Tressa Cates

(September 14, 1903 — May 6, 1991). Nurse at Sternberg General Military Hospital. Interned with her future husband in Santo Tomas, 1942-45.

January 11, 1942

There was a steady trek of people trying to get near the Commandant’s office in order to be pronounced unfit for concentration life, and fortunately

January 12, 1942

The long wide road from the Big House to the front gate led to the outside world. Tall and shady acacia trees lined each side

January 15, 1942

The bedbugs in our native beds continued to fatten and multiply, and our nights became more sleepless and uncomfortable. As soon as the insecticide squad

January 16, 1942

It was siesta hour, and most of my roommates were in their cubicles, a space large enough to hold a bed or mattress and various

January 17, 1942

I rushed to the hospital kitchen at six every morning. If by some magic I could have obliterated myself into a tiny grease spot while

January 19, 1942

Four or five hundred of our fellow members jammed into the west patio of the Big House after curfew, for a community sing. The walls

January 20, 1942

Most of our barbed-wire buddies were optimistic, and many firmly believed that we’d be out in a few weeks. They reasoned that in a few

January 21, 1942

It was interesting to watch the expression of an American when a Japanese soldier with untidy uniform and oversized boots shuffled past. Disgust and amusement

January 22, 1942

With so many rumors going around, we were in a continual state of nervous anxiety. One day we heard that the men and women would

January 23, 1942

Nothing caused more exasperation and hate than seeing the Nips driving our cars. There were more unprintable words uttered when internees recognized their cars being

January 26, 1942

A ripple of tremulous excitement went through the camp when we heard many planes high in the clouds. There followed heavy anti-aircraft firing, and we

January 27, 1942

By order of the Commandant, each room was given a copy of the Japanese-controlled daily Tribune, which we had nicknamed the Nishi-Nishi. The morning headline

January 28, 1942

The Japanese paper, the Nishi-Nishi, had us in a tizzy of merriment. How crude and fantastic could their propaganda be? The paper carried this astonishing

January 29, 1942

A Filipino ice-cream vendor was permitted to enter the camp with his push cart, and we flocked to him like eager kids. On the third

January 30, 1942

We were sick at heart and depressed today. We heard that Churchill had said that “Singapore will fall.” This news came as a bombshell after

February 1, 1942

The front and rear double doors of the Big House were closed and barred every night at 6:30. This meant that two thousand or more

February 2, 1942

Life in the Constipation Camp — nicknamed by our camp wits — went on! We were all in our room this afternoon when Daphne, the

February 3, 1942

Apparently the bedbugs had nine lives. They were on the march again, and I spent another sleepless night. The insecticide men again sprayed the bed

February 4, 1942

For several days there have been whispers that a few of our fellow members have escaped over the wall. This was quite possible, as at

February 5, 1942

The Internews, our camp paper, had a cartoon of an American enjoying his whiskey soda in the pre-war days. On the opposite page, he was

February 6, 1942

The boys surprised us with an exceptionally good lunch. To plain boiled rice, given us by neighbors on the other side of the abandoned truck

February 8, 1942

Today was Sunday! The rotogravure section of the Nishi-Nishi was filled with idyllic scenes. The Japanese soldier was shown worshiping with the Filipinos in local

February 9, 1942

We’ve had intense heat the last few days, and the leaves of the fine acacia trees are beginning to turn brown and fall on the

February 10, 1942

Crotchety and old Mr. and Mrs. Greenshoes’ dispositions didn’t improve, living and sleeping as they did in the crowded corridor of the second floor. They’ve

February 11, 1942

This was a big day for the Nips! The Foundation Day of the Great Japanese Empire, which was started 2602 years ago! The morning Nishi-Nishi

February 12, 1942

SINGAPORE Falls! This was the headline that greeted us in the morning rag. The camp was stunned. People went about their work sadly and dejectedly.

February 13, 1942

Another man escaped! This time it was an American, and those who knew him well thought he had a better chance of eluding the Nips,

February 14, 1942

After work at the hospital was over, nurses and patients made Valentines for their favorite doctors, patients, and attendants. The most amusing and original one

February 16, 1942

To increase the gloom and depression that had settled over us, a mammoth balloon hovered over the camp. Printed in large fire-red print across its

February 19, 1942

Camp morale moved back and forth like a pendulum. We heard that Germany was about to collapse and that Russia planned to declare war on