Post by moroni on Dec 22, 2011 10:17:25 GMT -5
I have decided that finally my father's story needs to be told as accurately as i can before it is all lost, i owe it to him.
My father was born on November 1919 in Trabajo, Manila. Both his parents were educators and he was the first born. He later had 2 other brothers Alba and Dario.
During his elementary years he went to study at the University of Sto. Tomas. It was here that he met and made friendships that would last a lifetime. His classmates were Benny Onrubia, the son of an engineer who worked with John Burnham and also helped in the planning of Quezon City in particular the suburbs of what is now Tomas Morato. With sprawling lawns and wide sidewalks with acacia trees planted along side. The Onrubia's live in Caloocan city.
His other classmate was Peter Macapinlac from Pampanga, son of a wealthy land owner there.
And Vicente Luna, son of Colonel Victorino Luna on whose name the Military Hospital was named after, the V. Luna hospital in Quezon City.
My father's father, Pedro de Jesus later became the first Filipino Bank Commissioner. They were kids from rich families and Government officials.
And in later years in high school, Raul still hanged out with his best friends, Benny, Peter and Vicente, doing crazy stuff that high school kids did during those days. He was studying at Letran and was an honor guard cadet. Their commandant was then Colonel Vicente Lim. Who he remembers as one who speaks english with an american accent.
They all learned how to drive a car and my father would sometimes take his father's car without his knowledge, a car whose plates were 2 digits in the 30's as i recall.
Later still, around College days, Raul and his buddies bought a car, a Studebaker for 50 pesos, and they will drive that car to the last drop of gas, and leave it there, until they find fuel or money to buy gas. They would drag race along Dewey Blvd. against other drivers. To my father it was a wonderful time.
He later worked for the Philippine trust Bank and saw MacArthur, Eisenhower, and other military officials come in and go at Plaza Goite. During the training of reserves his younger brother Alba was a 2nd Lieutenant in reserve and his other brother was still in College.
When war broke out, his youngest brother asked him if he should join the army and his answer was "go ahead enlist now", and he did. He volunteered at Camp Murphy and was later attached to General Segundo's 1st Infantry Division.
Raul would later join on December 27, 1941 at the Far Eastern University, and was inducted by Captain Martinez. He was given a rank of Sargeant. Later on December 29th, their unit moved to Silang, Cavite and then on their way to Bataan, they were ordered to pass by Fort Mckinley and grab anything they can use that was left behind and burn everything else. Raul and his squad discovered several crates of brand new Springfield 1903 rifles still in cosmoline, several steel helmets (that he had to put the chin strap on because they were brand new) and other military stuff. Left behind there with the unfolding of swift events. He told me how they burn all the officers quarters, full of furnishing, from phonographs, pianos, paintings etc.
They burned everything so that the Japanese will not get hold of anything. Scorched-earth policy.
On the 31st of December their unit moved towards Limay, Bataan, arriving there at 5 a.m. of the 1st of January 1942. He was attached to the 2nd Regular Medical Battalion of the 2nd Regular Division under General Francisco. He drove an ambulance truck, dodging strafing zeros and bombs. He told me when he had to drive his truck under tree cover to avoid getting hit and delivering the wounded to Little Baguio.
He carried a .45 revolver with the half moon clip, and an '03 that was so brand new, he had to use gasoline to remove the cosmoline. He really thought that they will all die there. Then later he replaced his uniform and wore a pilots overalls until the surrender.
He was sick of malaria and other parasitic diseases and was hospitalized. When one day he went for a walk and fortunately enough for him while he was away the hospital was bombed and that was when he saw his friend's father, V. Luna dead. His friend Vicente was with him all throughout the campaign. Peter Macapinlac was later wounded by a japanese bullet that cannot be operated then because it was so close to his heart. It stayed with him for the rest of his life. I saw his wound when i was a kid back in the 70's.
My father's brother Alba was not able to join in Bataan, he was cut off from the retreat and joined the guerillas. Uncle Dario the youngest fought with the 1st infantry and was in the front lines. He saw the Japanese landing at Subic and he said " they look like ants" they were so many of them. He carried an '03 as well. Later during the death march he was so hungry he went and tried to grab some rice from a japanese soldier who was throwing it at them. He was beaten with a bamboo on his back. Those wounds mark stayed with him to the end. He just passed away this year.
During the death march from Mariveles they started. Later, the last time my father saw Vicente was when he was helping a Major stay with the march. He had his arm over his shoulder keeping him up, to avoid him being bayoneted.
My father saw all kinds of atrocious, inhumane acts of barbarity. He saw an american soldier's tongue sticking out up to his chin from thirst of water. Upon reaching Lubao, Pampanga, a sargeant, who my father considers a "brave man", told him to run to the trees and grass when their guard was not looking. He did, and later changed to civilian clothes and stayed with the populace for a while. He rode on a banca thru the swamps and later reached Caloocan. His gateway to Manila. He said he was afraid because when people see him they know right away that he had been in Bataan, because he looked so malnourished and haggard. He arrived in Manila on April 28, 1942.
Later his brother Dario arrived, not even knowing that my father was also in Bataan.
By this time, my grandfather was harboring 2 sons who fought in Bataan and another who is a reserved officer. His life was on the line also. My grandfather was killed in '43.
My father was born on November 1919 in Trabajo, Manila. Both his parents were educators and he was the first born. He later had 2 other brothers Alba and Dario.
During his elementary years he went to study at the University of Sto. Tomas. It was here that he met and made friendships that would last a lifetime. His classmates were Benny Onrubia, the son of an engineer who worked with John Burnham and also helped in the planning of Quezon City in particular the suburbs of what is now Tomas Morato. With sprawling lawns and wide sidewalks with acacia trees planted along side. The Onrubia's live in Caloocan city.
His other classmate was Peter Macapinlac from Pampanga, son of a wealthy land owner there.
And Vicente Luna, son of Colonel Victorino Luna on whose name the Military Hospital was named after, the V. Luna hospital in Quezon City.
My father's father, Pedro de Jesus later became the first Filipino Bank Commissioner. They were kids from rich families and Government officials.
And in later years in high school, Raul still hanged out with his best friends, Benny, Peter and Vicente, doing crazy stuff that high school kids did during those days. He was studying at Letran and was an honor guard cadet. Their commandant was then Colonel Vicente Lim. Who he remembers as one who speaks english with an american accent.
They all learned how to drive a car and my father would sometimes take his father's car without his knowledge, a car whose plates were 2 digits in the 30's as i recall.
Later still, around College days, Raul and his buddies bought a car, a Studebaker for 50 pesos, and they will drive that car to the last drop of gas, and leave it there, until they find fuel or money to buy gas. They would drag race along Dewey Blvd. against other drivers. To my father it was a wonderful time.
He later worked for the Philippine trust Bank and saw MacArthur, Eisenhower, and other military officials come in and go at Plaza Goite. During the training of reserves his younger brother Alba was a 2nd Lieutenant in reserve and his other brother was still in College.
When war broke out, his youngest brother asked him if he should join the army and his answer was "go ahead enlist now", and he did. He volunteered at Camp Murphy and was later attached to General Segundo's 1st Infantry Division.
Raul would later join on December 27, 1941 at the Far Eastern University, and was inducted by Captain Martinez. He was given a rank of Sargeant. Later on December 29th, their unit moved to Silang, Cavite and then on their way to Bataan, they were ordered to pass by Fort Mckinley and grab anything they can use that was left behind and burn everything else. Raul and his squad discovered several crates of brand new Springfield 1903 rifles still in cosmoline, several steel helmets (that he had to put the chin strap on because they were brand new) and other military stuff. Left behind there with the unfolding of swift events. He told me how they burn all the officers quarters, full of furnishing, from phonographs, pianos, paintings etc.
They burned everything so that the Japanese will not get hold of anything. Scorched-earth policy.
On the 31st of December their unit moved towards Limay, Bataan, arriving there at 5 a.m. of the 1st of January 1942. He was attached to the 2nd Regular Medical Battalion of the 2nd Regular Division under General Francisco. He drove an ambulance truck, dodging strafing zeros and bombs. He told me when he had to drive his truck under tree cover to avoid getting hit and delivering the wounded to Little Baguio.
He carried a .45 revolver with the half moon clip, and an '03 that was so brand new, he had to use gasoline to remove the cosmoline. He really thought that they will all die there. Then later he replaced his uniform and wore a pilots overalls until the surrender.
He was sick of malaria and other parasitic diseases and was hospitalized. When one day he went for a walk and fortunately enough for him while he was away the hospital was bombed and that was when he saw his friend's father, V. Luna dead. His friend Vicente was with him all throughout the campaign. Peter Macapinlac was later wounded by a japanese bullet that cannot be operated then because it was so close to his heart. It stayed with him for the rest of his life. I saw his wound when i was a kid back in the 70's.
My father's brother Alba was not able to join in Bataan, he was cut off from the retreat and joined the guerillas. Uncle Dario the youngest fought with the 1st infantry and was in the front lines. He saw the Japanese landing at Subic and he said " they look like ants" they were so many of them. He carried an '03 as well. Later during the death march he was so hungry he went and tried to grab some rice from a japanese soldier who was throwing it at them. He was beaten with a bamboo on his back. Those wounds mark stayed with him to the end. He just passed away this year.
During the death march from Mariveles they started. Later, the last time my father saw Vicente was when he was helping a Major stay with the march. He had his arm over his shoulder keeping him up, to avoid him being bayoneted.
My father saw all kinds of atrocious, inhumane acts of barbarity. He saw an american soldier's tongue sticking out up to his chin from thirst of water. Upon reaching Lubao, Pampanga, a sargeant, who my father considers a "brave man", told him to run to the trees and grass when their guard was not looking. He did, and later changed to civilian clothes and stayed with the populace for a while. He rode on a banca thru the swamps and later reached Caloocan. His gateway to Manila. He said he was afraid because when people see him they know right away that he had been in Bataan, because he looked so malnourished and haggard. He arrived in Manila on April 28, 1942.
Later his brother Dario arrived, not even knowing that my father was also in Bataan.
By this time, my grandfather was harboring 2 sons who fought in Bataan and another who is a reserved officer. His life was on the line also. My grandfather was killed in '43.
From left to right. My father Raul, brothers Alba and Dario
Raul with his friend Benny Unrubia, taken 1974 at Peter Macapinlacs home in Caloocan
My father during his visit to his best friend Vicente Luna about1989. It will be the last time they see each other.
Raul's father, Pedro de Jesus, was Bank commissioner of the Philippines when war broke out. He knew where the silver was dumped in Manila Bay.