Jean-Marie Faggiano receives a doll from Private First Class Theo Tanner of the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division. Tanner had just removed the doll from a Japanese soldier killed by American troops during the liberation of the Santo Tomas Internment Camp in Manila, Philippines in February of 1945. (Photograph courtesy of Stars & Stripes, 1945, 2008)
December 7, 1941 –The attack on Pearl Harbor was the beginning of the devastation suffered by many American and British families living in the Philippines. Over 3,600 civilian families were forced to surrender to the Imperial Japanese Army and live as civilian prisoners in the Santo Tomas Internment Camp.
Through My Mother’s Eyes is the gripping account of the life of the Faggiano family as seen through the eyes of my mother, Jean-Marie. The Faggiano family were living in Manila when Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, and the following month the Imperial Japanese Army began their occupation of the Philippines. The Japanese captured all non-national civilians and forced them to live in prison camps as civilian prisoners of war for the next thirty-seven months. In a world of rampant sickness, starvation, and brutality, daily life within the gates of the Santo Tomas Internment Camp left my mother and her family searching for the strength and courage needed to survive.
They found that strength and courage. This is their story.
Watch Jean-Marie and Michael on YouTube!
Through My Mother’s Eyes is published by Strategic Book Publishing in New York and is available for purchase online through Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and on the shelves of many bookstores nationwide, including the top 50 Borders stores in America. It is also available through our publisher’s website by following the “Buy Now” button below.
Mom and I hope you enjoy our book. We would love to hear from you, so please feel free to add your comments below!
Warmest regards,
Michael McCoy
Author, Through My Mother’s Eyes
Also available from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com
Hi Jean-Marie!
I met you today at the Pearl Harbor Surviors breakfast and spoke briefly with you giving a presentation to the Sons of the American Revolution here in Santa Rosa. I gave you my card. I am Grant Noah, President of the Redwood Empire Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. The card you gave me doesn’t have your e-mail address.
My e-mail: grantnoah@sbcglobal.net
Sincerely,
Grant
Pearl Harbor Day happened on December 7, 1941. Sixty-eight years later we still remember Pearl Harbor Day and the events of December 7, 1941. My husband’s father fought in World War II, which inspired my husband to join the Marines and fight in Vietnam. I found your nice website after searching Google Blog so now i bookmarked! – Jannet
My Uncle was a commander of a Japanese POW camp after the country was liberated in 1945. I am just sending out feelers as what might be the best course of research in the Philippines for gathering such information. Any input/information you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
In the meantime, I will look at your publication for purchase.
Michael,
Congratulations on writing this history of, and for, your mother. I look forward to reading it.
You are one of those amazing individuals that will attack life, engage in all that it has to offer, and give back twice as much. I have enjoyed seeing you go through many of your adventures; Navy, rodeo, radio DJ, balloonist, business manager, magician, author, and others that I probably don’t know about. Never stop, Michael, you a shining light. I can’t wait to see what you accomplish next.
Peace,
Don
While doing research about STIC I came across your website. Your book sounds great and I intend on getting it.
My aunt was also a prisoner of war for 37 months. She was an american living in Manila. She had opened a women’s clothing shop in 1930 at the Bayview Hotel. It was called “Rosie’s Frock Shop” and she was known as “Little Rosie”. In 1938 she erected her own building to house her clothing salon. She catered to dignitaries wives, including General McArthur’s wife Jean McArthur. I have newspaper articles, internment camp newspapers, and pictures of her shop during high tea and fashion shows. She was a woman ahead of her time and I would love to find out if anyone knew of her. She did survive the camp and was liberated with all the other survivors.
Warmest Regards,
Joie
Michael, I read your marketing thoughts sent to me by my marketing coach for Strategic/Eloquent Books. Thanks! Your book sounds like a sensitive, wonderful read. Congratulations for putting an extraordinary experience into a text that can be passed on and on. My first children’s book has just been published: Ride to the Stars. The text centers around my son’s brief life, and it teaches children that life does, indeed, continue after death. It seems you and I write through our heart-strings. Good luck with your sales! I’m just beginning. May God bless you and your Mom. Suzie Courtney
I just finished your wonderful book. My husband attended the DAV State Convention in Sacramento recently. He brought home the book signed by Jean-Marie! Thank you very much.
I think your book would be great as a book read in high school history classes. It is easy to read, gives great detail and gives a real picture of what people experienced during WWII. I had no idea of this happening in the Philippines. I’m sure I’m not the only one.
Thanks for writing of your experiences, Jean-Marie.
Maryann Laughlin
Congratulations on publishing your new book and may you have great success. This is a story which must be told and told again, never to be forgotten.
My uncle, Donald Downing, was a prisoner at Santo Tomas and Los Banos, where many of the single men were interned. He worked for the American President Steam Ship Lines. After his return to the states following liberation, he married. My aunt and uncle returned to the Far East, as it was called then, and continued working for the company.
Donald’s experiences must have been extreme. He would never discuss what occured. It is with gratitude that I thank Jean-Marie and Michael for this powerful, human look at this event in history. Thank you for telling the story my uncle couldn’t tell.
I have learned that Jean-Marie’s parents and my aunt and uncle carried on a friendly, Christmas card type of relationship for many years until the passing of Eugene and Eileen. Certainly, from reading this book, other stories and connections will surface, and families of internees will remember hearing of their parent’s recollections of those months in captivity.
We are reminded of the absolute resilience of human beings. Thank you for sharing.
Lou
My uncle was also a prisoner at Santo Tomas Camp. He also was an affluent executive with the American President Steam Ship Lines owned by the Robert Dollar Co. He later became the President of the Lines.
He told me while at the camp, they used to lay blankets on the ground so the big “slugs or snails” would craw under the blankets to get out of the heat of the day. They would then collect them, slice them up and then “fry” them and have them for a meal.
The day of the liberation in February 1945, they saw a plane over head dropped what looked like a bundle of food for the prisoners which the army would do periodically, but then arms and legs opened up showing it was a man.
They knew that the liberation started as they new before it started, it was going to happen soon. The Japanese also knew and threaten to shoot all prisoners if any attempt was made to rescue the prisoners but the Japanese where caught off guard.
Robert
My Name is Roger Collier, I am a Sr. Mortgage Consultant with Wachovia. Your dear mother was in recent contact with me. She mentioned that this remarkable literature, based on her true life accounts, was in circulation. I promised her that I would search the web for a reference of the book. I located it and thought I would acknowledge finding it. Should you speak with her again, please say hello from me. I must add this book to my library ASAP.
Jerry (Jean-Marie), your friends have waited for many years to see this story come out. Our copy is due to arrive tomorrow and Carol and I can’t wait to finally read it. We’ve talked about this story for years but we’re so very pleased to see the whole story compiled so well. It’s a truly inspiring story of the resilience of your family!
Congratulations to both Mike and Jerry!!
Love,
Gary & Carol
Mom and Mike you did an great job on this amazing story, not too many kids can say that their mother survived a prison camp and was a POW for 37 months. Mike I am proud of you for working with Mom on this exciting book, this has meant so much to Mom over the years and now Mom and you can share this story of her life as a POW around the world.
Great job, love Jack Jr.
What more can I say?
Congratulations.
Congratulations Mike and Jean-Marie for a job well done.
The Philippines is thankful for the American Forces and the personnel that served in the liberation.
My memories with the Faggiano Family will remain in our minds forever.
Sincerely,
Sergio J. Montinola & Family
Michael you did a wonderful job on our book and I love you very much. I’m proud of all six of you children and am glad I survived the prison camp to be able to tell all of you the experiences that my family and I went through.
You wrote the book with your heart and it shows and most of all for being my son and sticking to your goal in finishing the book.
Thank you again to my AUTHOR son Michael McCoy.
Love forever,
Mom