Corporal Staunton Ross Betts
Service #: 19051507
Entered Service From: California
Unit: 34th Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, U.S. Army Air Corps
Date of Death: June 12, 1942, Lumban, Laguna Province, Philippines – executed by a Japanese firing squad.
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Staunton R. Betts (1920 California), a resident of Mendocino County, California, enlisted as a Private (S/N 19051987) in the U.S. Army Air Corps on 14 February 1941 in San Francisco, California. He was single, had completed 4 years of high school and had been working as a "Unskilled lumbermen, raftsmen, and woodchoppers".

Private Staunton R. Betts was assigned to the 34th Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, U.S. Army Air Corps and sent to the Philippines. He was stationed at Del Carmen Field. It was located to the south of Clark Field in Pampanga Province and west of Barrio Floridablanca.

On 08 December 1941 war came to the Philippines. Over the next couple of days Japanese planes virtually wiped out the U.S. Army Air Corps. With no planes, the men of the 34th Pursuit Squadron became part of the Bataan Defense Force by the end of December. The ground echelon of the 34th Pursuit Squadron was moved from Del Carmen Field to Orani, and from there to Aglaloma Point where it went into position on beach defense. The bulk of the group's personnel became infantrymen.

After enduring four months of combat, hunger, and illness, Staunton R. Betts was surrendered with the rest of the Luzon Force on 09 April 1942. He, along with 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war captured by the Japanese, were subjected to the infamous Bataan Death March.

When the Fil-American soldiers began the Death March they were in terrible physical condition. For 6 to 9 days (depending on their starting point) they were forced to walk the roughly sixty-five miles to San Fernando, enduring abuse by Japanese guards and seeing the deaths of thousands of fellow soldiers. At San Fernando, the Japanese stuffed about 100 men into steel-sided boxcars for the twenty-five-mile trip to Capas. The scorching hot boxcars were packed so tight that the men could not even sit down. When the train arrived at Capas the POW's were offloaded and marched the final nine miles to Camp O'Donnell.

In early May 1942 he (along with his older brother, Edwin) was part of a group of prisoners from Camp O'Donnell sent to work on the Lumban Bridge Detail, in Lumban, Laguna. On 11 June 1942 one of the POW 's escaped. The next day the Japanese selected ten men to be executed. Corporal Staunton R. Betts was one of the ten.
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The 10 men shot by the Japanese on 12 June 1942:

Cpl. Staunton R. Betts (S/N 19051987), 34th Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, U.S. Army Air Corps
Pvt. John Dudash (S/N 17030855), 27th Materiel Squadron, 20th Air Base Group, U.S. Army Air Corps
Sgt. Bernard C. Knopick (S/N 13007418), 7th Chemical Company, Aviation
Pvt. Wade Harrison Rodgers (S/N14037539), Ordinance Department
Cpl. John B. Wiezorek (S/N6288207), 3rd Squadron, 24th Air Group, U.S. Army Air Corps
Pfc. Oscar Romanus Gordon (S/N 19054657), 680 Ordnance Company (Aviation Pursuit), Ordnance Corps, U.S. Army
Tec4 Percival H. Hollyman (S/N 17024097), Quartermaster Corps, U.S. Army
Sgt. Isaac Landry (S/N 6357475), Air Depot, U.S. Army Air Corps
Cpl. David Alfred Rees (S/N 19051507), 34th Pursuit Squadron, U.S. Army Air Corps
Sgt. James L. Turner (S/N 6291029), 28th Bomb Squadron, 19th Bomber Group, U.S. Army Air Corps

*Cpl. George Lightman (S/N 6913604), 3rd Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, was the prisoner who escaped. He was later recaptured by the Japanese and also executed.
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The morning of the execution all the POWs were silent. Finally, one of those selected to be executed asked the American commanding officer if there was some way he could stop the execution. The officer simply said, "No." Another of the chosen men simply said, "I guess I'll never see Denver again." Still another of the "selected" POWs was the brother of another POW on the detail. Even though other POWs offered to take his place, the Japanese would not allow the switch. The prisoners were offered blindfolds but refused them. They were lined up next to their grave and shot by a 10-man firing squad.

Cpl. John B. Wiezorek (6288387) saluted and said "God Bless America".
Cpl. David A. Rees (19051507) saluted.
Pfc. Percival H. Hollyman (17024097 Laraine, Wy.).
These refused blindfold:
Sgt. Benard C. Knopick (13007418)
Sgt. Isaac Landry (6359475) One of the two men who survived the shots. He shouted "Long live America" and "finish me off".
Sgt. James Lewis Turner (629129), Denver
Cpl. Stanton R. Betts (19051507) Staunton called out to his older brother Edwin, whom he called "Jack" standing among the horrified captive audience. "Take it easy, Jack, I'll be all right. And take care of Mother."
Pfc. Oscar Gordon (19054657)
Pfc. Wade H. Rodgers (14037539) Jefferson, S. C.
Pfc. John Dudash (17030855)

8 of the men dropped with the 1st volley; one man asked for another shot. The Japs fired more to kill all who moved. Source: Major Calvin F. Chunn Diary (Book 2), pages 45-46.

The 10 men were first buried in the Lumban Cemetery, Laguna Province, Philippines. Interestingly, according to the diary of Major Calvin F. Chunn, he wrote that a "Jap Sgt. Major cried & decorated graves". After the war their remains were disinterred and brought to 7747 USAF Cemetery, Manila #2, Philippine Islands. There they rested until their removal to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum in the summer of 1948 for positive identification. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (father, Joshua F. Betts), Corporal Staunton Ross Betts' remains were brought back to the U.S. and on 11 January 1951 he was buried in his final resting place in the Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, San Mateo County, California – Plot N, Grave 63.
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An American POW's story: "In early May, the Japanese ordered a large and permanent work party to be formed. Since it was becoming more obvious each day that survival odds at O'Donnell were getting slimmer, a group of six of us from our old platoon volunteered (28th Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group).

The following morning we were routed out early, fed surprisingly well, and 150 of us were loaded aboard some trucks. We headed South in the direction of Manila, destination unknown. As our convoy of some eight or ten trucks passed through the small villages/barrios along the way, we were warmly greeted by the Filipinos, many of whom tossed us fruit, coconuts, etc., for which they generally got a thumping from the Japanese guards. They would also gather in groups and openly display Winston Churchill's V for Victory sign, we heard shots fired at these groups, but never knew the results. After passing through Manila we headed Southwest into the narrow tip of Luzon. As habitation grew more scarce, the guards relaxed, and we made stops for water, and gathered sugar cane and coconuts. 

Our first stop was at a small town Santa Ana, where we dropped off 50 of our group, which turned out to be 200 instead of the 150 as previously stated. These 50 were to work on repairing a small bridge. Our 150 proceeded to wherever??  

Some 20% of our group was in varying stages of illness, and unfortunately had not been sorted out prior to our departure. These would ultimately die after we reached our destination, however that, might have been better than O'Donnell. 

Our journeys' end was at a small village, Lumban Laguna, on Laguna Bay, some 150 miles from Manila. It would have taken the National Geographic People to have done justice to the lush tropical setting we found. Palm trees, blue skies, and the green water of the Bay. 

We were quartered in some sort of Civic Building of wooden construction, with dirt floors, no lights nor running water, and no toilet facilities. We dug a toilet pit at the side of the building, and boarded it up for a semblance of privacy. We were given lime to hold down the odors and the flies. Our first victory in some time, even if it was just over the common house fly!! The area around the building was encircled with the now familiar barbed wire. 

In addition to our building was a small grass shack; this 'villa' housed two American Officers, a Captain and a First Lieutenant. They had joined us in Manila, but what their role was, we never quite figured out, since in the ensuing weeks they contributed nothing to the general effort with but one exception, which I will touch upon later. 

Our diet was hardly gourmet, however it was generally plentiful, consisting mainly of rice, fish, greens, salt, and tea. Out on the job we were generally able to get limes, sugar cane, and coconuts. We instituted a rigid rule that these extra items would be community property shared by all. Originally we had hoped that these items would supplement the diet of the sick and be of some help, but to no avail, it wasn't what their bodies needed, so they just died!! A Filipino Doctor was allowed to examine the sick, but there was no way that he could help them. 

The bridge that we were to work on was across a stream approximately 200 or more feet from bank to bank, fairly deep water, not too swift, but the banks were very steep. The work wasn't too hard since there were quite a few Filipinos working as well as the Japanese and us. 

Actually the Japanese were a pretty decent bunch, more interested in getting the bridge rebuilt than anything else. They rarely ever heckled us, and generally looked the other way when we were wheeling and dealing with the Filipinos. Since I was pretty much the ranking American, I sort of became the 'Consulting American Engineer' to the sort of Japanese Chief Engineer, a Warrant Officer, a real decent type,…

Regards our living quarters: As previously stated, a wooden structure somewhat resembling a movie house, with a small stage on the ground floor and an upper floor balcony. The stage was large enough for us to set up a sort of secluded area for our sick, which we screened off with some mosquito netting in an attempt to make them as comfortable as possible. All NCOs' bunked in the balcony area while the others settled down on the wooden benches on the ground floor. There was a definite shortage of bedding, that is sheets, pillows, and the like, of course sheets and/or blankets were unneeded because of the heat and humidity. A mattress would have been appreciated. One had to devise a method of sleeping with the least amount of exposed skin because of the skeeters. We set up a sort of Doctor/Nurse/Orderly system to look after the sick which might have eased their 'going' a bit. The Japanese devised a numbered layout of the building corresponding to a number that was assigned to each of us. We were then divided into groups of fifty, each group identified by a colored arm band, green, pink, and white. The group I was in wore the white arm bands, the significance of which will manifest itself a bit later on. 

For the sake of some sort of continuity, we arrived at Lumban on 9 May, '42, and departed the latter part of July, '42. During late May, while out on the job, I was contacted by a Filipino worker who said that he was a member of the Southern Luzon Guerilla Forces who were working on plans to set us free very soon!!. I relayed this startling bit of info, to the two officers and discussed it with the NCO's. We decided to wait and see. On the morning of 9 June I was handed a paper by the same Filipino. After getting back to the compound we read the letter, a reasonably well-worded official looking affair, ostensibly from the Commander, Southern Luzon Guerilla Forces, US. Said paper stated that the guerillas would attack the area that night, and for us to be ready. Our reaction was, "Ready for what"?...We held a so-called Council of War that evening and decided: 'IF the guerillas did attack in force, IF they were able to neutralize the Japanese garrison, about a half mile away, AND IF they could evacuate our sick who would be executed if left behind, we would join them'!! Of course, we had no way of letting the guerillas know of our decision, so everything hinged on the way that the 'ball would bounce'!!  

Around midnight we were awakened by the sound of automatic weapons being fired outside our building. We looked out a window and saw our two Japanese guards sprawled on the ground, dead we later discovered, and about a half dozen Filipinos dashing about, yelling: "Come out Joe, Joe come out"!! 

There were no sounds of any activity up the road where the Japanese were quartered, which meant to us that things were as we feared they might be, in that there was no attack being made in their area, and that it would be possible for us to get our sick out, as they would have to be carried!

From the window, I shouted to the Filipinos that we were NOT coming out. At the same time, I sent two downstairs to bar the door to keep the Filipinos from coming in, and to keep any of our people from going out into that obviously disorganized mess. The Filipinos milled about for another few minutes, fired some more shots perhaps at us, and were gone. I would guess that the whole thing was over in less than ten minutes. Prior to our getting the downstairs door secured, two of our men left the building, but just before the first Japanese arrived on the scene, one man came back in.

The Japanese interpreter asked if we were all right and if anyone had escaped, to which I replied yes and no respectively. He cautioned us to stay in the building, and that there would be no work detail that day. They posted a strong guard around the building, and we could hear them going throughout the village raising Hell in general. Before we had to fall out for a roll call and whatever else, we determined that one of our NCO group was missing from the group wearing the green arm bands.  

(For those of you readers who might wonder why all of us didn't try to escape, I submit this: 1st there was our sick, surely to be executed if left behind, and 2nd, if at any time a POW managed to escape, the Japanese would execute the remaining nine of his group!! This was what they termed a BLOOD BROTHER GROUP. As for escaping, there was no place to go; you were on an island that would be starved and beaten into submission by the Japanese, and further there were no facilities nor logistical support for groups that might attempt combat-type resistance, forays, etc.)  

Around noon the next day, several truckloads of Japanese troops arrived, and took over the village. They were a tough looking lot, commanded by a Colonel. Things took on a grimmer aspect as they set up road blocks, machine gun posts, and proceeded to give the Villagers a tough time; and last but not least they relieved the Engineers from control over us!! 

Then the "fun began". After it had been determined that one of our group was missing, two Japanese in civilian clothing came into the Compound and entered the hut where the two American Officers resided. Not too long there after I was summoned to the hut. Upon entering, I could sense that the compost was about to hit the whirlygig!! In flawless English, one of the Japanese began questioning me about my association with the Guerilla outfit, when and where I had made my contacts, and who the Guerillas were, and my part in organizing the raid!! He also told that the American officers had said that I was the Senior individual going out on the work parties, that the Guerillas had contacted and that I had the knowledge of the raid, etc. The younger of the two Japanese, the one questioning me, really started giving me Hell; I was responsible for the raid, and for the death of the two guards, etc., etc.,!! There was little doubt in my mind that I had 'bought the farm', and was first in line for a haircut with a Samuri Sword! I thanked the two American Officers for their support, and told them what a pair of dirty SOB's they were. Since things seemed to be getting out of hand, the older of the two Japanese told everyone to 'Shut Up', and began talking to the younger man. After this, he told me that I could go, which I did, breathing a bit easier, but not too much!! I had gotten by here, but there was still that Japanese Infantry outfit to worry about, and Heaven knows what they had in mind. 

Our men were in an ugly and frightened mood, and there was talk of grabbing guns, clubs, and whatever, and making a fight of it!! We managed to get them quieted down, but the-tension was unreal.

About mid-afternoon we were marched up the road to the area where the Jap Engineers occupied a large and fairly modern school building. We were lined up on the school playground and were immediately surrounded by machine gunners and assorted unfriendly Orientals. The Japanese Colonel who spoke some English, began berating us about the raid, stating that it was all our fault, for if we had not been there the two guards would not have been killed!! We let that pass as we weren't in any position to tell him that it was they who had brought us here!! He was also yelling about the fact that there were supposed to be 150 of us, and that all were not present. The Jap Engineers interpreter managed to convince him that some of the absentees were sick, and some were in the Cemetery, where I felt that we might all be pretty soon!! He then produced the numbered diagram of our building and began reading off the numbers nearest in sequence to that of the escapee. He stopped reading after nine, and ordered those whose numbers had been read to step forward. We did so, I say WE, since I was one of numbers read out. A little fellow from Texas, I remember his name, asked "Chuck what is this"? Although I knew he knew, I answered: "Shorty, this is a firing squad"!!  We chosen few were immediately surrounded by some riflemen and a Jap soldier started down the line handing out blindfolds!! Suddenly the Colonel after talking to another Jap Officer announced that since the escapee was from the group that wore green arm bands, that the men to be shot should be from his group, and the rest of us with other arm bands should step back into ranks!! Four of us, including Shorty and I returned to ranks!!...Without a single command or word being uttered, four men wearing green arm bands took our places!!  What brave men they were!! IRONY: One of the four replacements was the one who had returned to the hut the night before!! We were forced to watch the execution which was carried out by the Jap Engineers rather than the Infantry outfit. The first volley apparently killed but two of the men outright, two were standing untouched, the other five threshing about on the ground. The second volley got the two standing. The coup-de-grace was then administered with rifles, the use of which at close range tore the bodies up pretty badly. I stayed behind with the burial party while the rest were marched back to the compound.  Everyone was pretty much in a state of shock, nevertheless we organized a group to 'take over' in the event things got of hand internally." Source: Prisoner of War Experiences of Author Unknown, 19th BG, 28th Sqd 1940-1945 http://www.lanbob.com/lanbob/H-POW/H-POW-UnKnown.htm
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The story from the side of the Filipino guerrillas: The Lumban Raid

Barely two months after the surrender of Bataan by Gen. King, Marking and his men acted on my report to Col. Hugh Straughn of FAIT Guerrilla that the Japanese detachment in Lumban, Laguna were holding some American prisoners-of-war in the school house as forced-laborers, working as details repairing the Lumban bridge. Under harsh treatment.

Marking gathered his combat unit and planned the liberation of the American POWs in Lumban from the clutches of the abusive Japanese soldiers.

His guerrillas were armed with anything from outmoded army rifles, shot-guns, 22 caliber pistols, some local home-made "paltiks" [single shot pistols], and the famous Filipino razor-sharp "bolos" [machetes]. This band had farmers, fishermen, volunteers as members who dreamed of being freedom fighters.  

They were niggardly trained for warfare but had more guts than acumen and subtlety. These intrepid men may not know the rudiments of military tactics but they were unafraid to lay their lives at the altar of valor. So with Markling, who was an accidental guerrilla leader, coming from a job of truck driver of Antipolo bus company, and a professional boxer before he was drafted in the army.

Verification of Intelligence Report

Marking, nevertheless was not satisfied with the bits of intelligence reports of his men about the Americans POWs held by the Japanese. He went personally to Lumban under cover to see for himself how his men would assault the garrison and free the American POWs.

He contacted me through his officer in Paete - my relative, Dr. Generoso Balquiedra, [Amang Hine] and asked for precise informations [i.e., the number of Japanese troops, how many American POWs, location of their quarters, number of guards, type of enemy armaments, and etc.] Precise informations were relayed to him which provided him more confidence in going through with the raid.

He also asked for reliable contacts in Lumban, aside from his own men [De Ramos], and the Mayor. I have also referred him to a Hunter guerrilla officer, Maj. Foro "Foy" Bautista, who in turn provided more assistance during the raid.

Personal Look and See

In Lumban, Marking saw numerous graves of POWs, and witnessed POWs knocked down to the ground, kicked by Japanese guards, and lay beaten, forced to their feet again. He saw POWs drooping, dying with desperation, dull gazing eyes from exhaustion under the scorching sun.

The Daring Raid

His heart aflame, he went back to his headquarters and mounted the assault in Lumban garrison. With two sailboats of combat fighters, left from the shores of Rizal towards Lumban River under cover of darkness, his second in command, Leon Z. Cabalhin, with 20 men crept to assault positions from the river bank to the high rise overlooking the school house where the POWs were held by the enemy. From there, they knew how they would fire upon the guards, at a given signal. And with reinforcements - the moment guards came out of the guard house.

The other group of men proceeded halfway towards the garrison and the POW house. 

The town Mayor, in the assault had assured Marking that all the lights in town were out, and all dogs were tied, to not be on the way during the assault.

Throughout the town, Marking has 45 fully armed men moved in cautiously and silently. As they reached the targets, they took their designated pathways around the houses, carefully evading dry branches, and loose stones. Feeling with their hands through the pitch-dark night crawling on their bellies, they prayed.

They had inched their way toward the POWs, through the barbed wires, and had to do what was according to plans. They were tense, but wide awake to do what was right to undertake a successful raid.

Marking fired the first volley against the sentry, which was also the signal for his men to spring out of the dark to shoot and bludgeon the guards. Marking shot another sentry afterwards, and quickly proceeded towards the POW's quarters. He kicked the door and Marking yelled "Come out quickly and join us to freedom. Hurry!"

There was commotion within among the POWs. Inside their quarters.

"Who are you?" asked the POWs.

Markings answered: "Filipino guerrillas. Hurry!"

The first American POW who came out was George Lightman, who leaped through the door, calling "I am an American, where are you?" 

But an American Captain (Capt. Theodore Bigger) barred the way after him. 

"Over here! Bring everybody out quickly!" Marking shouted.

The Captain at the door shoved George back the surge towards liberty: and said, "Don't go, I order you not to!"

But George wanted out, so he said to the rest, "Come on," floundering and panting. The rest won't come out - said George went out alone.

"Let's go" Marking said disappointingly. Markings was cursing all the way, and said:

"After all out efforts to free these bastards, they cowardly refused to be freed." Then spat on the ground.

He related the incident to Yay after the hard work they did in Lumban.

"I had to resort by force to rescue them - but just one." said Marking to Yay.

After the successful raid, they transported George to safety across Laguna de Bay to the hills of the Sierra Madre where George was free to roam around.

George Lightman - Free

Much later, I would learn that George stayed in the house of my uncle, Dr. Eugenio Quesada in Paete, asking for assistance and guidance. He roamed the Sierras until he was also caught in the dragnet of the Japanese. He had a few months of respite before he was again in the custody of the enemy and later was reported executed. I remember George as determined man to outlive the war which he failed to accomplish.

Marking's Lament

An after-action report of Marking, read this way: "Out of the raid, just one brave American was saved, but the raiders secured from seventeen 30-caliber rifles to sixty, and not a Japanese guard came out of the garrison to reinforce the beleaguered sentries."

Markings primarily conducted the raid to rescue the Americans, not to procure arms. The next day, the Japanese killed ten of the youngest and strongest American POWs in Lumban - among the dying prisoners in retaliation. This was what guerrillas learned from the enemy if ever they again would conduct similar assault and rescue, without proper coordination with the POWs to be freed. 

Repercussion of the Raid

For every Japanese that were killed the Japanese hounded Marking's Guerrillas all over Rizal province in great force. Since then, it was an all-out war by the Japanese against any or all guerrillas.

Yay would relate to me thereafter what Marking said. "Sick of the thought, I swore never again would attempt to rescue Americans, who had no guts to be free."

"But he who would have guts to for suicidal fighting, had no guts for a rescue that saved only one, and the enemy murdered ten return." Yay said to me.

That was the end of this luckless episode. Marking moved his men way up in the Sierra Madre vastness to evade massive enemy manhunt for him and his men. Source: Ordeal in War's Hell 1 by Col. Frank B. Quesada USA Ret.
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Another Filipino perspective: "The first and one of the boldest raids ever conducted by guerrillas was the attempt to spring 115 American Prisoners of the War who were quartered in Cine Lumban, a rickety converted into a movie house. The American POW's (Prisoners of War)  mostly engineer and pilots, were being utilized by the Japanese as a labor force in the construction of a wooden bridge to replace the dynamited steel bridge that previously spanned the Lumban river.

Under cover of darkness, in the lonely night of June 11, 1942 – a band of plucky, devil-may-care fighters assisted by guerrillas from Lumban and led by Col. Marcos Villa Agustin, the famed Col. Markings himself, of  Straughn's FAIT pounced on the unsuspecting Japanese guards keeping watch on the movie house. With obstinate courage and commando fashion, the raiders bludgeoned and slashed to death ten Japanese sentries and broke into the dingy movie house.

The mission could have been easily accomplished but for the adamant refusal of the Americans to escape with the guerillas. No amount of coaxing and proddings could make the Americans take a chance with their Filipino liberators. Only one, George Lightman, gambled and made a run for it. He fought later with the guerillas in the hills and lived to tell about his flight to freedom.

Reinforced by troops form Sta. Cruz, the local Japanese garrison of eighty soldiers turned the town inside-out as they went into a house-to-house search looking into every nook and corner for traces of the raiders. The near futile raid almost cost the lives of Ong Sen Dio, a  Chinese sari-sari storeowner and Juan Bague, a barber, who both lived near the scene of guerilla attack. Together with Mayor Moises T. Paraiso and Chief of Police Gaudencio ll. Añonuevo, they were picked up on the following day, June 12, and held as suspects for having knowledge of the June 11 raid.

Being the town's head, Mayor Paraiso was subject to rigid and protracted investigation. He was flogged, hog-tied and left for hours under the sun. Unable to extract the truth from the two town officials, the Japanese commander, Captain Fujita, had the Mayor and Chief of Police brought before a firing squad. They were told they would be shot next day if they continue to refuse in giving information about the raid. Luckily for the two, they were not shot. They were taken to the spot only to witness the death by musketry of ten robust American POW"s as the price for the escape of George Lightman the night before.

Mayor Paraiso found out later that, before the June 11 incident, one POW had already escaped and that the Japanese commander had warned the Americans that any similar act would be penalized by killing ten POW's  for every escapee. That was why according to the mayor, the American POW's in Cine Lumban were divided into groups of eleven each. If one got away, the remaining ten would be shot.

True to the warning, the ten Americans in the Cine Lumban incident were shot and killed before the unbelieving eyes of Mayor Paraiso and Police Chief Añonuevo. They were buried in the slope behind the Central school building. For his part Mayor Paraiso stood his ground and never squealed on the raid. He survived the ordeal with his equally indomitable Chief of Police. On January 9, 1946 he testified on the details of the guerrilla attack and the killing of American POW's before a Military Commission convened by General Douglas McArthur, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Forces in the Western Pacific." Source: https://www.quora.com/Which-is-the-best-rephotography-picture-of-your-hometown
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And one more:
Rosel Aquino Zobel "saw American POWs who were incarcerated in Cine Lumban. Out of curiosity, he observed them walk or bath under the sun outside of the prison camp.

"We kids threw stones at them," relates Rosel, "partly to show to the Japanese sentries that we hated Americans. Little did these bastards know that we mixed some kamote (sweet potatoes) with the rocks and stones that we threw at them, at the same time shouting, 'banzai, banzai!' The guards seemed to have been amused with the spectacle.

"I personally witnessed those cold eyes of a few POWs glimmered with an inaudible whisper, as if saying to us: "Thank you kids, we appreciate the food, just don't throw the stones at us too hard," Rosel nodding said….

The first and one of the boldest raids ever conducted by guerillas was the attempt to spring 115 American POWs who were quartered in Cine Lumban, a rickety converted into a movie house. The Japanese utilized the American prisoners, mostly engineer and pilots, as a labor force in the construction of a wooden bridge to replace the dynamited steel bridge that previously spanned the Lumban River.*

On June 11, l942, under cover of darkness, a band of courageous fighters assisted by guerrillas from Lumban and led by Col. Marcos Villa Agustin, the famed Col. Markings himself, of Straughn's FAIT jumped on the unsuspecting Japanese guards keeping watch on the movie house.

With firm determination and commando fashion, the raiders bludgeoned and slashed to death ten Japanese sentries and broke into the dingy Cine Lumban.*

The mission could have been easily accomplished, had the POWS consented to escape; but they stubbornly refused to go with the guerillas. "No amount of coaxing and prodding could make the Americans take a chance with their Filipino liberators. Only one, George Lightman, gambled and made a run for it. He fought later with the guerillas in the mountains and lived to tell about his flight to freedom.*

A Japanese troop of eighty soldiers searched the town house-to-house looking into every nook and corner for traces of the guerrilla raiders. The activity almost cost the lives of Ong Sen Dio, a Chinese sari-sari storeowner and Juan Bague, a barber, who both lived near the scene of guerilla attack. Together with Mayor Moises T. Paraiso and Chief of Police Gaudencio ll. Añonuevo, they were picked up and held as suspects for having knowledge of the June 11th raid.

Japanese Kempetai subjected Mayor Paraiso to rigid, long investigation; and was flogged, hog-tied and left for hours under the sun. Failing to obtain the information about the raid, the Japanese commander, Captain Fujita, had the Mayor and Chief of Police brought before a firing squad. Luckily for the two Lumbenos, they were not shot. They were taken to the spot only to witness the death by firing squad of ten able-bodied American POWs as the price for the escape of George Lightman the night before.

The ten American POWs were shot and killed before the unbelieving eyes of Mayor Paraiso and Police Chief Añonuevo. The Japanese then buried their fallen bodies in the slope behind the Central school building.

*Most of the information about guerrilla activities in Lumban were adapted from History of Lumban and a testimony furnished by the town Chief of Police G. Anonuevo to a Military Commission convened by General Douglas McArthur, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Forces in the Western Pacific, on January 9, 1946.