WWII DIARY OF

COMMODORE RAMON A. ALCARAZ

SEPTEMBER 1942

Sept 2,1942. The BC Academy Classes Opening ceremonies yesterday was brief but informative with a bit of surprise. There is a list of Sec A & Sec B dividing our class to two sections. Sec A are mostly the older group of PCA grads ages 30 and above that included Col Lizardo '15 the oldest, age 52. Sec B mostly PMA grads ages 30 and below. In the first formation we had, the BCA Kempeitai Tactical O formed us to two sections and to my surprise, that Tac O is Lt Fukushima our captor at Hagonoy Coast during our attempt to escape after the fall of Bataan responsible for our being Malolos POWs. Then he called my name to step forward announcing I will be Sec A Marcher. Minutes later, after I told him Gomez is also around, he called my ExO, Lt M Gomez '41 announcing he would be Sec B Marcher. I wonder what my classmates were thinking about our being singled out but apparently, the rapport, friendship and mutual respect we had with Lt Fukushima counted with him. I told Gomez not to make any comments whatsoever re: our promotion to Marchers as I will take care of it.

Among the VIPs in the ceremony are Gen Jose delos Reyes '05 BC Dir with his staff Col J Guido '20, Int O & Maj P Jaminola, Adm O. Col A Natividad '16 BCA Comdt and Kempeitai Supervisors Maj Suguiyama & Lt Fukushima. The keynote speaker stressed the importance of peace and order to the prosperity and traquility of our people to return to normal lives.' It is expected that after our class graduates, all provinces will have their respective constabulary commands as majority of the current students are former PC officers.

The subjects scheduled are mostly concerning police officers duties unlike the varied subjects we took at PMA. Subjects like criminal law, procedure and investigation; Relations with Prov & Mun officials; Mess Management; Company Management; Accountability; Recurring Reports; Patrols; will be easy review courses for PMA grads. I do not know how the old fogies will fare.

Sept 4,1942. Yesterday PM, Lt Gomez & I were given special instructions on Japanese drill commands preparatory to our close order drill sked this PM. By this time we have been exposed to the Japanese anthem "Kimigayo" every morning and many Japanese common terms like "Ohayo", "Ikaga desu ka" and "katakana". Aside from Cabangbang and Tirona mentioned earlier, my other PMA classmates in this present class are Escobar, Javier, Piccio & Rodriguez and together with our underclassmen of '41, '42 & '43 in this class, are elated in my being Sec Marcher. However, there are skeptics that have negative comments and I told Gomez not to comment, to let the gossips run its course,

At 1430 today, our class was transported to Luneta Park for Close Order Drill. After the Section are assembled to start drill, I walked to where our Tac O, Lt Fukushima is and addressed the class: "Comrades, I would like to let everyone know my admiration on Lt Fukushima. He was responsible for the capture of my OSP crew in Manila Bay after the Fall of Bataan. He treated us well and made us Malolos POWs".

His ego titilated, Fukushima asked the class to form a circle around him, then started drawing diagrams on the ground describing how his two patrol boats tracked Q-112's escape towards Hagonoy coast till it disappeared after scuttling and later finding our group of 20 to be captured by him. It took him about half an hour to tell his story that shortened our drill which was just to familiarize everyone of the Japanese commands like Kiotsky (Attention); Wakare-Atsumare (Fall Out and Reform; etc. And for the first time, our classmates realized how Lt Gomez and I were made Section Marchers and the malicious gossips about us disappeared.

Today being a Friday, we are all looking forward for this weekend to be with our families.

Sept. 7,1942. I enjoyed my weekend with my family at Tenneessee St, Malate and my visit at UST where my father in law, Richard, and sister in law, Helen, both US citizens are interned with virtually what used to be the American community of Manila. Because my wife has close contact with Mrs Lulu Navarrete, I was able to visit my former Sqdn Comdr & CO, Q-111 in his secret hideout in Sampaloc. Q-111 was intercepted by enemy destroyers during our attempt to escape to Panay last Apr 9 and although Q-111 was captured, the crew managed to escape to Batangas. Navarrete '35 is still recovering from malaria. He recounted that they stayed for a week in the hinterlands of Batangas before going their separate ways.

The sad part of his story is that Chief Wm Mooney, our chief Torpedoman who was with him and helped pioneer the OSP since 1940 died of dysentery in a lonely hut in Batangas. Maj E Jurado USNA'34 OSP Chief is recuperating and hiding in a Batangas town with Danday's relatives. Lt Alano '40 managed to get a boat ride home to Bohol. Lt M S Castillo USNA '38 and Lt A C Campo USNA '40 are with their families in QC. Navarrete also told me that Q-113 managed to escape in the Navotas area late last April and the crew are all hiding with their families. Lt Nuval '38 CO Q-113 is reportedly in La Union while his ExO, Lt L Picar '40 is somewhere in Singalong.

From the way I see it, my OSP comrades who are able to escape are now living like fugitives as all unsurrendered USAFFE personnel are in the wanted list of the Japanese. Our status with the BCA appears better - we are not in hiding and we are at peace with ourselves.

Sept 11,1942. BCA Academics are progressing smoothly. However, every passing day I come to know my classmates individually that today I can say I know all of them. It can be recalled this group started with that 1,400 "not sick" survivor POWs from Capas released and transferred to Camp Dau for Rejuvination Trng last Jul 17. I knew more than half of them as my former associates and underclassmen at PMA. From this group 300 of us were sent to BCA and since our class started, I came to know those I did not know before, mostly senior PCA grads.

Among the Sr PCA grads are Cols Lizardo '15 Regmtl Comdr 41st Div, much decorated in Bataan; Col Tomas Domaol '17 C/S 41st Div of Gen Lim; Cols Turingan '17, Javalera '17; Magsino & Diano '19 Front Line Bn Comdrs; Majs Fidel Cruz '27, Francisco Luna '28, Leoncio Tan '28 brilliant Div Staff Os. Then we have Maj Batongmalaque '31 a Bn Comdr under Gen Capinpin with his tales about his former CO, the legendary Capt Canuto, better known as King "Canute." Then we also have two bright combat lawyers, Lts Amado Aleta and Francisco Bautista who earned decorations in Bataan for gallantry in action. Lt Bautista was also the Captain Ball of the Phil Olympic Basketball Team of 1936 that won 2nd place for our country next to the US. We also have my former PMA mentors Capts Alfredo Santos, D Ojeda, S Villa and E Duque. Of course my classmates, Cabangbang, Tirona, Piccio, Escobar, Javier and Rodriguez. Then my underclassmen from '41, '42, & '43.

In the battlefields, the group earned more than 300 DSC, SS, BS, Purple Hearts with many having multiple awards. This is an awesome group that fascinates me no end. I am privileged to be a member of this group, indeed.

Sept. 18,1942. It is my impression that, since majority of the members of our class are PCA graduates and former Constabulary Os, we are generally in favor to serve as police officers to help preserve traquility for the welfare of our people to help them resume normal lives. Like the provincial and municipal elective officials of Bulacan who are collaborating with the Japanese Adm, their situation had virtually returned to normal with minimum interference from the Jap Adm. The fact is at the end of May 1942, the Japanese guards at Malolos POW Camp turned over their duties to the Prov Sheriff and shortly after public schools opened. Unlike in Iloilo province where the elective officials headed by Gov Tomas Confesor refused to collaborate (branding collaborators as traitors) the Japanese appointed Dr Caram as governor and a new set of mayors to serve sending thousands of troops to maintain order in Iloilo.

Today I learned of some undercurrents among a few members of the class that are not willing to serve in the BC. This group is led by Maj Romulo Villaflor, an artillery officer and his followers are non-PCA grads. What they are trying to do is to fail intentionally the course and like at PMA, be dismissed and not graduate. I commented to Maj Villaflor that the Japanese has a strange sense of humor and may not follow what they expected and return them to Capas. Apparently, he did not believe me.

Sept 28,1942. Today is Graduation Day at BCA and all that passed the course were announced and given commissions as police officers with ranks from 5th Class Inspectors (Lts), 4th Cl Insp (Capts), 3rd Cl Insp (Majs) & 2nd Cl Insp (LCols). Majoriy are 5th Cl Insp and I am one of them. Those that failed and expected to be dismissed are given appointment as NCOs, thus to Sgts are Maj Romulo Villaflor, Lt J Artillaga '41, Lt A Astete '42, Virgilio Danao '42, to Cpls Lt Nicolas Camello, Lt Jose Fernandez and Lt Marcos Simpao. They failed intentionally thinking that BCA will be like PMA, dismissal.

Our orders of assignments also came out and to my dismay, I am assigned to the province of Lanao with Insp Tomas Domaoal as my Sr Insp with Insp Francisco Bautista, a lawyer. I was expecting assignment in the Tagalog provinces but never in this land of juramentados. I was very upset and my blood was boiling but kept it all to myself. My classmate Joe Javier is assigned to Jolo and seems not bothered about it. I have to think deliberately and wisely on how I can avoid going to Lanao. Maj E Batongmalaque is assigned to Davao and happy about it. My classmates Cabangbang and Piccio are looking forward to their new assignment in Cebu.