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| By work of the U.S. Army - HD-SN-99-02411.JPEG from DefenseImagery.mil, U.S. Department of Defense. Also on DoD "War and Conflict" CD., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5539605 |
Om May 8th, called VE Day, the Germans surrendered and that was the end of the war in Europe.
A day or two later while in the inner city of Manila outside the then U.S. Headquarters, G. I.s and Philippinos began gathering. A rumor was making the rounds that the Japanese were going to quit. It was a huge crowd mixed but getting large. Loudspeakers were put out and microphones. After a while General MacArthur appeared. And stated that what we had had was a rumor. He did not have any solid news that the Japanese were surrendering. That as soon as he was advised if anything he would let us know. Nothing else was heard on that day.
While we were still at the MacArthur house post the [ed: now] Queen of England's uncle, Mountbatten visited the MacArthurs. The meeting was on the lawn. The visitor was not asked in. It was a short meeting. However, the air was full of hope. The war still continued in the Philippines.
The General still sat on the upstairs patio at night and he could be heard talking to his wife, teaching her how to read the news coming out of Washington.
The incident at the City Hall of Manila was close to the old city or walled city. It was rubble like a lot of the area. The walled city had stone walls the base was 16 feet. The Japanese holed up in it and in order to get to them the artillery was used to make an open and when it happened our boys when in and that was the end there. All the houses were knocked down. And the only building standing was a Catholic church. A shell, 155, had landed in the upstairs floor through a beautiful glassed window in a room in which there was a statue of The Virgin Mary. It was a dud it did not explode and was considered a miracle. I and others went into that room. The statue was a beautiful piece of work.
I also with others went to see and visit the only church in the world that was built with iron or steel sheets. Inside it was beautiful and difficult to describe. The colors just seem to ??? thoughts.
The rumors of unconditional surrender became a reality on August 15, 1945. We celebrated the end of the Pacific war. VJ Day. The country went wild.
[ed: General] Wainwright was brought to MacArthur's house. They met on the lawn. He greeted Wainwright and they exchanged a short talk as Wainwright whom they called "Skinny" was even skinnier and they were taking him to the hospital. [ed: General Wainwright was taken prisoner at the fall of Corregidor in May 1942. He was the highest ranking POW and was liberated by the Red Army in August 1945]
After a week or less than that the Japanese surrendered, MacArthur turned over the Philippines to its government.
The Philippines army held a field day. And it inducted MacArthur into their Army in perpetuity. Whenever armies hold field days, the names of the attending officers will be on the roster. And the caller will call it. In MacArthur's case the officer will call his name and another officer will answer, "Here.", for him. The reason for this honor was stated that "you will always be with us."
The President [ed: of the Philippines] held an open house at the capital and it's called an odd name to us. But it is in a palace and its on one floor. It's huge and spacious. We were able to walk into a large room and the President was there and his wife was on the other side and we turned and shook hands with her. I spotted a necklace around her neck. I looked down and on its end was a huge diamond. It must have had a bazillion karats. She was a short woman. Pleasant looking.
