Ben Franklin Edwards
Benjamin Franklin Edwards was a mechanic with Pan American Airways for less than a year before arriving in Manila. His work in Manila was quite enjoyable and he had many social events with friends he met. Early on December 8, 1941, he came to work as usual. As he walked up to the guard at the Pan Am gate, he shouted at him if he had heard the news. The news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was sweeping the world and everyone thought it meant the United States would retaliate and enter the war. Edwards did not believe the guard, and carried on with what he thought was a joke. He soon learned however, that the man was not joking. Two days later, Edwards was standing outside on a dock, when he saw and heard the planes and saw the first bombs drop into the water. He ran for cover in a make-shift shelter with several other airline employees. When the attack stopped and Edwards emerged. he was shocked to see how much devastation the attack had caused. With his housing destroyed, he moved into the prestigious Manila Hotel, where only the most high-ranking individuals stayed. Just four days after the Japanese entered Manila, Ben Edwards became a prisoner of war when Japanese troops overtook the hotel. They evicted guests and ordered them to pack three days' worth of food. He was driven to Santo Tomás in a truck with other Americans from the hotel. Early morning after roll call two weeks later, Edwards escaped. He managed to hoist himself over the twelve-foot concrete wall, but was stopped by a Japanese sentry a few blocks away. With his dark skin, and little knowledge of the Spanish language, he managed to convince the sentry that he was Latino, and he was able to leave. Once he realized he had no place to hide in the occupied city, he climbed back into the camp, for it was the safest place for him. However, he was soon transferred to Los Baños. After quite a long time, he escaped again. He found military intelligence and explained to them what was occurring at the camp. Ben Edwards proved to be vital to the liberation of Los Baños as he had firsthand knowledge of how the camp was organized and knew the layout well. He would return to the camp two more times after his escape, including the day of the raid.
Benjamin Franklin Edwards was a mechanic with Pan American Airways for less than a year before arriving in Manila. His work in Manila was quite enjoyable and he had many social events with friends he met. Early on December 8, 1941, he came to work as usual. As he walked up to the guard at the Pan Am gate, he shouted at him if he had heard the news. The news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was sweeping the world and everyone thought it meant the United States would retaliate and enter the war. Edwards did not believe the guard, and carried on with what he thought was a joke. He soon learned however, that the man was not joking. Two days later, Edwards was standing outside on a dock, when he saw and heard the planes and saw the first bombs drop into the water. He ran for cover in a make-shift shelter with several other airline employees. When the attack stopped and Edwards emerged. he was shocked to see how much devastation the attack had caused. With his housing destroyed, he moved into the prestigious Manila Hotel, where only the most high-ranking individuals stayed. Just four days after the Japanese entered Manila, Ben Edwards became a prisoner of war when Japanese troops overtook the hotel. They evicted guests and ordered them to pack three days' worth of food. He was driven to Santo Tomás in a truck with other Americans from the hotel. Early morning after roll call two weeks later, Edwards escaped. He managed to hoist himself over the twelve-foot concrete wall, but was stopped by a Japanese sentry a few blocks away. With his dark skin, and little knowledge of the Spanish language, he managed to convince the sentry that he was Latino, and he was able to leave. Once he realized he had no place to hide in the occupied city, he climbed back into the camp, for it was the safest place for him. However, he was soon transferred to Los Baños. After quite a long time, he escaped again. He found military intelligence and explained to them what was occurring at the camp. Ben Edwards proved to be vital to the liberation of Los Baños as he had firsthand knowledge of how the camp was organized and knew the layout well. He would return to the camp two more times after his escape, including the day of the raid.
Dorothy Still
A Los Angeles native, Dorothy Still grew up wanting to be a dress designer. She dreamed of working at Warner Bros. or one of the other Hollywood studios. However, during the Great Depression in 1932, her mother signed her up for nursing school. After graduating from the nursing program, Dorothy worked at various local hospitals before she joined the Navy Nursing Corps in 1937. In 1939 she transferred to Manila, which she grew to love. With so many military bases in the area, she was surrounded by other young nurses which gave her a busy social life. On December 10, 1941 she was caught in an air raid in Manila. She and other nurses hid under a section of the hospital for safety. When they emerged, they saw the horrible effects of the attack. They all rushed to the hospital to help treat all of the victims. At the hospital, she was faced with unimaginable horrors. A week later, Dorothy and ten other Navy nurses transferred to a make-shift hospital at Manila's Santa Scholastica College. After the Japanese entered Manila, she and the other Navy nurses remained at the hospital just until March 9, 1942, when they were all ordered into the courtyard under armed guard and put on an open-air bus for the short ride to Santo Tomás. The Japanese immediately sent all the men to POW camps but the women stayed at the internment camp. Here, the nurses put their skills to work and helped patients with simple diseases and infections. When sixty-six army nurses were brought to Santo Tomás, there were too many nurses in one location, so the Navy nurses were transferred to Los Baños. Believing the camp would be similar to Santo Tomás, the women were content with the move. As soon as they arrived, they realized how much worse the conditions were. Nearly every prisoner was emaciated from starvation. Their nursing skills were going to be utilized more than they ever imagined.
A Los Angeles native, Dorothy Still grew up wanting to be a dress designer. She dreamed of working at Warner Bros. or one of the other Hollywood studios. However, during the Great Depression in 1932, her mother signed her up for nursing school. After graduating from the nursing program, Dorothy worked at various local hospitals before she joined the Navy Nursing Corps in 1937. In 1939 she transferred to Manila, which she grew to love. With so many military bases in the area, she was surrounded by other young nurses which gave her a busy social life. On December 10, 1941 she was caught in an air raid in Manila. She and other nurses hid under a section of the hospital for safety. When they emerged, they saw the horrible effects of the attack. They all rushed to the hospital to help treat all of the victims. At the hospital, she was faced with unimaginable horrors. A week later, Dorothy and ten other Navy nurses transferred to a make-shift hospital at Manila's Santa Scholastica College. After the Japanese entered Manila, she and the other Navy nurses remained at the hospital just until March 9, 1942, when they were all ordered into the courtyard under armed guard and put on an open-air bus for the short ride to Santo Tomás. The Japanese immediately sent all the men to POW camps but the women stayed at the internment camp. Here, the nurses put their skills to work and helped patients with simple diseases and infections. When sixty-six army nurses were brought to Santo Tomás, there were too many nurses in one location, so the Navy nurses were transferred to Los Baños. Believing the camp would be similar to Santo Tomás, the women were content with the move. As soon as they arrived, they realized how much worse the conditions were. Nearly every prisoner was emaciated from starvation. Their nursing skills were going to be utilized more than they ever imagined.
Dana Nance
A burly physician, Dana Nance arrived at Los Baños after being imprisoned in northern Luzon at the Baguio Internment Camp since 1942. The nurses in the camp were appreciative to have a new surgeon, as well as the medicines and equipment he brought with him. He was extremely skilled in his work, and proved to be of much help at the camp. The first appendectomy performed at Los Baños was not on a prisoner, but on a Japanese civilian who worked in the commandant's office. After being summoned by some guards, Nance found the man in pain from a "hot appendix." The Japanese wanted to move him to a hospital in Manila, but Nance was sure the rough road trip would result in the man dead from a burst appendix. He urged the commandant to allow him to perform the surgery. After several hours, the commandant finally agreed. Helping Nance were three other camp nurses. One of the nurses put the man to sleep with an anesthetic liquid put on a gauze mask, while the other two scrubbed the man for surgery. The team was under a great amount of stress. On the hot, humid night, Nance was warned that if the man died on the table, one of the nurses would be shot. Two soldiers stood armed with rifles in the cramped operating room. Once they began surgery, he found the man's appendix dangerously close to bursting. He carefully lifted the organ, and removed it without it bursting. He stitched him back up leaving only a three-inch scar. The man later woke up alert and healthy. Nance performed this surgery among many others at Los Baños, proving to be a great help to all of the internees at the camp.
A burly physician, Dana Nance arrived at Los Baños after being imprisoned in northern Luzon at the Baguio Internment Camp since 1942. The nurses in the camp were appreciative to have a new surgeon, as well as the medicines and equipment he brought with him. He was extremely skilled in his work, and proved to be of much help at the camp. The first appendectomy performed at Los Baños was not on a prisoner, but on a Japanese civilian who worked in the commandant's office. After being summoned by some guards, Nance found the man in pain from a "hot appendix." The Japanese wanted to move him to a hospital in Manila, but Nance was sure the rough road trip would result in the man dead from a burst appendix. He urged the commandant to allow him to perform the surgery. After several hours, the commandant finally agreed. Helping Nance were three other camp nurses. One of the nurses put the man to sleep with an anesthetic liquid put on a gauze mask, while the other two scrubbed the man for surgery. The team was under a great amount of stress. On the hot, humid night, Nance was warned that if the man died on the table, one of the nurses would be shot. Two soldiers stood armed with rifles in the cramped operating room. Once they began surgery, he found the man's appendix dangerously close to bursting. He carefully lifted the organ, and removed it without it bursting. He stitched him back up leaving only a three-inch scar. The man later woke up alert and healthy. Nance performed this surgery among many others at Los Baños, proving to be a great help to all of the internees at the camp.
Helen Blackledge
Graduates from Indiana University, Helen Blackledge and her husband Bill sought teaching positions. Because she was married, she was unlikely to find a job in the United States, so the two moved to Manila with their two young sons. Since Bill was in the Army Reserves, as soon as the war broke out, he was called to duty. He was soon captured and put into a POW camp. He found a local Filipino who delivered messages between him and his wife. As Manila was an occupied city, the local soon discovered that the Japanese had figured out what he was doing and that they were going to kill Helen and her two sons unless they turned themselves in to a prison camp. In order to save their lives, Helen took herself and her sons to Santo Tomás. They were eventually transferred to Los Baños, where conditions were much worse. Because each individual had their own task to maintain a lifestyle at the camp, Helen continued to teach the children in the camp while their parents were working. The three remained at the camp for three years until liberation day when they returned to the United States.
Graduates from Indiana University, Helen Blackledge and her husband Bill sought teaching positions. Because she was married, she was unlikely to find a job in the United States, so the two moved to Manila with their two young sons. Since Bill was in the Army Reserves, as soon as the war broke out, he was called to duty. He was soon captured and put into a POW camp. He found a local Filipino who delivered messages between him and his wife. As Manila was an occupied city, the local soon discovered that the Japanese had figured out what he was doing and that they were going to kill Helen and her two sons unless they turned themselves in to a prison camp. In order to save their lives, Helen took herself and her sons to Santo Tomás. They were eventually transferred to Los Baños, where conditions were much worse. Because each individual had their own task to maintain a lifestyle at the camp, Helen continued to teach the children in the camp while their parents were working. The three remained at the camp for three years until liberation day when they returned to the United States.