Angel saw no deliberate machine-gunning, grenading or atrocities. There were very few Japanese in his neighborhood and his group was trying to keep out of sight. The Japanese there were probably too close to the front lines to bother committing atrocities. The worst atrocities were in the last lines of defense like in the Walled City, diminishing the closer one got to the front. Gabby too saw no machine-gunning or grenading of civilians. He was at a shelter in Pennsylvania when seven or eight Japanese came in carrying just one machine gun, looked them over and left, perhaps because the Americans were approaching.

On the other hand, Angel's brother, Emilio, was with his family including his in-laws. The Japanese beat them, tied them up and locked them in the house, saying, "You stay here ... goodbye." When the house caught fire, their Chinese amah wriggled out of her bonds and freed everyone. The most scared of them all, she was the bravest when the Japanese had gone. Emilio left his father-in-law behind, dead of a large shrapnel wound in the back.

. . . .

An American hospital unit of the 158th Regiment of the 37th division asked a servant to call the owner of two empty houses they wanted to occupy. Asked in the nicest manner, Paul Meyer agreed to let them use his dad's house next door (slightly damaged anyway) plus the yards of both houses and his cellar — rent-free. "I'm glad I can be of help," he said.

"You know," said the Captain in charge of the unit, "our kitchen is to be here and ... er, sometimes we have food left over." Paul's eyes widened. "Tell you what," continued the Captain, "drop around twice a day and bring a few tins along. I think we'll be able to help you a little."

A little? That night Paul got some macaroni, beef, tinned tomatoes — even bread and butter! Today he got more of the same, only better and enough of it for several people — the fruits of luck and decency.

...ooOoo...