Arturo "Turing" Bantasan Bayona
I appreciate what you have done in telling the story of Camp Roxas. I enjoyed the 20-minute documentary today. It was very touching. My father, Arturo "Turing" Bantasan Bayona, did not attend. He said that he might get emotional if he saw the film. My father never really mentioned anything about Camp Roxas until last year when the family was preparing for my wedding.
Dad came to Guam in 1952 together with the father of Nerissa Bretania-Shafer Underwood and Loreto Provido, father of Bernie Provido Schumann. They were assigned together at the U.S. Naval Supply Depot Inventory Division. They all may be found in the group photos shown here. He is also a good friend with Pilar Malilay, a former registered nurse at Camp Roxas. My parents often would mention her name and that she was also a good friend of my lola, Lourdes Delfin.
My dad said they ate surplus food from Australia and Camp Roxas residents gave the food different code names. Dried fish was "plywood" because it was so hard it felt like it would break teeth. Oxtail was "wiper." Pigfeet was "flooraseam." Obviously the spelling is wrong, but Dad said that was the brand name and an expensive item at the time. Other foods were pigtails and buffalo liver. They would eat buffalo liver for dinner the whole week and Dad would get sick smelling it on the way to the galley. In 1956, food conditions improved with new management.
Tonight, as I spoke to Dad about the Camp Roxas film, he had mixed emotions. He was laughing, tearing and remembering the hardships and sacrifices he made. He said it was for us.
Now, I am doing this for him. He deserves to be acknowledged along with all our parents and grandparents. Thank you and continue to do your work. It is greatly appreciated. We are sending these pictures for Dad who gives consent for their use in your project.
--- Claire Bayona Ganon, daughter
June 28, 2009
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From the private collection of Arturo Bantasan Bayona (used with permission)
