U.S. At War: Those So Many Ships

The Americans had come back. Filipinos; ran excitedly through the shellfire laughing, crying, cheering to be inside the U.S. lines. When U.S. troops marched into the streets of Tacloban, women in bright dresses crowded every window and doorway ; old men sprang to exaggerated attention to salute every U.S. uniform; toddlers had somewhere learned to make the “V” sign with their fingers.

Sylvester D. Bavo said it for the other Filipinos: “We knew that Japan could not beat America, but I do not believe my eyes when I see those so many ships. I feel like crying but I just stood and shook my head. All along the hills everybody just sang. We cannot help ourselves.”