Liberty News: "NAZIS SUE FOR PEACE.... Revolution in Munich, Hitler, Goebbels killed."

"Baguio City Captured — Japanese Garrison Annihilated."

The mountain citadel which the enemy considered impregnable was gradually encircled and reduced by the combined action of our infantry, armored units and air forces, [resulting] in the complete destruction of the fanatical enemy defenders with amazingly light casualties to our own forces.

But what is left of Baguio or the civilians who stayed there?

"US Army needs more female stenographers" — the girls are quitting. They can hardly get by even with the "pretty" pay. The Army needs laborers and semi-skilled workers, but the salaries hardly meet the cost of living these days.

The Victory News Editorial argues that if, as MacArthur stated, all acts during Occupation are null and void, then the appointments of civil servants are also invalid. The vast number of public servants who stayed at their posts deserve credit for "resisting the Japanese cultural invasion."

Remember the platoon on a Santa Mesa reconnaissance mission that Maurice rode with a few months ago? He's kept part of the story quiet until now:

Those guys amazed me.... I couldn't understand their demeanor.... We went up to the bridge and got stuck there because it was down. All of a sudden someone heard a shot, or thought he did — I didn't — and you should've seen the jeeps dash back, in reverse, with everyone cussin' and all. The Lieutenant in charge phones headquarters and says the bridge is down, they've been fired on and are under pressure and asks for permission to return because it's getting dark. In the meantime, they've gone backward 250 yards then north 50 yards so where are they now? Headquarters says wait while they check the map.

'Ye gods,' says the Lieutenant, 'here we are being fired upon and headquarters wants to look at the map.' Of course, he has a map right in front of him, and, by the way, there's no firing going on.

The point is, the men were scared like I've never seen anyone before, and frankly, there was nothing to be scared about. Everyone was griping until they got back. Then everyone was a fine fellow and they were cheerful again.