In late 1941 , the U.S. began evacuating the wives and children of military families . In January 1942 , according to one of Fertig 's daughters , Mary Fertig and their two children , Patricia ( Hudson ) and Jeannne , left on the last evacuation ship and returned to the United States . However , other sources have Fertig 's family leaving the Philippines as early as the summer of 1941 . This action was taken to relieve the concerns of officers and enlisted men , called to duty , about the welfare of their families . American civilian families ( men , women and children ) were not evacuated , so as not to lessen the morale of the citizens of the Philippines . The native people of the Philippines , who could not leave , suffered terribly under the Japanese occupation . It is estimated that at least one out of every 20 Filipinos died at the hands of the Japanese during the occupation
suffered terribly
Japanese war crimes
Wendell Fertig