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Roque Santos Matagulay (1931-1999)
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Du
ring the Viet Nam Era, Army Sergeant First Class Roque Santos Matagulay was a prisoner of war for 155 days in 1962. News reports state that on July 23, 1962, he and another fellow soldier were ambushed by Communist guerrilas while hunting off-duty for deer near Pahn Theit, South Viet Nam. At the time, Matagulay was on an assignment as a military advisor to the Vietnamese military.
During his captivity he was tied up and constantly reminded that he would be killed if he made the slightest effort to escape. Although, he did not receive physical torture, he was subjected to eight solid hours of political indoctrination and interrogation on a daily basis. He was forced to listen to the English-language broadcasts on Communist North Viet Nam's Radio Hanoi three times a day and was regularly tested on what they had to say about the world situation.
As a POW he contracted Malaria and lost about 40 pounds due to prison conditions. While under physical and mental duress he was coerced into signing adverse statements about the U.S. and South Viet Nam government.
On the Christmas Eve of 1962, he was released by the guerillas. Prior to doing so the guerrillas held a release ceremony, which included 400 soldiers, villagers, women and children to witness what they deemed was an act of generosity to their prisoner. They put Matagulay on a bus and sent him back to his freedom.
Matagulay retired as a Master Sergeant in 1971 after serving 20 years on active duty in the Army. Matagulay died in 1999 and is now buried at the Arlington National Cemetery.
Bibliography
____. 1962. Associated Press via Times-Picayune. New Orleans, LA.
____. 1963. World: Rice & Rats. Time Magazine.
____. Find A Grave retrieved September 15, 2014 from: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&;GRid=958449
Stuart I. Rochester & Frederick T. Kiley 2007. Honor Bound: American Prisoners of War in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973. Naval Institute Press: Anapolis, MD.
John Anderson’s Account of Roberton and the Hidden Treasure Story
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I recently accessed an 1848 article printed in “The Friend,” an old but defunct newspaper organization that was located Honolulu, Hawaii. The article was titled, “A Narrative of Capt. Roberton, the Treasure Hider,” by Blue Water.
Frankly, I was vaguely aware of the hidden treasure story from past literature. At the time, I was not that drawn to the subject until I came across the subject article. After all, my primary interests and focus is on Chamorro and my genealogy. Low and behold to my surprise within the subject article as I read it I saw my great-great-great grandfather’s name: John Anderson (click to find out more about John Anderson husband of Josefa dela Cruz).
Within the article, John Anderson’s narrative was provided and reprinted in this article regarding Andrew Gordon Roberton and the hidden treasure. Anderson mentions a native of Guam named “Matemy.” Matemy was part of crew that untied Captain Smith and his crew after being bounded by Roberton and his crew. Not much else is said about Matemy after that.
In some accounts it is said that Spanish Governor Jose Ganga Herrero sent up to 600 Chamorros to try and find the buried treasure on Pagan, but were not successful. It is also interesting to note that some literature suggests that the treasure was buried in Agrihan. But nonetheless and to this very day no one has ever found the alleged hidden treasure.
I have included image extracts of my two primary sources from the 1800s where you can read about this interesting story.
(Note: To view a larger format of the image, after clicking on the image, click the icon in the upper right hand corner to enlargen the image)
Bibiliography
___. 1828. Capt. Roberton, A Pirate. The Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register for British India and it Dependencies, Vol. XXVI, July to December 1828, pp. 350-352. Parbury, Allen & Co.: London.
Blue Water. 1848. A Narrative of Capt. Roberton, the Treasure Hider. The Friend: Honolulu, Hawaii.
Obituaries: Natives of Guam Whalers in the 1800’s
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The Friend was a newspaper out of Honolulu, Hawaii from 1845 to 1954. It contained quite a bit of information regarding whaling ships and even obituaries of whaling crews. In some cases the names of the deceased were not mentioned, rather just the fact the person was “a native of Guam,” and in most cases the name of the whaling ship they served as crew.
Below are some extracted samples of those obituaries exclusively from the Friend in the 1800’s. They include:
- Joseph Castro
- Marion
- George Mariana
- John Gozlina
- Silvia Alvers
- Raymond Santos
- Lewis Martinez
- Bicenta Mahone
- Sylvester Castro Zablan
- Juan Guerrero
Database Update 10 September 2014
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The database has been updated and has grown from 318,954 to 320,164 names.
List of Native Friendlies on Guam: World War II Declassified Document
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In a World War II declassified document that was contained in Appendix #7 to Annex “B”., Operation Plan #1-44 of the III PHIB Corps Report on Guam Operation, the military had compiled a list of 40 people on Guam that were believed to be reliable and with considerable influence with the natives on Guam. This was part of the intelligence information gathering used towards the assault and reoccupation of Guam.
I found this list to be of interest particularly with some of the notes of each individual.
|
Title |
First Name |
Middle |
Last name |
Note |
|
Arthur |
Anderson |
Approx. age 38. Mechanic and power plant man. |
||
|
Jesus |
Artero |
Approx. age 43. Excellent guide. Lives near Pati Point. |
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Edwardo |
Calvo |
Approx. age 39. Civil affairs and bank cashier. |
||
|
Reverend |
Oscar |
Lujan |
Calvo |
Approx. age 29. Welfare work among natives. |
|
Vicente (Ben) |
Calvo |
Approx. age 53. Chief Clerk, Supply Dept. |
||
|
Judge |
Camacho |
Approx. age 65.Thoroughly cognizant of Island Judiciary. |
||
|
"Dolong" |
Concepcion |
Approx. age 38. Surveyor and guide. |
||
|
Elsie |
DeLeon |
Approx. age 33. Clerk. |
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|
Reverend |
Jesus |
Baza |
Duenas |
Approx. age 38. Welfare and native cooperation work. |
|
Nieves |
M. |
Flores |
Filipino, age about 48. Cadastral affairs and surveyor. |
|
|
Ruth |
Flores |
Approx. age 21. Clerk and Stenographer. |
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|
Joaquin |
Guerrero |
Approx. age 26. Clerk, typist and stenographer. |
||
|
Pedro |
Guerrero |
Approx. age 39. Surveyor and an excellent man in the bundock's. |
||
|
Vicente |
P. |
Herrero |
Approx. age 58. Supervisor of native labor. |
|
|
Jose (Joe) |
Indalecio |
Approx. age 35. Electrician and guide. |
||
|
F. (Ben Cook) |
R. |
Ishizaki |
Known to have been one of two "5th Columnists," and to be "apprehended as soon as possible and escorted to Corps C.P., when established ashore, without delay." |
|
|
Mrs. |
Agueda |
Johnston |
Approx. age 48. Civil affairs. |
|
|
Herbert |
Johnston |
Approx. age 33. Cleark and good contact man. |
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|
Thomas |
Johnston |
Approx. age 23. Instrument man or draftsman. |
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|
Jose |
L.G. |
Leon Guerrero |
Approx. age 39. Engineering aide. |
|
|
Jose |
Lujan |
Approx. age 61. Influential in a quiet way. Many family and business connections. |
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|
William (Bill) |
Lujan |
Approx. age 43. Valuable assistant in any job requiring development of native cooperation. |
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|
Pedro |
Martinez |
Approx age 53. Best business man on the Island. Formerly a Government Clerk. |
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|
Mrs. |
Mesa |
Approx. age 43. Invaluable organizer of woman labor. |
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|
Francisco |
Palacios |
Approx. age 38. Surveyor. |
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|
Vicente |
R. |
Palomo |
Approx. age 35. Engineer. |
|
|
Don |
Anastacio |
Perez |
Approx. age 73. Civil aid and also in a judicial capacity. |
|
|
Isabel |
Taitano |
Perez |
Approx. age 41. Daughter of "Don" Perez. Valuable for work among Chamorro women. |
|
|
Jesus |
Rosario |
Rivera |
Approx. age 41. Chief Clerk, Pan Amer. Airways, Assistant manager of airport. |
|
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Juan |
Roberto |
Approx. age 53. Administrative affairs. |
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|
Reverend |
Joaquin |
Sablan |
Approx. age 38. Welfare work. |
|
|
Ramon |
M. |
Sablan |
Approx. age 49. Surgeon and an able practitioner. |
|
|
Francisco |
Salas |
Approx. age 25. Engineer aide. |
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|
Jose |
Salas |
Approx. age 49. Engineer |
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|
Vicente (Ben) |
San Nicolas |
Chief of plumbing shop. Familiar with water supply and sewage system. |
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|
Simon |
A. |
Sanchez |
Approximate age 48. School superintendant. |
|
|
Mrs. |
Sawada |
Known to have been one of two "5th Columnists," and to be "apprehended as soon as possible and escorted to Corps C.P., when established ashore, without delay." |
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|
George |
Scharff |
German citizen. Dredge foreman (ONI says he may be trusted to be loyal in any circumstances while another source states he is not to be trusted.) |
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|
Richard |
Taitano |
Approx. age 23. Surveyor and engineer. |
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|
Vicente (Ben) |
Zafra |
Approx. age 43. Knowledge of agricultural conditions in the Island Administrative affairs. |
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