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Dedication of last surviving boxcar that was used on the Death March at the Capas National Shrine on April 9, 2008.
Courtesy of Jim Litton

A 60th Anniversary memorial ceremony in Tacloban, Philippines, on October 20, 2004

The headstone over the mass grave for the men who were executed on Palawan Island by the Japanese. The grave is at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.

Maragondon, Cavite

notable landmarks:
Parish Church of the Assumption of Our Lady
Pico de Loro point
Mt. Marami
Mt. Buntis
Parish Church of the Assumption of Our Lady (Maragondon, Cavite). The church was built in the early 18th century by the Jesuits, with later additions by the seculars and the Augustinian Recollects. Much of the church and belltower, and the lower portion of the convento is made of irregular river stones, indicative of the early level of technology operating at that time.

The intricately-carved retablos, pulpit and church doors (with galleons and floral designs) date from Jesuit times, while the hugely carved beams crossing the nave were installed by the seculars-- one of the beams even carries the name of the indio priest who commissioned them. The unusual horseshoe-shaped communion rail, with a flooring of inlaid wood of various colors, recalls that of San Sebastian Church, Manila, another Recollect construction.

This place is almost 15deg NE, ideal bearing for the paranormal beliefs of the japanese. pag nagtatago sila ng kanilang mga nakulimbat na yaman ng mga bansa. Ayon ng mga matatanda dito ay di kayang bilangin ang mga ssundalong hapon ang nangamatay sa dakong ito , meron silang mga hospital at mga training grounds sa area na ito. Ngayon Ang JICA isang grupo ng mga hapon , Bechtell isang american Firm at si Pangulong Arroyo kasama na ang mga lokal na pamahalaan ang nagsusulong na gawing lanfill ang area na ito. dati gwardyado ng grupo ni marcos ang dakong ito.Ngayon sila naman. until now balikatan joint forces still exercising in this area. ang world bank at si dating pangulong Ramos ay lagi ring nakamonitor sa lugar na ito. Walang ganyanan!
Jet7

1921 Olongapo Fire
Large building or barracks engulfed in fire. Card is posted Jan 14 1921
Olongapo Zambales to Independence Missouri. Sender also notes writng from Olongapo. Among the folks watching the blaze seems to be a US sailor.

American POW died at a Japanese Prisoner of War Camp on Mindanao Island, Philippines.
This photo shows the position in which a white man, emaciated, died while trying to get a drink of water. this was at the Davao Penal Colony Hospital.

1945 American Forces Bomb Corregidor Island

USS Flier (SS-250)
Lost on August 13 1944 with 78 US Navy Submariners killed
Sunk by Japanese Mine South of Palawan in Balabac Strait
(www.Balabac.COM)

USS Harder (SS-257)
Lost August 24 1944 with 74 US Navy Submariners killed.
Sunk by Japanese Luzon Coast Defense Vessel No.22
Off West Coast of Luzon - Philippine Islands

Real Sumatra Indonesian Gold Bars 999.99 Refine Gold circa 1940s

Yamashita Treasures STONE MARKER

LOS BANOS RESCUE 1

Yamashita Treasures X Stone Marker

10 nice things to say about Marcos
On his 20th death anniversary
By Benjamin Pimentel

CALIFORNIA, United States—Imelda Marcos reportedly expressed hope that someday her late husband also would be honored in the same way, perhaps at a state funeral. Having grown up during, and survived, the Marcos regime, Imelda’s wackiness no longer surprises me. But her wish left me with a jaw-dropping realization: They haven’t buried that dictator!?! This month marks the 20th anniversary of Ferdinand Marcos’s death. He died in exile in Hawaii in September 1989, three years after being chased out of Malacanang. But the dictator’s remains are still lying in a refrigerated crypt somewhere up north. Someone should tell the dictator’s handlers that what he said was, “I do not intend to die,” not “I do not intend to be buried.” Still, in the spirit of reconciliation, and since we have just relived the glorious days of the People Power Revolution, bid farewell to Cory Aquino, and commemorated the martyrdom of Ninoy, it’s perhaps time to also focus on the positive side of the late strongman. Besides, it is also Marcos’s 92nd birthday (September 11) and the 37th anniversary of the imposition of Martial law (September 21). What can I say—September has really been an unlucky month for us. So allow me to present my list—and, believe me, I tried real hard to come up with these—of the 10 nice things one can say about Marcos.

1. Marcos taught us to disdain bullies. Ferdinand Marcos was not the first, or the last, president to abuse his power. But, certainly, he set a seemingly unbreakable record. The nightmare of his 21 years in power still haunts us today, a powerful, constant reminder of a chapter in our history that must never be repeated.

2. Marcos taught us to disdain leaders who flaunt their wealth. Marcos and Imelda did not invent wealth-flaunting. The elites have been doing that for generations well before he came to power, and it’s still happening today, of course. But the Marcoses certainly took the brazen display of extreme affluence, in the face of extreme poverty, to a new low. I mean how can how one justify owning 3,000 pairs of shoes?

3. Marcos taught us to be suspicious of leaders who acquire wealth. The current president just ran into this problem, of course. And the last one too. Yes, politics is still widely-considered as an easy road to easy money, but too much greed is now generally accepted as dangerous to one’s political career. And we have to give credit to Marcos for this, for making Filipinos extremely suspicious of political leaders who suddenly get rich.

4. Marcos taught us to disdain politicians who brazenly cheat in elections. Now, I said “brazenly.” For yes, election Philippine-style is still dirty. But given our experience with Marcos, there’s a line, especially in national races, that I suspect candidates will not cross for fear of sparking a severe backlash. (Or maybe not.)

5. Marcos taught us to be suspicious of leaders who warn the nation that because of some unspeakable danger to the country they simply must have more power. “Emergency powers” and “martial law” are two phrases any Philippine president must use with extreme caution nowadays. If not, you run the risk of facing ordinary Filipinos asking: “What was that again Mr./Madame President? You say the communists, the rightists, the terrorists are about to attack? Oh, and the Martians too, perhaps? And that’s why you need to throw all these people in jail, shut down all these newspapers and TV stations and kill those who say you’re a corrupt liar? Sir/Madame, I think we’ve seen this movie before. Napanood na ho ata naming ‘tong sineng ito.”

6. Marcos taught us that there is a big difference between discipline and fear. “Sa Ikauunlad ng Bayan, Disiplina ang Kailangan (For our nation to develop, we need discipline).” That was the regime’s slogan for Marcos’s New Society. It worked for a time, mainly because people knew that by discipline, the dictator meant, “Shut up and submit, or else.” It got so bad that one US official observed that the Philippines in the 70s and 80s had turned into a country of “40 million cowards and one SOB.” Well, Filipinos were willing to let that be the case only for so long.

7. Marcos showed that friendship with powerful world leaders is no guarantee that one can hold on to power indefinitely. Oh, Marcos and Imelda look so happy and proud in photographs with Ronald and Nancy Reagan. They were friends after all. Reagan even sent his Vice President George H.W. Bush to Manila to praise Marcos’ “adherence to democratic principles.” Well, a few years later, the dictator was gone after the Reagan White House finally realized he had turned into a liability.

8. Marcos taught us to be wary of leaders who try to glorify themselves in songs, slogans, or big, ugly monuments. I was actually thrilled when Marcos imposed Martial Law in 1972. I was eight years old when it happened, and for a few weeks I didn’t have to go to school and there was nothing on TV but cartoons. But then, once back in school, my schoolmates and I had to learn these new weird songs about the new order and how everything was great about the regime. And then there’s that gigantic bust up north. I’m glad nobody blew it up as some groups reportedly planned to do. For it stands as a powerful reminder of the twisted mind that once ruled our country.

9. Marcos taught us to be creative—in fighting back. Only in the Philippines could yellow confetti become a symbol of protest. And nuns praying the rosary in front of tanks—you just won’t find such an act of defiance in other places. But even before the People Power Revolt, during the darkest days of dictatorship, Filipinos were already coming up with creative ways to defy the regime. Students at the University of the Philippines used to launch lightning rallies, in which they march from one floor of Palma Hall to another, while yelling slogans and waving banners, and then quickly putting the banners away and dispersing before the cops showed up. Even the artists dared try new things. Take my old boss and drinking buddy, the poet Pete Lacaba, who wrote a seemingly harmless, apolitical poem titled “Prometheus Unbound.” When read vertically, the first letter of every line said, “Marcos, Hitler, Diktador, Tuta”—the famous anti-dictatorship slogan, “Marcos, Hitler, Dictator, Puppet.”

10. Marcos made us laugh and helped demonstrate that, even during dark times, Filipinos can still maintain a healthy sense of humor. Marcos and his crazy war medals. Imelda and her theory of a hole in the sky above the Philippines through which cosmic rays pass to protect the country from disaster. Admit it, Marcos and Imelda made us laugh. If it weren’t for all the people who died and suffered during the regime, we could look back to that time as funny and fun years. Marcos and Imelda jokes kept us entertained even as we endured tyranny. And we didn’t even have cell phones back then for speedy mass distribution. I distinctly remember a classic during one of the rallies after Ninoy’s assassination and Marcos’s face often looked swollen as he reportedly battled lupus. The protest poster read: “Mamaga sana ang mukha ng nagpapatay kay Ninoy. (I hope whoever had Ninoy killed gets a swollen face).” Well, it’s funnier in Tagalog. And without Marcos, what would have happened to Willie Nepomuceno, one of the most talented Filipino humorists ever? He was so good with his Marcos impersonation, that during the critical hours of the 1986 People Power Revolt, when the dictator appeared on TV to prove he was still in charge, there were those who believed it was a ploy—with the popular comedian in the starring role. Of course, Nepomuceno’s career faced a crisis when Marcos was kicked out of the country, and later died. But he quickly bounced back, doing other politicos, including former Presidents Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada. Fortunately, like the late tyrant, Willie Nepomuceno did not intend to die. Not much of a list, but can you blame me? It’s tough to say anything nice about a dictator in a freezer. In any case, to Marcos supporters, let me say this: There may never be a grand funeral for the late dictator, with big adoring crowds, a military honor guard, 24/7 TV coverage, and flattering commentary in media. But don’t worry. We will never forget Marcos and what he did to our country. Ever.

ADDENDUM: I spoke too soon. Writer Krip Yuson informs me that someone did blow up the Marcos bust which was heavily damaged by the blast about seven years ago. Krip adds, "A Baguio friend rushed to the site and picked up a bayong of the rubble. I was given two precious pieces, which I keep."

Yamashita Treasure Site

Sa mga taga rito wag nyo hayaan na makuha o maging land fill ng mga hapon at kano itong area na ito...Dito matatagpuan ang Tunnel 9, Camp 24 ng Golden Lily...

57th Infantry Philippine Scout Fort mckinley aka Fort Bonifacio Taguig City circa 1930's

Maragondon, Cavite

Yamashita Treasure Site

Retired General John Singlaub, a vaunted hero of both World War II and Korea who finished up his career as the top U.S. military commander in Korea, dismissed by then-President Jimmy Carter.

This, of course, means that Yamashita Treasures Gold—which amounts to certainly hundreds of billions in value, probably trillions—was a real source of power and influence for Marcos and, in the end, proved not only to be a source of his rise to power, but, ultimately, his undoing.

In the meantime, billions of dollars worth of gold certificates that the Marcos [couple] had taken with them were confiscated by the U.S. government. But when the Marcoses demanded the return of the certificates, the U.S. said the certificates were “fake”.

In other words, the Reagan administration casually and ruthlessly stole billions from the Marcos, at the same time helping perpetuate the media myth that the Marcos family had stolen billions from their own nation’s treasury. By Michael Collins Piper - Courtesy of Seagrave Gold Warrior