Dadda Come Home: The Chronicles of a Little Girl in World War II
Themla Clark-Santiago, My Story
I wrote Dadda Come Home: The Chronicles of a Little Girl in World War II to fulfill the promise to my father (Dadda) to tell our story. The book is the story of my life at the start of World War II in the city of Manila under the rule of the Japanese Imperial Army, which occupied the Philippines from January 1942 to February 3, 1945. I did not understand the cruel reality of war and separation of a loved one, but I slowly adapted to my situations.
When my father became separated from my family, I learned a sense of survival that my imagination could not comprehend. I befriended a Japanese woman, who I considered in my mind, the enemy. I learned how to survive the constant moving and unfair conditions and grew up at a very young age. I coped and dealt with the separation from my father and the anxiety of not knowing if my family would survive another day. My bond with my father has propelled me through life. My story and my father’s legacy and the financial aid through Lola’s Helping Hand is now being handed down to the children in need. We formed the organization so others may survive and learn from my experiences.
Dadda Come Home
