Kate's Notes:
Ralph I. Gilliland, the subject of these articles, was a former employee of the old Penn Public Service Co. in Clearfield. In 1928 he and his wife removed to Manila.

From The Clearfield Progress
Clearfield, Pennsylvania
September 1, 1942

R. I. Gilliland, Brother
Of Clearfield Man, Is
Interned In Philippines

   PHILIPSBURG -- Mr. and Mrs. G. Frank Dunkle of this place, have received word of the whereabouts of their brother-in-law, R. I. Gilliland for the first time since the fall of Manila.
   Mr. Gilliland, a brother of Frank Gilliland of Clearfield, was in Manila, Philippine Islands, at the time of the invasion by the Japanese.
   The letter, from Howard F. Bresee, Lt. Col. C. M. P., chief of the War Information Bureau in the War Department, the Provost Marshal General’s office, read:
   G. F. Dunkle,
   Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, 
   Dear Mr. Dunkle:
   The Provost Marshal directs me to reply further to your inquiry of August 18, 1942, regarding Mr. Ralph I. Gilliland and wife, Gertrude F. Gilliland. This office has received information to the effect that R. I. Gilliland is interned at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila.
   You may communicate with him by following the directions on the enclosed circulars for sending ordinary mail.
   If the name of Mr. Ralph I. Gilliland or Gertrude F. Gilliland appears on further information received by this office, you will be advised.
   Sincerely yours,
   Howard F. Bresee, Lt. Col. C. M. P.
   Chief Information Bureau.
   Mr. and Mrs. Gilliland have lived at Manila for about 14 years, and during that time have made several trips home. Their last trip to the United States, included a visit to Philipsburg and Clearfiled, was in 1940. They returned by clipper.
   The University of Santo Tomas is capable of taking care of between 4000 and 5000.
   The letter from Lt. Col. Bresee made no reference to Mrs. Gilliland, the former Gertrude Friday. In former published lists of interned citizens the names of husband and wife were not listed together, as the men are supposedly in separate units from the women.

*************

From The Clearfield Progress
Clearfield, Pennsylvania
February 23, 1945

Official Word
That Gillilands 
Safe In Manila

   Mr. Frank Gilliland of 204 South Fourth street, Clearfield, received a message from Provost Marshall General Lerch in Washington, D.C., this morning, stating that his brother, Ralph I. Gilliland has been rescued from a Japanese prison camp in Manila.
   The telegram read in part: "Am pleased to inform you that information received indicates the rescue by our forces of your brother, Ralph Irwin Gilliland, physical condition fair, formerly interned at Santo Tomas." 
   This is the first official word received concerning Mr. Gilliland, although a radio broadcast was heard in Phillipsburg some time ago telling of his release from the camp.

-- transcriptions by Kate Maynard, 2010