American School Manila - Classes of 45-55 Website

American School 1920-1970
(produced by Lou Gopal '62)

The first 50 years of the American School

Victims of Circumstance
(produced by Lou Gopal '62)

Manila 1945: The Forgotten Atrocities

A hard look into the atrocities committed by the Japanese during the Battle of Manila; puts the blame on Gen. Yamashita and those in command above him, up to the Emperor himself. Not “fun” viewing. Many interviews with survivors.
(50 minutes plus an additional section)

Secret War in the Pacific

Relates the story of Cmdr. Chick Parsons who escaped from the Japanese with his family only to return to the Philippines as Gen. MacArthur’s liaison with the resistance. Also tells of the special mission submarines that did this work.
(50 minutes plus additional material)

Unsurrendered

This tells the story of the guerrillas of the Philippines, Filipinos and Americans, men, women and children. In this video they tell their own stories without a narrator. Over 100 voices here. Lots of WWII footage and stills, in addition to the interviews.
(Plus an “outtake” section of about 23 minutes.)

Ships from Hell

A documentary of the inauguration of the Hellships Monument in Subic Bay. It includes four interviews with American POWs whose experiences include: hellships. Death March, Corregidor, and Cabanatuan.
(About 90 minutes.)
[Currently not available due to technical problems.]

(all four produced by Peter Parsons '55)

Ordering Information

Remind Me to Tell You
A History of Major Harry J. Fleeger and His Friends, POWS of the Japanese.
(by John Bradley '53)

Part war story, part love story, the gripping narrative covers Fleeger’s pre-war life on Luzon, his recounting of the combat operations of the 26th Cavalry (PS) on Luzon and Bataan, his imprisonment in the Japanese POW camp at Cabanatuan, and his deep love of and dependence on his wife Louise, who still lives.

John Bradley, a West Pointer like Harry Fleeger and a retired Army officer, spent World War II in the civilian POW Camp in Santo Tomas University in Manila. He wrote this book after he reviewed the letters and diaries of Major Harry Fleeger because he believed that Fleeger’s story needed to be told.

More information and how to order

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Manila Memories
(written by Juergen Goldhagen, Roderick Hall,
Hans Hoeflein and Hans Walser)

Manila Memories contains four narratives of life in Manila under Japanese occupation in World War II. The interlaced narratives come from four classmates, Juergen Goldhagen, Roderick Hall, Hans Hoeflein and Hans Walser, who attended the American School in Manila and survived the war. Some of their family members and friends were not so lucky.

Recipe From An Oyster
(A collection of essays and poetry about life in the
United States following Doreen Gandy Wiley's ('46)
grim experiences in World War II in the Philippines)

Doreen in front of shelter

My Faraway Home
(by Mary McKay Maynard '52)

Mary describes the lives of American (and other nationalities) hiding out in the Mindanao jungle. They were rescued by a US sub after 23 months, guided by Peter Parsons' ('55) father in the fall of 1943 and taken to Australia (for the duration of the war). After three months of care by the Red Cross, the refugees were taken to California on the Matsonia, which was then a troopship. It is said that they were treated to the former first-class state rooms at the behest of MacArthur.

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