Odette's story on Pennsylvania — the earlier part from her diary and the latter part by memory:

February 4: Waking up was a fright — machine-gunning in the distance, great excitement and tension; planes everywhere. Mother and I stayed home but Dad and [brother] Joe went to Mass — the Japs let them pass. Joe returned with news that the Americans were on the Escolta. Japs retook Schroeder's house to use as a hospital; they put a machine-gun in front of it. Japs blew up a cache of explosives on the field just now. We're sleeping downstairs tonight.

February 5: Noisy night last night ... machine-gunning all over and even around us — who knows where? Japs told Hazan the machine-gun at Schroeder's was there to protect us.

February 6: Four Japanese wounded brought in today — one died. Beginning at 2:30 P.M., the Japs began killing all dogs in the neighborhood. The Kahn dog was the bravest, escaping three times and biting one Jap until he was captured. 'Ouch!' there goes a shot; must've been another dog. We killed our goat to keep it from the Japs and have the meat ourselves. Gave some goat stew to a Japanese soldier.

February 7: Elias [fiancé] came, walking from Calle Roberts to visit me. There's been some shooting against looters, guerrillas or whatnot.

February 8: Japs kicked Akrass and family out of their home. Pedro Awad moved to our home but not before salvaging his clothes at the cost of sacrificing his watch to a Jap at the point of a bayonet. At the Kahn house, Pierre (a 12-year-old) insulted an officer by giving him water in a broken glass. The officer was pacified and left only to return later and kick them out of the house. We offered them refuge but the mother, nephew and 3 children went to the Campos house instead [and to a tragic fate].

At 9:00 P.M. the Jap we gave some stew to knocked on our door and told Mother [Sureya Arbadji]: 'You better go ... go now quick. All danger come soon — Americans in Pasig — don't say I told you, I get killed.'

February 9: Some Japs leave, including the friendly one, who gave us a 'wise up and get the hell out of here' look as he marched by. We asked another Japanese for advice and he said: 'All danger, every place danger — Japs kill all!'

Shelling began that day, as did the Japanese massacres. Charged with being guerrilleros, the Japanese executed General Valdes's brother, nephew and 12 others. Between 30 and 50 were dealt that fate. The Kahn house was blown up — many houses were on fire.

continues...