1945: First Minnesotan POW Reported Freed in Philippines Raid

News Reaches Family on Birthday; Officer Taken Prisoner on Corregidor

Lt. Emmet L. Manson, younger of the two sons of Dr. and Mrs. F.M. Manson, 320 Eleventh St., and for the past three years a prisoner of the Japanese on Luzon, this afternoon was reported in a delayed Associated Press dispatch as among the 513 prisoners of war recently liberated from an eastern Luzon prison camp by U.S. Rangers and Filipinos.

At the Manson home this afternoon the telephone rang repeatedly as the good news spread over the city and friends of the family hastened to tender congratulations.

First news of Lt. Manson's release came to the family from the Daily Globe newsroom as soon as it broke on the Associated Press teletype, and took the relatives completely by surprise. All the more so because of the dashing given their hopes during the noon hour, when a radio report giving a partial list of liberated prisoners terminated with the statement that no Minnesotans were among them.

Lt. Manson was the first Minnesotan reported by the Associated Press as rescued.

Mrs. Doris Manson, wife of the navy dental surgeon, former Minneapolis practitioner and graduate of the University of Minnesota, said that she was trying to take it calmly, but somehow "her hands just would shake." It was too early for her to note any other reaction than immense relief and great joy that the three year period of anxiety was over.

The question now: "How soon will they send them home?" Then there was the realization that today was the lieutenant's birthday--and what a birthday present! Only, on the other side of the international dateline, he had already passed his birth anniversary. And wouldn't he be surprised to see Master Frankie who was in rompers when his father went away across the broad Pacific in July, 1941, and soon will be five years old.

Lt. Manson entered the navy medical arm in May, 1941, sailed for the islands in July and was attached to the marine corps base at Olangpo, on Subic bay, when war broke out. Mrs. Manson received a cablegram from him, filed in Manila on Christmas day, after the Pearl Harbor attack. He was then on his way to Corregidor, where he was captured when the fortress island capitulated.

Since then only such correspondence has been had from him as the Japanese would permit, at infrequent intervals. Their latest word was gained from two post cards, which arrived together, although posted at different times. They were disturbed by reference to his health, earlier described as excellent, being as "fair" in the latest card.

Posted by: Kari Lucin, Daily Globe on 2/02/2010 at 9:00 AM | Comments (2) | Permalink

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