Tag: City of Greater Manila

December 23, 1944

10:15 a.m. eighteen B-24’s with several P-38’s came over and bombed Grace Park and kept on going toward Mariveles. The most beautiful and inspiring sight of my life. Felt like crying. Several women did cry. Later they came back and sprinkled (that’s the word) Grace Park with small bombs. One large fire (oil) and several small ones. Four P-38’s straffed a place far out in Quezon City, probably a troop concentration. At 10:00 p.m. more bombings probably one or two planes. Passed waterfront and Nichols field 3 times –dropped some bombs. Shell bursts from anti-aircraft guns was beautiful to behold. Last raid about 11:00 p.m.

December 20, 1944

For seven days now we are without radio, and consequently, without news. The press is ashamed to circulate outside the capital, out of respect for the guerrillas of the air raid siren sounds—at most for ten hours. Its week-long silence means that the bombing of Manila must have been uninterrupted.

We learned from the people who escaped from that hell that from 4:00 in the morning of the 14th to 6:00 in the morning of the 17th, there was a continuous wave of bombers with only a six-hour respite. During this dark night, the Americans landed in Palawan, and in Mindoro, the latter being less than two hundred kilometers from the Mecca of their aspirations.

To give us an idea of the hunger and terror reigning in the capital, we were told that a member of the Cabinet was having only a meal a day, consisting of porridge.

Deaths from bombs and from hunger plague the streets and many houses. Caravans of rugged and hungry people are abandoning the city on foot, carrying the few belongings they can load on their shoulders. All sorts of locomotion, including carts, have been confiscated by the Imperial Army. Manila is suffering more than the most punished Sodom of this war. May God cut short the rain of fire and sulphur, if only in consideration of the many who are just.

December 18, 1944

The alarm sounded yesterday, but the skies of Manila were clear of planes. The raids were made over Clark Field and Legazpi. However, we were kept alert by the raid today from 8:00 in the morning to 5:30 in the afternoon. In the morning a plane was shot down and the pilot parachuted down. A short raid was made in the afternoon over Manila Bay. Official sources said that Clark Field was raided anew, simultaneously with Aparri, Cebu and Leyte, although the press reported very light damage.

A new reporter wrote: “Our first impulse upon learning about the destructive attacks of the immense enemy forces was to be thankful we are spared from the air attack. At least for this year.” But we knew that the American Fleet was still afloat and continues to inch in, entering by the Lingayen Gulf from where it pounds on the coastal defenses.

October 19, 1944

At 7:30 a.m. our planes came over and caught them off guard. Anti-aircraft guns started shooting and bombs fell before the alarm sounded. About 40 minutes later we saw a large number of our planes come out of the clouds to the east –looked like flocks of birds– there was anywhere from 60 to 100 light bombers and some fighters. We saw them fly into a blanket of bursting anti-aircraft shells without breaking their formation and then split up and go into a dive for their objective. Heavy bombs were used some fires were started. No dog fights this time. All quiet until 10:05 a.m. when another wave of planes came over from the east. They moved up very pretty on the clear blue sky. Some anti-aircraft fire but no dog fights. Bombing around waterfront and bay.

Another wave of planes came over at 1:30 p.m. Very heavy bombing –one continuous roar. Awe-inspiring is the word. Then all quiet and the all clear was sounded at 5:45 p.m.

October 18, 1944

Air raid alarm at 8:44 a.m. However, our planes didn’t come over until about 9:45 a.m. Heavy bombing — several dog fights. One plane fell in flames over Tondo way. Also one parachutist. Another plane caught fire and went down near mountains in direction of Novaliches.

Another wave of planes came over at about noon. More dog fights with two Jap bombers and one fighter downed — could be seen from our room.

All quiet until about 4:00 p.m. when another wave of our planes came from over the bay in rain. Plenty of anti-aircraft fire. Our planes could be seen diving through bursting shells. They were evidently after ships in the bay.

All clear sounded at 5:20 p.m. Back to air alert.