Posted on 05/27/2005 3:28:40 PM PDT by AZHua87
It is Feb. 3, 1945, and the 1st Cavalry Division is about to liberate a Japanese prison camp at Manila, where more than 3,000 American and British civilians have been held for much of the war.
Inside the camp known as Santo Tomas are 12-year-old Derry Mills and her family.
Striding into the camp right behind the first tank is 21-year-old Army Sgt. Frank Mendez.
He is from Tucson. So is Derry Mills. But they will not meet this night, nor for many years to come, even though both will return to Tucson after the war.
---snip---
(Excerpt) Read more at dailystar.com ...
WWII veteran and former POW of Japanese. A reunion story.
If there are any veterans out there who helped liberate Santo Tomas or Los Banos, thank you. My parents met at Santo Tomas and were liberated at Los Banos. 11th Airborne, you are the best! My grandmother, two uncles, an aunt and a cousin were liberated from Santo Tomas. My grandpa was liberated from Bilibid. 1st Cavalry, you are wonderful!
One of my uncles was a sargeant in the 1st Cav. He was one of the "rescuers", and it was his high point of many long and dangerous battles in the S Pacific.
Glad you enjoyed the posting and hope you hear from the vets you want to hear from.
If you want to learn more there are two books I can recommend:
The Battle for Manila by Lawrence Cortesi
The Rescue of Santo Tomas by Robert Holland
The Holland book is freely available on eBay. Its subtitle is "The Flying Column:100 Miles to Freedom" It details the 1st Cav drive to the city and the camp. Very good reading.
Please thank your uncle for me.
Thanks for the ping!
Thanks. My uncle died about 10 years ago. He was very proud of what the 1st did with and for your people.
Like many in the 1st Cav, he didn't want to discuss what he did in the war. The one bright spot was his admiration for the Philipinos who fought with them, served as guides/scouts and those the Cav freed.
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