picking Bob up from a sound sleep. Carol hadn’t lain down as yet. Grabbed a big bed pad off the line as the dugout was wet and muddy from recent rains. Bob was a brick, and took it as a big game. Carol didn’t seem at all alarmed altho was quiet.
I hadn’t taken any plugs for ears or mouth (to keep the mouth open) so tore up a hankie that Fred had. Bob lay on the pad, face down, propped up on his elbows, plug ravelings hanging out of his ears, a wad like a ten cent cigar sticking out of his teeth, a grin from ear to ear and saying over and over “A pane come, a make a fonnee noise” (Airplane come and make a funny noise).
When the raid was over, Fred took me to the hospital where I worked the rest of the afternoon and part of the evening helping out in the emergency room. There were a great many casualties due to the machine gunning largely, altho some were results of bombs. Not too much damage was done, considering the number of planes taking part.
Fred then went back to the house and packed some things up and took the Covells, the Waters youngsters and ours with the amahs up to Bag-ong-barrio very near the center of Panay Island where Erle Rounds has a camp site. It was just a tiny one with two small rooms and a very tiny cook house. He came back the next morning, (lighted cars were not allowed on the roads at night), and Ann and I went up with him that afternoon.
I doubt if we would have left Iloilo had it not been for Ann. She was due to deliver in three or four weeks, and it was not considered safe for her to stay in Iloilo. That meant that I more or less had to go with her as otherwise she would be without help when the time came. We were awfully crowded at first with so many in such small space, and so took a small Nepa house by ourselves—Ann and I and the kiddies, and Fred came when he could. The kiddies loved it, appetites became enormous and they are brown as little Filipinos.
Christmas was rather hectic, but they had a good time. I had made quite a bit of furniture for the doll house of ply-wood just in case the other didn’t get to us, and of course practically none of the Christmas mail arrived—Got a letter from Mrs. Beaver with a five dollar check in it which we haven’t been able to cash as yet, and a book from Santa Ana, but haven’t been able to acknowledge either of them so far (please do for me, Mother). She has enjoyed her play house, altho with her companions being all Boys—Billy 5½, George 3, and Bob, the games have been very war like.
We were quite comfortably located in our little Nepa house but it was hard being so far away from the men folk. Later however Fred and Henry came up to Calinog as their work was going to be here rather than in Iloilo, altho Fred goes back and forth once or twice a week.
On Jan. 11, we came down here to Calinog to attend church and see about getting a house here. We found a nice one, went home to pack, and that night about 2 A.M. Ann called me to say that labor had begun. We didn’t waste any time but brought her down here to the hospital and I delivered her at 5 A.M. of a lovely 8 lb 13 ounce girl. Fred and I were back in Bagong by seven-thirty, finished packing and were all down here, bag and baggage by ten-thirty.
We have a much more comfortable house here—has an 8 x 10 front porch, a sala [living room] about 12 x 20 with two 10 x 10 bedrooms opening off of it—one for each family—separated by a thin bamboo partition. There is a dining room, kitchen, back verandah where we do dishes, an enclosed place for bathing, —pouring baths are the order of the day—and an outside toilet.
We have an electrolux and have been able to use it so far and that has helped. How much longer we can use it due to shortage of kerosene is another matter. Probably for another month or so and then perhaps there will be more oil available. Since coming here have helped out some with the teaching—have a class in Ob. and have been giving about two hours a day in work in the B.P.D. May start some First Aid classes soon.
Have done a lot of sewing—practically all of it by hand and can imitate machine stitching pretty closely now. Have made a shirt for Fred, have a plack shirt almost finished, a dress for myself, three for Carol, four suits for Bob as overalls—all by han
d, also three bras and a slip. Also made a pair of P.J.s for George and a pr. of overalls for Bill. Ann and I take turns running the house—she is doing it now as I did it for two months straight after Mary Alice was born.
Fred felt for a while like a man without a country when the college folded up so completely, but there has been a good deal to do to keep it going—teachers’ salaries to be paid in part, invoices to be made so that in case of loss or damage, we would know what the proportionate loss was—it is divided between the two Boards and the Philippine Bapt. Convention. Then recently he has been acting as Educational Director trying to get the Veteran’s Rehabilitation Camp established. He is doing this voluntarily—is not in the army, and receives no salary and is free to leave it whenever it is possible for the college to reopen. When that will be no one knows altho we have hopes that perhaps it can open for the second semester next October or November, but time alone will tell. He has managed to keep busy, and is awfully busy just now. Flora and Olive are here, and we see the other missionaries with the exception of the Mungers who are in Negros rather often.
Just now we wonder what is going to happen next as Cebu is being attacked, Bataan has fallen, etc. This of course you know—probably know as much as we do. We have a small radio which belongs to a friend—it is complete with collapsible aerial, battery, etc. and we have enjoyed it as we can get local stations, London, San Francisco, Australia, etc. Helps to keep us informed as to what is taking place. Our radio is of course no good up here as there is no electricity. We have a good Coleman light and are enjoying that.
We had thought about going into the mountains in case of invasion, but have decided that one place is about as good as another and will probably stay right here and keep at our jobs. Neither Fred nor I liked the idea of running and would probably have stayed on in Iloilo until now had it not been for Ann and now I feel that perhaps it is better for the kiddies to be away from the coast in case of trouble.
I am not too much worried as to what will happen—perhaps we are overly optimistic, but think with Fred that the key to the situation is to keep at the work in hand and try and make our Christian witness as effective as possible. That is the main thing we have at stake and pray with us that we may be worthy of it.
Carol and Bob have grown so much and are so adorable most of the time. Carol and Billy have kindergarten with Olive Buckner for an hour every day and love it. Carol would like to have it every morning and afternoon every day. Bill isn’t quite so keen but looks upon it as a necessary evil, I guess. She is doing very nice hand work—coloring, cutting, mending on cardboard, etc. She talks a blue streak at times, loves stories as always, writes a good deal, knows all of her letters and can print many names by herself. Can print almost any word spelled for her. She can count to twenty, and doesn’t do too badly from there on. Bob can count to eleven.
Carol said the other day “I know the first part of the ‘Star tangled banner’”. Says “restroy” for destroy, and “reinfreshment” for refreshments. Was much interested when Mary Alice arrived and asked many questions. Wanted to know if I was sure that I didn’t have anything growing inside of me. Would so love to have a baby. Wanted to know the other day if Jesus and God were one and I said yes. Said “Well why don’t we have two Gods. I want a lot of gods and I want a lot of them to be interested in war”.
Carol weighs about thirty-five pounds and is up to my waist and a bit above it. Loves to do certain things—help cook, wash out stockings, etc. Bill is a regular fiend on the question of war and would rather play that than anything else. Talks constantly about guns, bombs, subs, planes, tanks, etc. Carries out raids on Singapore, Manila, etc. Carol joins in most of the time.
Bob also talks the language of war. When he hears a sound he will say “Evyboddy be kite” (quiet) and then will listen. Perhaps will say “At a pane—no, at not a pane, at a chuck (truck)”. He leaves off his initial s’s and all of his l’s. Said the other day about Mary-Alice “She a coot baby—she got a pink nice egg (leg)”. Loves anything mechanical and was talking the other day about having sat in the seat of the ambulance. Said “I sit in a army-ance and I pull a gadget and make a car go”. He knows where everything is, and Fred keeps his keys carefully out of Bobby’s way. He says just about anything now, and talks about “chine guns” and tanks, and bolos, etc. Says his own blessing at the table frequently and it goes “Fahk ee faddy for my night, and for my sood (food) and my mamee, and my pidgeon”. (George always uses this last word for some unknown reason.) If someone else starts to say the blessing and carries on a bit long, Bob starts saying “Amen, Amen, Amen, A—MEN” until they finish.
He is full of play, loves the story of the Little Red Hen now and asks for it several times a day. He weighs about thirty pounds, is wearing the shoes that Carol started to wear on her 3rd birthday—and they could be a bit wider, altho are not too tight. Carol is lucky in that when Beverly Spenser was here last fall she left two good pairs of shoes with her that she had outgrown. I would be in a hole if it weren’t for that, altho she can still wear the last ones that Carol sent to her. They are just the next size to what Bob is wearing, however.
His hair is very light yet—almost white, still short enough so that a cut hasn’t been even indicated, very curly. He looks so much like the snap of Fred when he was five.
I have cut Carol’s hair again so that it is a Dutch Bob and very becoming—is much cooler than her curls. She was biting her finger nails rather badly for a while but has stopped now and so has her own bottle of nail polish as a reward. Bob is very boyish and even in his talk. There is nothing feminine about him. Has stopped calling me Mamee most of the time and it is just “Mom” and “Dad”. Adores his Daddy and is constantly saying “I want my Dad to help me do dat”. Tonight he wanted his Dad to pat him when he went to sleep. Had a bit of fever the other day—probably due to some teeth he is cutting as there was no other apparent cause—he was most explicit as to what he wanted done “wub my back, wub my tummy, wub my knee”. He is a darling, and I do wish you could see him.
Put up some five quarts of jackfruit jam today and it is quite good. Am learning lots of things about the foods in this country. We can’t get butter now, altho have had butter up until very recently. However, with the electrolux we make butter from coconut milk, and it is good.
The kiddies drink coconut milk often and love it, and we use coconut milk in most of our cooking—tapioca pudding is much better made with it than with regular milk. We can whip the cream from it, etc. Take a ripe coconut, grate the meat and add to it the water from the coconut. Put this thru a potato ricer to squeeze out the juice and let it stand where cool and the cream comes to the top and can be whipped to butter, salt added, etc.
Cocohoney is a prime favorite with the kiddies—one cup of coconut milk, 2 cups brown sugar, and about a tablespoon of Karo, cooked until thick syrup. It really is swell. We are corning pork and having some good baked hams as a result. Am also trying some dried meat this week just to have it on hand in case of a shortage. Have been glad that I learned how to make soap altho the ingredients are hard to get now. Conditions along that line are better, though, and we will probably be able to buy it soon. Don’t worry about us for a while at least as we are not uncomfortable, starving, short of cash, or anything else. Inconveniences are the greatest difficulties and they are minor when one considers the difficulties millions of others are undergoing.
There are so many things that I know I will wish that I had put into this letter,—have been writing every two or three weeks, but can’t send them all, so will keep them and later perhaps can send them. Am sending this one copy, and trust that Mother will pass on the information. Will enclose two or three of the tiny snaps of the kiddies taken just before war broke out, which were in a letter mailed just before war was declared, but which was returned several weeks later as it had never left the Island.
I hope you folks at home will keep all pictures that we have sent, if you haven’t already destroy
ed them, as it is possible that some of our things out here may be lost. We might be able to make up some of the books again with those you at home might have. We are thinking about you all loads, and would love to see you, and reassure you that we are O.K. thus far. Don t worry about us.
Just pray that we here may do that which we find to do and do it well, and that we may not fall short of the challenge of this work out here. It will take a long time to replace all the hate in the world with love, but I have an idea that people are going to be more ready for it when this is over than they have ever been before. Surely this terrible war must bring to the mind and heart of every individual—especially Christians—the terrific need for the Love of God in the heart of every individual.
Loads and loads of love to you all— Dor, Fred, Bob & Carol
PART THREE
INTERNMENT
Iloila Provincial Jail
April 20, 1942 - June 14, 1943
Santo Tomás Internment Camp
STIC
Manila, Philippine Islands
June 21, 1943 - February 3, 1945
CHAPTER FORTY
WHAT HAVE WE DONE
Fred’s memoir
...pandemonium broke loose in Calinog. Raids were made on Chinese and military stores. Stores, especially rice, were loaded on corrossa (bamboo sleds drawn by carabao) and taken into the Panay Hills. As they ran by our house, they cried to us, “Run for your life! The Japanese hate a ‘white’ skin. Remember Nanking!”
However, we waited in faith. That night we decided to sleep in the Hospital. We had stored supplies near the house and felt if the soldiers came they would loot.
About 6:00 pm on Friday, Captain Chavez came in from Passi, ten kilometers away. He said, “The d___ Japs will be here by midnight. Destroy all gasoline and autos!”
Courage in a White Coat Page 23