5:20 a.m. I woke up with the sound of two airplanes flying low over our house. I thought “It’s nice to have our planes patrolling”. A few seconds later I was startled by two explosions nearby. The concussion blew away my mosquito net. I jumped out of bed. I took a quick bath, as I was wet with perspiration, dressed and went to the place where the bombs had exploded. The first one fell over a nipa house killing the whole family who were asleep. A woman and six children. The husband was out working for the U.S. troops unloading. When he returned home he found his home destroyed and all his family killed. Poor man. The second bomb fell about 60 yards from the house occupied by the other members of the Presidential party. The President slept elsewhere. Some small shell fragments went through the house. About 20 yards from the explosion, a house occupied by the War Correspondents was badly hit by bomb fragments killing Mr. Hazel Bush Associated Press correspondent and mortally wounding Mr. Gunn of Texas. Two other War Correspondents had minor injuries.
Basilio J. Valdes
Basilio J. Valdes, M.D. (July 10, 1892 –January 26, 1970), soldier, doctor, cabinet member, businessman. Chief of Staff, Philippine Army, 1939-1945; Secretary of National Defense in the Quezon and Osmeña War Cabinets, 1941-45. Professor of Surgery at the University of Santo Tomas (UST), Medical Director of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, 1948-1970.
All Posts