ESTEaA.N DERNIDO ~1l1PIN.L\.S HERIT.~,GE llBRARvr
Copyright 1981 by COL. ESTEBAN BERNIDO (Inactive) All rights reseIVed
Printed by Allied Printing and Binding Co., Inc. 1707 E. Rodriguez Sr. Blvd., Cubao Quezon City
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I dedicate this humble write-up to my wife who overcame my reluctance and lassitude to write down my experiences during the war by her constant reminding; to my mother and grandmother who are now in heaven, who shared in the sacrifices and fought with the only weapons they had: prayers; and to all my comrades still living and those who are now gone.
E.B.
TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER
PAGE
Bitterness of Helplessness :. .. ....... ...... . Braving Jungles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Crossing Mindanao Sea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Restless Homelife. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . People's Plight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Taking Command of 14 Men. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Action and Capture of a Japanese Prisoner. . . . .. The First Shots and Birth of the East Bohol Battalion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 9 Close Range Fighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10 Checking Soldiers' Tendency to Abuse . . . . . . .. 11 Bolos Against Bullets Foiled by Bombing and Strafmg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 12 Mass Attack - Abandonment of Town Proper by the Enemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Broad Daylight Encounter in Town Plaza ...... 14 Unification of all Bohol Guerilla Forces. . . . . .. 15 Coordination with Free Bohol Civil Govern: ment and Contact with General MacArthur's Headquarters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Recapture and BUrning of Guindulman . . . . . .. 17 Plans for Town Fiesta Celebration. . . . . . . . . . 18 SO"ange Dreamlike Apparitions.... . ... . ... 19 Evaluation of the Holy Image from Fortified Church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 20 Our Role in the Allied Intelligence Network. . . . . 21 Mopping up Operations Staged By the Enemy . .. 22 Collapse Under Stress and Strain . . . . . . . . . . .. 23 Enemy Mopping up Operations a Failure. . . . . .. 24 Saved by a Persistent Intuitive Feeling in La Hacienda Encounter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 25 Liberation of Bohol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. APPENDIX I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. APPENDIX II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. APPENDIX III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
4 8 11 15 19 22 27 31 37 41 46 51 55
60 64 67 77 81 85 88 92 96 100 105 109 117 127
INTRODUCTION
This is a recount of my experiences during World War II. It covers the whole duration of the war but is limited to places where I was directly involved in events - mostly in Bohol - the memorie.s of which have been vividly imprinted in my mind. I often muse on them aloud in the presence of my wife and children and friends who - especially my children and those who were not yet born, or were still young at the time - know nothing of what obtained in the province during the war and who listen to my musing with relish. In this humble narrative there is nothing epic or heroic; nothing that can be considered colorful; nothing of literary and any other quality that make for a highly intellectual read, ing. If this work, however, can meet the curiousity of those especially our youth - who want to know what actually happened in the province during the Japanese occupation; and if some bits can be gathered from it that can be useful for the province's history - then my humble efforts in writing this were not in vain. My thanks and gratitude go to all those who helped me remember dates and events which now lie half-buried in the distant mists of time. My special gratitude also goes to Lt. Col. Troadio B. Tecson who made available his printing facilities that made the printing of this humble work possible.
E.B.
tendency to abuse and corrupt even for personal ends. Left .' alone without any authority to' control and check their abuses, they became a menace to the civilians who were already sufferingfrom Japanese atrocities. "WARTIME RECOLLECTIONS" TELLS OF THE TRAVAILS BORNE'IN REDIRECTING A CHAOTIC SITUATION INTO ONE OF PURPOSE, ORDER, HARMONY AND EFFECTIVENESS BY DIRECT AGGRESSIVE ACTION AGAINST THE ENEMY BY A HANDFUL OF MEN.
Cover, Lay-out and illustration by Albert Malcampo