Keller told me that the Portuguese and Spanish Consuls' reports to their respective Washington Embassies, couched in bitter but forthright terms, denounced Japanese atrocities. The Swiss Consul's report was strictly neutral: 24 Swiss (correct total) now known dead out of something over 200 — mostly in Malate and Ermita.

Emilio Heredia joined us this evening and talked about Nasugbu, quoting his brothers and others. He said Enrique Santamaria was the most nervous of them all in Nasugbu. Isabelle, his brother Paul's wife, concurred. In their own words, Enrique ranked equal to old man Sotelo, which is OK, but what took the floor out from under me was Emilio's trying to remember the name of one Major: "That Swiss ... that blond Swiss Major." What Swiss Major could be in the same ranks as Santamaria and Sotelo? "Menzi! Yes ... every time he saw a Jap he'd run."

— Who says so?

— Oh, several people have already said it.

— "Re-ally?" I stammered, flabergasted.

— Yes. I can't blame him ... he was in Fort Santiago too long.

Talk shifted from Nasugbu to Calatagan and about Lt. Col. Joe McMicking getting a medal for the saving of people in Calatagan despite having taken no part in the action. He was in Nasugbu while the Ducks, guerrillas and Americans went and rescued — among others — his wife. When he suggested to a tough American Colonel of the 11th Airborne that he send some PT boats to Calatagan to rescue his wife, the Zobels and a few others, he got a curt answer: "To hell with your family — we're running a war here!"