On the Home Front
Families agonized as they waited for news of their missing loved ones. Months passed before many learned their sons were prisoners of war -- and those were the lucky ones who hadn't died of disease or abuse after the fall of Bataan.
Messages on the government's postage-free Prisoner of War Mail postcards were limited to 24 words — typed or hand-printed in block capital letters. In addition to writing their soldiers, families contacted government and military officials seeking news.
Sadly, many letters to and from POWs were never delivered. "Uncle Sam didn't take care of us," former prisoner Manuel Armijo said. "We had to take care of each other. The family hadn't heard from me for two and a half years."
The desire to see his child and a strong religious faith carried Armijo through his horrific experience. "I was married and I left a pregnant wife at home," he recalled in a spring 2003 interview, at age 91. "Before I left, my mother had me light a candle in the corners of the house. 'Kneel, son,' she said, 'and light a candle for your safe return.' When I came back, four and a half years later, she said, 'now you can kneel, say a prayer, and blow your candles out.' My daughter Loretta was four years and nineteen days old when I came back."
Read correspondence from families and prisoners of war.
In April 1942, as word of the fall of Manila and America's defeat in the Philippines spread, worried families petitioned the government, including the governor of New Mexico, for news of their sons.
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Letter 508 South 11th Street Honorable Gov. John E. Miles Dear Governor Miles: Of all the reports of the fighting men from New Mexico, have been from the army and nothing has been said of those in the Air Corps. We have a son who is with the 19th Hdq & Hdq Squadron of the Air Corp. and was stationed at Clark Field in the Phillipines at the time it was bombed. We haven't heard from him since the fall of Manilla. And we are much concerned as to his present whereabouts. Just to know where he is would be a big relief. Whether he was transferred elsewhere or was he left on Bataan? Any information you can secure for us as to his whereabouts will be deeply appreciated beyond words. We cannot understand why this should be such a military secret in informing the boys parents where they are located. Sincerely, His last address: |
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Western Union Telegram VN387 20/23=ALBUQUERQUE NMEX 9 705P GOVERNOR MILES= I WOULD LIKE INFORMATION OF LALO RAMOS OF RATION NEW MEXICO WAS STATIONED HEADQUARTER BTRY 200 COAST ARTILLERY FORTSTATSENBURG PHILLIPPINE ISLAND ANS COLLECT WU=JOSE ROMAS. |
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Letter Gallup N. Mex. Gov John E. Miles My Dear Sir Any information about my boys will greatly appreciated both belong to the Battery D 200 CA (AA). Porfirio Diaz, Jr. NO. 20.843354 Yours very truly |
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Western Union Telegram VN402 13 3 EXTRA=GALLUP NMEX 9 740P HON JOHN E MILES= WAS CHARLES ISKRA LISTED AS ONE WHO ESCAPED TO CORRIGDOR= MRS ANNA ISKRA 104 WEST MALONEY. |
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Letter Cubero N. Mex. Governor John E. Miles Dear Governor: Yours respectfuly, |
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Letter Pinehaven New Mexico Governor John E. Miles Dear Sir: I was told you had the list of the war prisoners of the Philippines. I have a son which I haven't heard from since Christmas, serving on the 200th A.A. (C.A.). Battery B. Name Manuel Garcia from Pinehaven, New. Mex. Box 16, Parents - Mr. Amado Garcia & Mrs. Perfectita Torrez Garcia. If his name appears on your list please let me know. Thanking you for your favor I remain Yours truly, |
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Letter Clayton, New Mexico Dear Gov. Miles, I am just another very much worried mother and will appreciate any information very much. Hiram Dow, (former Lt. Gov. of New Mex.) is a first cousin of mine. May I hear from you soon? Thank you very much -- Sincerly, Mrs. James Howell 11 Cherry St. Clayon, N.M.
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Letter Socorro N. Mex. John Miles Dear Sir: -- Pvt. Ignacio Baca If you can do anything to help me and get some information about him, I would surely appreciate it. Yours Truly, |
Gavino Rivera's family was lucky -- their son came home. Read letters they sent to him during his long confinement as a prisoner of war. Note the U.S. government did not inform the Riveras of their son's POW status for 17 months after the fall of Bataan, in April 1942.
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Postal Telegraph Received at: Plaza Hotel, Santa Fe, New Mexico MRS ROSA D RIVERA= :REPORT RECEIVED STATES THAT YOUR SON CORPORAL GAVINO RIVERA IS A PRISONER OF WAR OF THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS LETTER OF INFORMATION FOLLOWS FROM PROVOST MARSHAL GENERAL: =ULIO THE ADJT GENERAL. |
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Prisoner of War Mail To: From: Dear Son: This Christmas day we will all be thinking of you and praying for your early return. We are all well. God bless you, |
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Prisoner of War Mail To: From: Dear Gavino: |
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Prisoner of War Mail To: From: Dear Son: |
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Prisoner of War Mail To: From: Dear Gavino, : Johnny Romero. |
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Prisoner of War Mail To: From: Mr. & Mrs. Max Rivera Dear Son: |
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Western Union Telegram MAX RIVERA= VA161 NL PD=NEWYORK NY DEC 26 ARRIVED SAFELY IN NEW YORK THIS MORNING BAD STORMS DELAYED CHRISTMAS ARRIVAL WILL BE HOME SOON DO NOT WORRY LOVE= GIL. |
Some families awaited news from more than one soldier. Two New Mexico brothers assigned to different military units, Oral and Charles Cheney, met in the Philippines just a few months before the Japanese attack. A tragic story emerges from family letters. The U.S. government reported Charles's capture as a prisoner of war in January 1943, and reported Oral missing in action the following May. It is likely these events had taken place more than a year earlier; in Oral's case, the army stated he had been missing since May of 1942, shortly after the fall of Bataan.
Later, the army would inform the Cheneys that Oral died of malaria on July 4, 1942. If that date is accurate, Oral most likely survived the Bataan death march and succumbed to disease while interned in a prison camp. Charles' fate is unclear from the surviving correspondence. He survived a POW camp in the Philippines only to be sent to Japan, probably as a passenger on one of the "hell ships." Later in the war, his mother wrote Charles in an Osaka prison camp.
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Letter Clark Field Dear folks; [page 4] Did you ever look up Dorothy Wagner? I wish you would as she would be very glad to hear from you. Her folks are nice too. I don't have much opportunity for letter writing any more. I write you and you can tell Uncle Edd and everyone hello and that I haven't forgot them. I only write to 3 people any more. Not only the work keeps me busy but at night it is almost impossible for me to write at night. Because we have no lights. Well, I have to close for now. Give everyone my regards and give Clarabell Hays and her husband my best wishes for her future. So long for now P.S. Charles said he would write as soon as he gets settled so he can get his writing material, etc. |
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Letter February 2, 1942 Dear folks; I made out an allotment of $50.00 to you. Spend as much of it as you need and save the rest of it for my return. Also check up on my civilian insurance and see if it is still good. Some policies are no good in foreign countries or in war time. I have some government insurance now too. Well, I must close for this time. If you don't get any word from me, it doesn't mean anything wrong. If anything happens to me, the government will immediately notify you. So if you don't get any letters it means everything is all right. Well, so long, your loving son. |
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Western Union Telegram WASHINGTON DC 502PM JAN 2 1943 MRS ETTA CHENEY YOUR SON CORPORAL CHARLES E CHENEY COAST ARTILLERY CORPS REPORTED A PRISONER OF WAR OF THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS PERIOD LETTER FOLLOWS. ULIO THE ADJUTANT GENERAL |
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War Department In reply refer to: AG 201 Cheney, Charles E. (12-30-42) PC-G 365076-1 January 5, 1943 Mrs. Etta Cheney Dear Mrs. Cheney: The Provost Marshal General, Prisoner of War Information Bureau, Washington, D.C., will furnish you the address to which mail may be sent. Any future correspondence in connection with his status as a prisoner of war should be addressed to that office. Very truly yours, J.A. ULIO 1 Inclosure |
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From: Charles E. Cheney To: Mr. C. D. Cheney [stamped: U.S. Censorship, Examined by 217] [fill-in-the-blanks card; Charles' typed comments are in bold.] 1. I am interned at: Phil. Military Prison Camp #2 |
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Civilian Message Form AMERICAN RED CROSS Sender: Relationship to person sought: Mother Message (News of personal or family character; not more than 25 words): Dear Charles; We are still on the farm and are well. Grandpa and Grandma and Uncle Edds folks are well. Vivian weites often she is in Tex. We still don't know anything about Oral but still have hopes he will be home sometime. Marvin is still farming and talking Ark. Uncle Edwards were well the last we heard from them. Grandpa is having his 79 birthday tomorrow he can still pick them up and put them down asspry as ever. Pop has learned to eat with his new teeth good now. We all send Love and also a host of your friends sends Love. Addressee: Identifying Data: |
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Letter War Department In reply refer to: AG 201 Cheney, Oral G. (5-7-42) PC-S May 7, 1943 Dear Mrs. Cheney: The records of the War Department show your son, Sergeant Oral G. Cheney, 6,296,959, Air Corps, missing in action in the Philippine Islands since May 7, 1942. All available information concerning your son has been carefully considered and under the provisions of Public Law 490, 77th Congress, as amended, an official determination has been made continuing him on the records of the War Department in a missing status. The law cited provides that pay and allowances are to be credited to the missing person's account and payment of allotments to authorized allottees are to be continued during the absence of such persons in a missing status. I fully appreciate your concern and deep interest. You will, without further request on your part, receive immediate notification of any change in your son's status. I regret that the far-flung operations of the present war, the ebb and flow of combat over great distances in isolated areas, and the characteristics of our enemies impose upon some of us this heavy burden of uncertainty with respect to the safety of our loved ones. Very truly yours, J.A. ULIO |
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Western Union Telegram AY BO 78 GOVT WUX WASHINGTON DC 1018PM MAY 9 MRS ETTA CHENEY I AM DEPLY DISTRESSED TO INFORM YOU REPORT JUST RECEIVED STATES THAT YOUR SON STAFF SERGEANT ORAL G CHENEY WHO WAS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION DIED ON FOUR JULY NINETEEN HUNDRED FORTY TWO IN PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AS RESULT OF MALARIA THE SECRETARY OF WAR ASKS THAT I EXPRESS HIS DEEP SYMPATHY IN YOUR LOSS AND HIS REGRET THAT UNAVOIDABLE CIRCUMSTANCES MADE NECESSARY THE UNUSUAL LAPSE OF TIME IN REPORTING YOUR SONS DEATH TO YOU CONFIRMING LETTER FOLLOWS. J A ULIO, THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. |
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Civilian Message Form AMERICAN RED CROSS Sender: Message to be transmitted (not more than 25 words, family news of strictly personal character): Dear Charles; I am happy to write you this as all will be well when you receive this. We are still on the farm it is paid for now we are improving it quite a lot hope you will like it, we built a barn sixteen by forty feet with a tin roof we are building a garage now we remodeled the house have a galvanized roof and five rooms have a nice young orchard started sure hope all pleases you. Pop is working in Albuquerque as Chief engeneer for the Emperial Laundry and has been for nearly three years. Had a letter from Uncle Edwards they were well. But awful buisy putting up hay. Addressee: Birth: |
