The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1945-09-06
Ems. Roy Erickson
Sees Destruction

writes his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. II.
H. Challinor under date of August
l5 His most interesting letter fol-
lows in part.
Dear Nom, Dad and All.
Just as an aftermath it struck
me that you might like to hear a
little about my couple of days in
Manila. guess everyone has heard
about it and the terrific fight that
went on there for while.
On the way to Manila we stopped
for a few minutes at Cavite. (Do
you remember the prewar naval
base ruined by the Japs in their
first attack?) All that could be
seen was a mass of rubble amid
which bloomed clusters of army
tents like mushrooms. The whole
waterfront had been completely
ruined and the Army has only
cleared away what it had to. Even
yet can be seen demolished brick
walls. smashed piers. couple of
overturned and bombed water tow
ers, and lot Of rubble which can't
even be identified. In places there
are still some wrecked Jap guns
and heavy artillery But enough for
Cavite, | only saw it from a ship.
Going into Manila one can still
see many Wreckel and sunken ships.
Most Of those visible had been driv-
en- into shallow water and sunk by
bombs. Some had apparently been
scuttled since they sat on an even
keel in.th shallow bay and showed
no evidence of having been hit. The
others have huge holes in the decks,
sides torn open or most of the SUI
perstructure lies in twisted wreck
age on the deck. One | saw had
most Of its stern blown off and
had settled until the bow was all
that remained clear Of the water
OF another, only the stern was Wis
IDLE, apparently it had had its bow
blown away. Remnant Of our form
err defeat there was an old navy
barge high and dry on the beach
Rusted, Weatherbeaten and torn,
though it still has the letters, u. S.
Navy are still visible on her side.
Apparently the Japs never bothered
o salvage her or tear her down for
scrap and neither do we.
We came on through these wrecks
of ships and up one of the water
front canals to dock which must
nave been pretty sight once, but
now is just a mess but disable. | was
chartered in building (before the
war the Japanese counsel lived
ehere) which was one of the less
damaged buildings there. It's roof
had been bombed and burned down,
but the rest Of the building is all
right except for bullet holes and
shrapnel pock marks all over. The
building alongside had been COM
nletely demolished, only a few Of
the thick brick and stone walls
We're standing, these being only
few feet high.
The day after getting there, two
Of US went walking TO view the
ruins Of the famous international
Walled City where the Japs in
Manila made their last stand. Such
q scene of utter havoc and abso-
Lutte destruction cannot be imagined.
a square Of two blocks on side
was SO smashed that Chs have TAX
en- bulldozers after it and just
pushed the rubble around until it
was levelled off. In places, stone
floors can still be seen. but they
are the only indication that build
lngs once stood there. There are Tor
Were) several old churches around
that area. Some of them dated back
to zoos when the Spanish owned
the islands. Some of these fine old
churches have been utterly de-
stroyed but others left standing ex-
hlbit mute testimony to the power
Of high explosive shells. In walls
10 inches thick made of concrete re-
inforced with steel rods, have been
blown holes Is feet across and al
most perfectly round They look as
If some monstrous shell had drilled
clean through. It's funny thing but
! noticed that several churches,
though badly SCARED and bullet
rlddled and with holes blown
through them all over, still had not
crumbled and fallen apart like SO
many Of the other buildings had
done.
Walking around the main streets
Of Manila is an adventurous PROPOSE
ton during the day now. All along
the streets in bombed out build
lngs, in holes in the rubble, in
hastily thrown together shelters
consisting Of few poles of bamboo
with tin roof, the Philippines have
set up souvenir shops, food stalls
and liquor stores selling a potent
and poisonous brand of native whis-,
key. All Americans are warned to
leave that Whiskey alone and be
wary of any goods bought there.
Several men have died from that
drink. Profiting from their exper-
fence I've bought nothing to eat or
drink from the natives except for
a couple Of mangoes in an area
where the fruits are not polluted.
Anyway, to get back to the orig
inal theme. AS a soldier or sailor
walks down the streets he is con-
stant1y beset from all sides by cries
from the souvenir vendors and lit
tie kids, who are trying to sell
aluminium rings and worthless Jap
invasion money for exorbitant