Report of Mr. C. Parsons to the Department of State, August 12, 1942 [manuscript]

Report of Mr. C. Parsons to the Department of State, August 12, 1942 [manuscript]

Charles “Chick” Parsons was manager of the Luzon Stevedoring Company before the war, but was also a reserve officer in the US Navy. He was on active service when war broke out, and actively supported USAFFE operations in Manila. Parsons and his family were in Manila when the Japanese took over; Parsons was able to evade internment by the Japanese by virtue of the fact that he was honorary consul of Panama, a neutral state. Parsons was thus able to witness and learn, through his pre-war Japanese friends and others, conditions in Manila during the early months of occupation. As a diplomatic representative of a neutral country, Parsons was allowed to be repatriated on the SS Gripsholm, an exchange ship for repatriating neutrals and diplomatic personnel. While on the ship, he wrote this formal report on the information he had gathered. Upon reaching the US, he turned his report over to the US State Department.

Parsons narrates his experiences when the Japanese entered Manila, and then provided details on life during the early month of the occupation, location of Japanese officers and forces, political situation, economic and living conditions, situation of American property, Japanese atrocities, Japanese treatment of Filipinos and foreigners, and other information. He provides information on prisoners of war and American civilians, and provides a preliminary list of POWs.

For the US government, this was one of the earliest comprehensive reports on conditions in the Philippines from one who was there; it was understandably kept confidential.

Parsons, Charles.

[S.l. : s.n., 1942]

1942

32 x 25 cm.

Manuscript (Loose-leaf with binder)

MS RH 48

16214

51 leaves