Edward Matthews' Letter to AFWESPAC on the Possibility of Recognition for the Stars and Stripes Unit
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Notes and references:
1 “Stars and Stripes Unit,” online at the United States National Archives.
The Stars and Stripes Unit was apparently a guerrilla unit of some two hundred men that was formed and probably operated in the province of Batangas. Not a lot was included in the files of this unit, which communicated with the US Army Western Pacific Office in the Philippines to inquire about the possibility of obtaining official recognition. In this page is a transcription1 of the communication sent by one Edward Matthews, apparenlty the leader of the outfit, to the Commander, AFWESPAC, to inquire about recognition.
Manila, January 17, 1946
Commanding Officer
AFWESPAC, APO 707
Dear Sir:
I read in the newspaper dated Jan. 16 where the guerrillas are supposed to file their claims in case they want their outfit recognized. I am going to give you a clear idea about our outfit. This was known as the Stars and Stripes unit composed of more or less two hundred men in Batangas province. This was formed at the beginning of the Japanese occupation under my leadership. All our activities were purely sabotage. We had two Japanese tankers, Sakura and Igami, blasted and sunk between the coasts of Batangas and Mindoro.
We received instructions when and how to blast bodegas and boats from our American adviser from Santo Tomas Camp, Mr. Homer Waller, a Baguio miner who provided us with dynamites; and Capt. Wallace, ship captain by profession who gave us hints where to blast the ship most effectively. We had men working at Batangas Bay loading foodstuff and oil for the Japanese, which gave us ample chances to sabotage ships. We also had a time-bomb expert, now a cameraman in the U. S. A.
So far, we have no records of any sort except our three American witnesses who can give real facts if personally interviewed. We never did take any chances of keeping records during the Japanese time. All that we kept was a complete list of our men in duty which is now in the possession of James Matthews, now in the U. S. A. We never believed the guerrillas would ever be recognized in any manner at the very beginning. For this reason, we never kept any fancy records and rosters.
Just in case there is any chance for our outfit to be recognized, I can cable for the complete records of the names of my men in [the] U. S. A.
Hoping to hear from you in your most convenient time.
Respectfully yours,
Edward Matthews
Edward Matthews
Notes and references:
1 “Stars and Stripes Unit,” online at the United States National Archives.