Project of the North San Mateo County Oral
History Archives,
Skyline College Library
Student project for LSCI 110
– Digital Oral Research Project,
Surviving WWII:
Alfonso Ignacio
Click on the links below to hear audio segments from an October 2004 interview by Mark Ignacio
with his “lolo” (grandfather), Alfonso Warrick Ignacio, who came to the
after working for the
This photo was taken in November 2004 in his
Alfonso Ignacio is currently 82 years old.
Table of
Contents:
1. An
Introduction
4. When the US Left the Philippines
6. The US returns to the Philippines
8. Moving to the US and Retirement
Segment 1
An Introduction. (701
KB)
Alfonso introduces himself and describes where
he lived in the Philippines.
More
about
Map of
His job before World
War II. (793 KB)
In this
segment, Alfonso tells us about his job as a salesman for his father’s
business. They distributed General
Merchandise from Manila to Mindanao.
This photo was taken behind one of their trucks used for
distribution. He was 21 years old.
The US recruits workers
for the Navy. The Beginning of WWII. (4,120 KB)
Alfonso
begins his job as an “unskilled laborer” for the US Navy’s 16th
Naval District.
He was
then assigned to the commissary store --a store where food and equipment are sold.
During this
time, the Japanese began to bomb the US Navy Yard in the
A look inside a
at
When the US left the
Philippines. (1,325 KB)
The
Japanese took over the US Naval Base and expanded throughout the Philippines
with the help of hired Filipino workers.
Alfonso
talks about how the Japanese treated Filipinos.
“Sagdalista/s”
is the term used for Filipinos who were pro-Japanese.
More
about the Japanese Occupation at http://www.fourthmarinesband.com/photos_fall.htm and http://www.users.bigpond.com/pacificwar/gatheringstorm/Philippines/Japanattacks.html.
Japanese troops land on
Working for the
Japanese. (2,156 KB)
Alfonso
describes his experience in working with the Japanese.
A Japanese leader commanding Filipinos. A
cartoon depicting a Japanese’s form of punishment.
The US returns to the
Philippines. (3,116 KB)
Alfonso points
out how American paratroopers come from Tagaytay.
They were
helped by Filipinos who told the Americans where Japanese where hiding.
The
Americans raided the Japanese naval base.
General Douglas McArthur fulfills Filipinos on an abandoned Japanese
tank.
his promise of returning to the
The Liberation. (1,631 KB)
In this
segment, Alfonso tells us about his job with the US after the Japanese
left.
He worked
for the US Navy at Sangley Point in Cavite for 9 years.
A bird’s eye view of Sangley
Point in
Moving to the US. (1,164 KB)
Working in the US
and retirement. (4,652 KB)
Alfonso’s
eldest daughter who was working in the US for Warner’s Communications
petitioned him.
He talks about finding a job in the US and finally
retiring. He also shares why he enjoys
life here in
Working at Toys R Us. Fishing as a hobby. At
Aflonso in his 20’s. During WWII. Alfonso with his eldest daughter,
Magdalena.
His family in the early
1960’s.
The family in the late 1960’s.
Image sources:
Map of
US Navy Yard: http://www.mariner.org/chesapeakebay/photos/lg_pna0184-usnavyyard.jpg
General McArthur: http://www.forties.net/photos.html http://www.forties.net/files/GenDouglasMcArthur_Philippines.jpg
Sangley Point,
*These
audio files may be played with Windows Media Player or Real
Player.
To download a free copy of Windows Media
Player, click here.
To download a free copy of Real Player,
click here.
last revised: 1-24-05
by Eric Brenner, Skyline College, San Bruno, CA
These materials may be used for educational purposes if you inform and credit
the author and cite the source as: North San Mateo County Oral History
Archives, Skyline College Library. All commercial rights are reserved. To
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