ccheese
Member In Perpetuity
I have a neighbor, a Filipino I guess in his late 70's, and we talk about the
war once in awhile. This morning we got to talking about the Phillipines in
early 1942. He told me he was one of "The Battling Bastards of Bataan",
and proceeded to sing this little ditty:
"We're the battling bastards of Battan,
no mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam.
No aunts, no uncles, no nephews, no nieces,
No ships, no planes, no artillery pieces.
And nobody gives a damn !"
His voice was filled with emotion, and I really couldn't determine a tune.
But he said as a nine year old boy, at the time the Japanese were in
the process of invading the Phillipines, he was a runner for a Filipino Scout
outfit. At nine years old !! He would hustle ammo, weapons, food and
water, bandages and anything else. And he would help bury the dead.
After the occupation he was sent to a school to learn to speak Japanese.
But he was also a spy for the men still in the hills. He spoke of a General
Homa (or Homma) of the Japanese Army, but only in passing. Anyone
recognize the name ?
He got very emotional... I guess the memories were not pleasant, and he
went inside. We will talk again, but on his terms.
I don't know if we have any Filipino's on the forum or not, or maybe one of
WW-II scholars can add more to this.
Charles
war once in awhile. This morning we got to talking about the Phillipines in
early 1942. He told me he was one of "The Battling Bastards of Bataan",
and proceeded to sing this little ditty:
"We're the battling bastards of Battan,
no mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam.
No aunts, no uncles, no nephews, no nieces,
No ships, no planes, no artillery pieces.
And nobody gives a damn !"
His voice was filled with emotion, and I really couldn't determine a tune.
But he said as a nine year old boy, at the time the Japanese were in
the process of invading the Phillipines, he was a runner for a Filipino Scout
outfit. At nine years old !! He would hustle ammo, weapons, food and
water, bandages and anything else. And he would help bury the dead.
After the occupation he was sent to a school to learn to speak Japanese.
But he was also a spy for the men still in the hills. He spoke of a General
Homa (or Homma) of the Japanese Army, but only in passing. Anyone
recognize the name ?
He got very emotional... I guess the memories were not pleasant, and he
went inside. We will talk again, but on his terms.
I don't know if we have any Filipino's on the forum or not, or maybe one of
WW-II scholars can add more to this.
Charles