BALANGA City: A family from Paranaque City in Metro Manila on Saturday turned over as donation a World War II Japanese bayonet to the Bataan World War II Museum at the Balanga
Elementary School, former Japanese garrison and site of surrender negotiations on the “Fall of Bataan” on April 9, 1042.
Magdalena Manahan and children, Gloria Manahan Torres, Aurelio Manahan, Jr. and Nelita Manahan Solero and husband Reynaldo Solero turned over the sharp bayonet to Catherine Mejia, representative of HAS Club that operates the museum.
Gloria Torres said they were in the Bataan WWII museum a few days before the celebration of the 82 nd Araw ng Kagitingan on April 9, to donate an old bayonet recovered by their father,
Aurelio Manahan, Sr. sometime in 1961 while working at the old domestic airport, now known as Manila Domestic Terminal 4.
“Unfortunately, wala na ang father namin kaya kami na lang ang magbibigay at magdo-donate dito sa Bataan museum.” Torres said.
“Our father was an aircraft mechanic and he was about to park the plane. It just so happened may natisod siya so he tried to unearth it and discovered it was a bayonet and brought it
home,” Nelita Solero said.
She said that the bayonet remained at their home until they visited the museum last February28. “Nakita namin finally na may resting place na din ang bayonet.”
Reynaldo Solero said when they visited the Bataan museum, they saw there were other bayonets on display so they decided to donate it. “Naisip namin na idonate para may pakinabang bilang memorabilia. Hindi lang natutulog doon sa loob ng bodega namin.”
Torres said they and their mother wanted the bayonet be taken cared of in the museum and be part of history.
“Thank you so much for donating this bayonet to the museum in behalf of the board of HAS Club, He and She Club Foundation, Inc. and Bataan WWII Museum. I am inviting everyone, if
you have any memorabilia, to donate also,” Catherine Mejia said. (30).
