Home Town Boy Goes to War 1945

El Paso Hometown Boy Goes to War 1945

On February 1, 1945, Robert C. Armstrong, US Army, left Camp Shelby, MS for his journey to The Phillipines. Bob Armstrong was born 7 September 1919, Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin. In the '30s he moved to El Paso, Texas with his parents, Robert Emmett Armstrong and Grace Belle Wilkinson Armstrong. The latter Mr. Armstrong was advised to move to this dry desert because of severe respiratory problems. Bob Armstrong married Anna Cozette Van Bruggen in El Paso in 1937. In 1944, Bob was called up to fight for his Country. The little diary that follows was his written account of his trip from Camp Shelby, MS to The Phillipines. Once in Manila, Bob took pictures...those pictures are also here.

Jan Parsons Armstrong

Military Transporter Mormacsea sailed from San Francisco to Manila Feb 1945
Front Cover of Little Diary 120 Page 1 of Little Diary scan 121 Page 2 of Little Diary scan 122 Page 3 of Little Diary scan 123 Page 4 of Little Diary scan 124 Page 5 of Little Diary scan 125 Page 6 of Little Diary scan 126 Page 7 of Little Diary scan 127 Page 8 of Little Diary scan 128 Page 9 of Little Diary scan 129 Page 10 of Little Diary scan 131 Page 11 of Little Diary scan 132 Doodle Page of Little Dairy scan 129a

The following snapshots were of Manila, bombed out by the Japanese. These photos were taken by Bob Armstrong after they arrived in The Phillipines

Central Student Church scan 134 Phillipines Mint scan 135 Finance Building Manila scan 136 Another View of Finance Building Manila scan 137 City Hall Manila scan 138

Agriculture & Commerce Building Manila scan 139 Phillipines Legislative Building Manila scan 140 Unknown Building Manila scan 141 Phillipines National Bank Manila scan 142 Overview of Downtown Manila scan 143

Bob Armstrong was in The Phillipines when World War II ended. He returned home safely, and until his dying day, he never mentioned The Phillipines, or what happened there, again.

Jan Parsons Armstrong

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