Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1945-08-24
DOROTHY NINYARD STIRNI,
LIBER ATED JAP PRISON Err,
RETURNS TO MIIFORI

IbIl last IJtCtlllDtl / 4.
Dorothy arrived in San Pedro
Cncar Los Aneclcs) on a new t. :.
Coast guard ship. the Admiral f..
W. Eberle. one OF our best equip
ped transports for evacuated phi
Soners OF war from Philippines.
After spending several weeks
With her sister. Mrs Fergus b
Purves in Glendale. California. re-
cuperatin@ from the i'll effects Of
her long ihterment and after HAY
ing extensive dental work complet-
ed in Los Angeles. She has at last
been able 10 come home with the
report OF having suffered no per
manent injury during her long
confinement under those yellow
devils who have caused 50 much
misery and destruction.
The trip across the Pacific took
three and Il half weeks. While Il
passenger on the ship she did three
hours Of voluntary work each day
having worked in the library of
mornings under Captain Gradnci' |.
COttle, army Chaplain ON the Adj
miral F.herle She also worked in
the office of the first lieutenant as
one of his capable assistants in
carrying out plans for the efficient
maintenance of the ship during
time enrOute.
Considering the large number of
internces i'll the Philippines, Doro-
thy is one of the fortunate ones
awarded the Asiatic- Pacific cam
p%i&n ribbon given her by the com
handing general, Douglas Mae
Arthur, t. :. Army forces in the
tar East. This decoration Was given
III behalf of certain intcrnccS who
have by their fOrtitudr and cuurale
contributed materially to the sue
cess of the Philippine campaign.
tOther assistance still remains Il
military secretD
Regardless of losing her rights
as an American citizen while und
Ell the Japanese. one Of the worst
puniShmentS ever thrust upon one
and after seeing our American
flag degraded and torn to bits fol
lowing its capture on COrrc&idol
Island along with suffering great
humiliation and starvation as a
captive of the yellow double cross
ing JapS. Dorothy always retained
the true lONal American spirit
finding consolation in the thought
that Some day the Americans viii
return" Thank Heavens. We are
living to see our day when the
laps are reSrcttimS their coWardll
hcaStlY acts. Now We can lOOh
Gown upon them from our position
of authority and We no longer fcal
their proposed dictated pcac,
terms from the "White House"
Thank God victory i; ours pur,
united victory over the axis ma
tiOnS Hungry and starved forced
to do the most mental work It
exist, faced by beating rains anO
typhOOns, and many times wadin;
in mud over the top of wooden
shoes, the good American spin
was most outstanding in her. At II,
time during internmcnt was he
morale SO low but what she cOult
help Il few less fortunate inteInee
: by sharing some food with them o
by encouraging them in believing
: that Soon our boys will com
back" then we'll have everything,
: Everything meant some fOOC
: chocolate bars. sugar. canned milk
: meat. cigarettes. Just the thing
: everyone was SO anxious To taste
Right az the time when theS
/ prisoners We're putting forth thci
| greatest struggle for existence. thi
| beautiful Christmas message, float
ing out of the heavens, was drOI
I ped by our American Air Force:
d, THE Commander iii Chief. off
: GERS, and the men of the America
. forces Of liberation in the Pacifi
:, wish their gallant allies, the peOpl
; of the Philippines. all the blessing
: Of Christmas and the realization {
!, their fervent hopes of the Ne
n Year" christmas 1914.
l. Then after many days of anXior
t hopeful waiting, the day of all day
S arrived, February >. 1913. the da
Il when these prisoners We're a9ai
+ Tree American citizens The thl'i
d OF hearing in the distance sOunC
p Of American tanks and other arm
cd equipment approaching SAINT
: Tomas. hearing cheering cries
welcome from the I|lipinos. hea
u ing Jap machine guns turned {
II both our fighting forces and the.
loyal Filipino greeterS. Then can
the most spectacular of all event
II the sudden crash of our tanl
l. through the prison walls and Il
Il approach of our good American
beratOrs right to the front doors
ii the huge building, soon to he;
l., voices again speaking Euglis
IL calling, Are YOU Americans
there"
d Right along with these invadil
d forces came General Macarthur
st shells and Japanese Shippers new
stopped him he had come to Il
d Philippines after many a ha
Id weary battle. He returned, Al
" soon afterwards came Mrs. Ma
f. Arthur and little SON When q
r., Generals wife inquired for an i
al struCtOr for the boy. Dorothy "
r. recommended 10y the director
Education in the Philippines to h
of to fill this position. lntcrnme
vi these long months had work
- many hardships on these inferno
and most of them found it necess
i ry to return to the States in ord
H. to regain their health
The credit for the liberation
he these 200 prisoners whose Iiy
tn had been threatened by the JaI
III rese belongs to the First Caval
r. and to the Thirty Seventh Infant
who fought SO bravely to sa
them and to free Manila from t
pest of our enemy, the laps. a
credit goes to all members of c
Armed Forces who directly or