Huber family Philippine saga

Posted on February 5, 2021 by Cliff Mills

The story of the Huber family in the Philippines is told in a recent Akron Beacon Journal article titled Raised in the jungle, Cuyahoga Falls man recalls Goodyear rubber plantation. In the article, Joe Huber Jr. recounts growing up on a rubber plantation, on Mindanao, and being interned in Davao and later in Santo Tomás.

The Huber family included Joseph C. Huber Sr., Thelma Thompson Huber, Joseph C. Huber Jr. (born 1934), Barbara Jean Huber (born 1935) and Stephen Lewis Huber (born 1936). Joe Jr. was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, while Barbara and Stephen were both born in Zamboanga, Mindanao.

The article spans the family’s story before, during and after the War and includes several family photographs, including some that show the rubber business on Mindanao. The family was repatriated on the S.S. Klipfontein leaving Leyte in March 1945, arriving in San Francisco on 21 April 1945. For more, link to the full article.

The Joseph and Thelma Huber family in 1945, after liberation. (photo courtesy of the Akron Journal)

Australian War Memorial photos

Posted on September 15, 2020 by Cliff Mills

This week, I’m posting a small collection of photographs from the Australian War Memorial, at Canberra, Australia. These photos are in no particular order but relate to the Battle of Manila and the liberation of Australian internees in the Philippines. I am not posting descriptions of these photos, as most of them are self-explanatory.

Click on any of the photos to enlarge, but unfortunately, these are not high-definition photos. For print quality images, prints, or for commercial uses please contact the Australian War Memorial. If you reuse these photos, please reference AWM as the source.

On their website, the AWM also has a feature article on VP Day: Victory in the Pacific, and an article on the Japanese surrender at Morotai, on 9 September 1945.

Please use the comment form if you have any comments, corrections, questions or if you recognize any of the unnamed people in the photos.

Making History with Music…

Posted on September 14, 2020 by Cliff Mills

Today’s featured article has connections to the Philippines, WWII and music. It’s a brief story of a young serviceman who signed up with the 746th Far East Air Force Band to perform in the Philippines during the War. In fact, PFC Richard Burt’s group performed for the “Angels of Bataan” when they were awarded Bronze Stars after being liberated from Santo Tomás.

Making History with Music appeared on the History News Network on 13 September 2020. Written by Jason Burk, it details the creation of the band, which was composed of mainly professional musicians. It also describes the efforts to product a modern release of the group’s WWII music. It is an interesting read.

For more information, link to the complete article at the History News Network, or visit the 746th FEAF Band Facebook page.

More photos from Fred Hill WWII collection

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Cliff Mills

Fred Hill near Dulag, Philippines

This week, I’m continuing to show from a collection of photographs from the Pierce Library, at Eastern Oregon University, called the Fred Hill World War II Photographs. Fred served during the War and took many photographs during his service. He also collected photos from others, so some of these may have been published before in books, articles, websites, etc.

Click on any of the photos to enlarge. Unfortunately, these are not high-definition photos. For print quality images, prints, or high resolution tiff files, or for commercial uses please contact the Library Director at Eastern Oregon University. If you reference any of these photos, please cite Pierce Library, Eastern Oregon University, as the source.

Please use the comment form if you have any comments, corrections, questions or if you recognize any of the unnamed people in the photos. Thanks to Patty Gene Croft Stevens for identifying Beulah Schechter and Patricia Chittick in last week’s listings.

I am still looking for people to view a short Japanese propaganda video shot at Santo Tomás early during the War. I am hoping to annotate a version of the video with comments and identify any of the recognizable internees.

	Aerial view of Old Bilibid Prison, 1945
	Young boy sits inside STIC shanty, 1945
	STIC shanties, 1945
	Aerial view of STIC, 1945
	Manila Hotel damage, 1945
	U.S. military model of Corregidor, 1945
	Baguio rental cottages, 1945
	Samar Street cleared of mines, Manila 1945
	Aerial view of Baguio, 1945
	Japanese "Sally" bomber being shot down, 1945

Another collection of Photographs

Posted on August 24, 2020 by Cliff Mills

This week, I’m showcasing a collection of photographs from the Pierce Library, at Eastern Oregon University, called the Fred Hill World War II Photographs. Fred served during the War and took many photographs during his service. He also collected photos from others, so some of these may have been published before in books, articles, websites, etc.

Please use the comment form if you have any comments, corrections, questions or if you recognize any of the unnamed people in the photos. I am also looking for people to view a short Japanese propaganda video shot at Santo Tomás early during the War. I am hoping to annotate a version of the video with comments and identify any of the recognizable internees.

	Fred Hill near Dulag, Philippines
	Santo Tomás Internment Camp (STIC) shown from street, 1945
	Beulah Mae Schechter and Patricia Muriel Chittick at STIC after liberation, 1945
	U.S. Captain Price with two internee children, 1945
	Two young women handling mail at STIC after liberation, 1945
	Indoor mail call at STIC, 1945
	View of Manila from the tower at STIC, 1945
	Aerial view of Corregidor on 16 February 1945
	U.S. infantryman near the mouth of Malinta Tunnel on Corregidor, 1945
	Fred Hill and pals taking a break, 1944

Another batch of NARA photos

Posted on August 16, 2020 by Cliff Mills

Following is but another set of ten photographs downloaded from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). They are all in the public domain and can be freely printed, downloaded, or circulated. Many of these photos have been used before in books, magazines and websites. The description for each of the photos is to the right of the photo. Photos in this, and future, series will include STIC, Los Baños, Baguio, Old Bilibid, the Battle of Manila, Liberation, etc. If you publish any of these photographs, please cite the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), as the source.

Because there are so many photos, I will continue to post them in weekly batches of ten. Eventually, they will be collected into various photo albums on this site. Click any of the photos to enlarge. Please use the comment form if you have any questions or if you recognize any of the people in the photos.

Many thanks to Lexi Zotomayor for identifying last week’s photo of some former internees in the shade of an Army transport plane as that of Chief Nurse, Laura Mae Cobb, and the rest of the liberated U.S. Navy nurses from Los Baños.

Next week, I will begin publishing photographs from other sources.

	Liberated Los Baños internees, Albertina Janssens and Mary Martha Brown, talk with U.S. liberators, February 1945
	Some newly liberated Los Baños internees during evacuation, February 1945
	U.S. bombing raid on Cebu City, 1945
	Captured Japanese soldiers, 1945
	Carabao amunition-train on Leyte, 1945
	Filipino guerrilla unit on Luzon, 1945
	Three liberated POWs from Old Bilibid Prison being fed, February 1945
	Ex-POW Arthur Raynolds visiting Old Bilibid Prison graveyard, 1945
	U.S. tank-destroyer outside Manila Legislature Building, February 1945
	Repatriation of STIC U.S. Army nurses, 1945

Yet more NARA photos

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Cliff Mills

Following is yet another set of ten photographs downloaded from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). They are all in the public domain and can be freely printed, downloaded, or circulated. Many of these photos have been used before in books, magazines and websites. The description for each of the photos is to the right of the photo. Photos in this, and future, series will include STIC, Los Baños, Baguio, Old Bilibid, the Battle of Manila, Liberation, etc. If you publish any of these photographs, please cite the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), as the source.

	Liberated Los Baños internees lining up for meal at New Bilibid Prison, February1945
	Liberated Los Baños internees being fed in meal hall a New Bilibid Prison, February 1945
	Liberated Los Baños internees being checked into New Bilibid Prison, 1945, with the Red Cross giving out cigarettes and chocolate.
	Baguio bombing damage, 1945
	Filipino guerrillas conferring with American GIs, 1945
	First helicopter in the Philippines, Leyte 1944
	American paratroopers landing on Corregidor, 1945
	American pilot walks away from his crashed P-38 Lightning
	U.S. Navy nurses wait beneath aircraft on the way to being first of the former Los Baños internees to be evacuated in 1945. Chief Nurse, Laura Mae Cobb, can be seen on the right conversing with a U.S. serviceman.
	Civilians bombed-out by the Japanese in Tacloban, Leyte 1945

Still more NARA photos

Posted on August 3, 2020 by Cliff Mills

Following is another set of ten photographs downloaded from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). They are all in the public domain and can be freely printed, downloaded, or circulated. Many of these photos have been used before in books, magazines and websites. The description for each of the photos is to the right of the photo. Photos in this, and future, series will include STIC, Los Baños, Baguio, Old Bilibid, the Battle of Manila, Liberation, etc. If you publish any of these photographs, please cite the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), as the source.

	Three young former Santo Tomás internees speak with U.S. Army personnel, 1945. Elizabeth Lautzenhiser, later known as Liz Irvine, is the third person on the right.
	Newly liberated Los Baños internees enjoying a meal at New Bilibid Prison, February 1945
	Newly liberated children from Los Baños eating at New Bilibid Prison, February 1945
	The rescuing of two downed American pilots, a former San Francisco banker, and a guerrilla leader on a lake on Luzon, 1945
	3-year-old Robert Tangen with U.S. Air Force personnel after Bobby's liberation from Old Bilibid Prison, 1945
	Elmer Mocklin and Charles Bradfield pushing a cart with the caskets of two other internees killed in Japanese shelling of STIC, February 1945
	Allied troops advancing past Manila's heavily damaged Post Office, February 1945
	American actor Lew Ayres, aka "Dr. Kildare," serving in the Philippines in 1944.
	Former Los Baños internees clean their meal kits at New Bilibid Prison, February 1945
	U.S. Army troops with newly liberated Japanese beer, found on Luzon,1945

Even more NARA photos

Posted on July 26, 2020 by Cliff Mills

Following is another set of ten photographs downloaded from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). They are all in the public domain and can be freely printed, downloaded, or circulated. Many of these photos have been used before in books and magazines. The description for each of the photos is to the right of the photo. Photos in this, and future, series will include STIC, Los Baños, Baguio, Old Bilibid, the Battle of Manila, Liberation, etc. If you publish any of these photographs, please cite the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), as the source.

	A wounded Los Baños internee being evacuated after liberation, February 1945
	Archibald and Nicholas Mathews taking shelter at STIC during February 1945 Japanese shelling
	Mexican pilots serving in the 201st Fighter Squadron in the Philippines, 1945
	A U.S. B-25 bomber attacking a Japanese destroyer in Ormoc Bay, Leyte, 1944
	The Bowie family, with new baby Lea, after 1945 Los Baños liberation
	"To relieve the nursing problem of Santo Tomás University camp, recently liberated by our forces in Manila, Luzon, P.I., a shipment of U.S. Army nurses arrive in the compound and are immediately put to work in 1945."
	G.I.'s cooking meal for ex-Los Baños internees, 1945
	Bomb damage to the Yokohama Bank, Manila 1945
	Invading Japanese troops crossing river on Luzon, January 1942
	Newly liberated Los Baños internees en route to New Bilibid Prison, February 1945

More NARA Photos

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Cliff Mills

Following is another set of ten photographs downloaded from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). They are all in the public domain and can be freely printed, downloaded, or circulated. Many of these photos have been used before in books and magazines. The description for each of the photos is to the right of the photo. Photos in this, and future, series will include STIC, Los Baños, Baguio, Old Bilibid, the Battle of Manila, Liberation, etc. If you publish any of these photographs, please cite the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), as the source.

	Internees wounded in the taking of a prison camp at Los Baños, Luzon, Philippine Islands, await evacuation.
	Mr. & Mrs. Michael O'Hara, and children, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, liberated from a prison camp at Los Baños in February 1945, are interviewed by an Army representative before boarding an Amtrack. The O'Hara family, from left to right: Kathleen, Michael, Michael Jr., and Lorraine, February 1945 after liberation.
	"A happy nun, Sister Mary Alphonsa held prisoner by the Japanese in Los Baños Internment Camp, Luzon, tells of her deliverance, to Cpl. Vick Campbell of Schenectady, New York."
	"Joyous internees as they arrive at New Bilibid Prison, Luzon, where they were to receive medical attention, food and clothing. The Japanese did not respect the clergy; the priest had been interned at the Los Baños."
	Members of a tank corps listen intently as an internee, Bernard Herzog, who lost 78 pounds and is suffering from Beri-Beri, talks over the days he spent In the Santo Tomás Camp In Manila.
	U.S. Liberation forces oversee cleaning of Old Bilibid Prison, 1945. All furniture and bedding were burned and buildings were cleaned and fumigated and cleaned for housing of prisoners until they could be moved to a rear area.
	A simple ceremony is held within the compound of Santo Tomás as our honored dead are laid to rest. A group of liberated internees witness the ceremony conducted by the Rev. in former prison camp garden.
	A destroyed Japanese plane, a Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally," 1945, San Miguel airfield.
	Cavite, in Manila Bay, after Allied bombing, 1945