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CHAPTER 1
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CHAPTER 2
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CHAPTER 3
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CHAPTER 4
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CHAPTER 5
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CHAPTER 6
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CHAPTER 7
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      As Pagsanjeños were awaiting expectantly the coming of their liberators, suddenly in the morning of March 15, 1945, several waves of American bombers and fighter planes swooped down on their town and subjected it to a terrific carpet bombing which completely destroyed the Catholic Church, the municipal building, and the residential houses around the town plaza. Fortunately, the human casualties were slight -- four residents, including a baby, were killed. The Japanese soldiers who were billeted in the private homes also suffered very few casualties -- one killed and four wounded.
      After the horrendous American carpet bombing, the frightened troops set fire to many residential houses along the Rizal, Mabini and General Taiño Streets. As the flames gutted the beautiful homes, the evacuated the burning town, retreating towards the Sierra Madre Range.
      Not all homes, fortunately, were destroyed by the horrible conflagration. Those which were burned were the elegant homes in town, especially in Rizal Street, which were of colonial vintage. Consequently, on the wings of war vanished the magnificent homes of the affluent Pagsanjeños, with their romantic azoteas, attractive red-tiled roofs, and including the valuable oil paintings, antique furniture, pianos, jewelries, and other heirlooms. Gone also were the age-old Catholic church, with its grandiose white dome, and the historic image of Our Lady of Guadalupe which came from Mexico.
      Also destroyed by American bombs and Japanese-set fires were the private libraries of the illustrados which contained priceless rare editions of books on history, politics, geography, mathematics, religion, and sciences; the old images of saints which had been preserved and worshipped at the family altars; and the complete historical records of the church and municipal archives so that it is now impossible to write the full history of Pagsanjan since its foundation in 1668, for they have no duplicates in the archives of Spain, Mexico, Vatican, and other foreign countries.

The Liberation of Pagsanjan

      On April 16, 1945, a month after the departure of the last Japanese soldiers, the vanguard of the American liberators, accompanied by the guerillas from Pagsanjan, Santa Cruz, and other towns, entered the town. This was the so-called "Liberation of Pagsanjan." What really was liberated was a ghost town in shambles, inhabited by a few families which were unable to evacuate to the barrios. Once upon a time Pagsanjan, like the legendary Camelot, was a community of happy and prosperous people, great in beauty and rich in culture. Now what the liberators saw was a desolate town of weeping ruins and cold ashes. There was no joyous welcome for the liberators, no wild greetings of gratitude, and no warm exuberance of liberation, for most of the people were in their evacuation camps in the barrios.
      When news reached the barrios of the arrival of the American liberators, the refugee families rushed back to town. Sadly, they viewed the dolorous destruction of their homes and beautiful town. Instead of tears of joy, they shed tears of sorrow for their great material losses. They were, however, consoled with the thought that they were alive and free again. The Japanese reign of terror was over, and the dove of peace once more hovered over their beloved town.

Resurgence Over the Ashes of War

      Ever resilient in spirit like their durable bamboo plants, the Pagsanjeños, spurred by indomitable courage and buoyant hope, began to rebuild their devastated town. Within a short time, a new Pagsanjan, like the fabled phoenix of Heliopolis, arose over the ashes of war.
      Thanks to the war damage funds generously given by the United States, new homes appeared over the ruins of the old; the Catholic church, municipal building, and schools were rebuilt; the river bridge were reconstructed; the town plaza and the streets were cleared of war's debris and were planted with flowering plants and shade tree..
      Fortunately, three of the cherished historical relics of the town remained intact, undamaged by the bombs and flames, namely, the historic town gate with three Roman arches, topped by two lions holding Spain's royal escutcheon; the old colonial town plaza which was named after Queen Regent Maria Cristina of Spain; and the majestic obelisk called the "Needle of Cleopatra."
      Postwar Pagsanjan is not as superbly beautiful as the prewar one. It is, however, reasonably presentable; at least, it is more elegant than many postwar towns in the Philippines.
      Of Paramount interest is the fact that the God-given talents of the Pagsanjeños survived the holocaust of war. Such inherent talents can never be destroyed by war's blasting bombs and raging fires. Many gifted Pagsanjeños, especially those living in Greater Manila and in foreign lands, have continued to distinguish themselves in all professions, thereby keeping evermore aglow the traditional glory of their beloved town.