| Sleep my sons, your duty done...for freedom's | | | | illnesses. Memory problems, chronic fatigue, |
| light has come. | | | | depression, stress and other mysterious |
| | | | ailments and mental disorders are some of the |
| Sleep in the silent depths of the sea or in | | | | issues that afflicted thousands of war |
| your bed of hollowed sod. | | | | veterans. |
| | | | |
| Until you hear at dawn the low clear reveille | | | | One significant problem that is common among |
| of God. | | | | war veterans is Post Traumatic Stress |
| | | | Disorder (PTSD). During World War I, PTSD was |
| The poem is inscribed on the monument to the | | | | called "shell shock," and on World War II, it |
| Pacific War Dead, in Corregidor, Philippines. | | | | was referred to as "combat fatigue." After |
| The huge dome-shaped Pacific War Memorial in | | | | the Vietnam War, it was often mistakenly |
| Corregidor resembles a vintage World War II | | | | called the Post Vietnam Syndrome. Indeed, the |
| parachute, from the parallel lines running | | | | understanding and effective treatment of PTSD |
| down the dome's side to a hole right at its | | | | were actually described in the psychiatric |
| center. The memorial shrine was funded by the | | | | literature well before the Vietnam War. A |
| Americans and it is positioned in such a way | | | | psychiatrist from Harvard Medical School, Dr. |
| that on May 6 of every year, the high noon | | | | Eric Lindemann at Massachusetts General |
| sun that shines directly through the hole | | | | Hospital in Boston, was the first to report |
| falls right straight in the middle of a round | | | | on the systematic management of PTSD. He did |
| marble altar dedicated to fallen soldiers in | | | | this work after the Coconut Grove fire and |
| the last war. | | | | tragedy in the 1940s. |
| | | | |
| Corregidor comes from the Spanish word | | | | A significant number of soldiers suffer |
| "corregir," meaning to correct. One story | | | | lingering distress from the trauma they |
| states that due to the Spanish system wherein | | | | endured while overseas. And the trauma can |
| all ships entering Manila Bay were required | | | | stay with them for the rest of their lives, |
| to stop and have their documents checked and | | | | preventing them from sleeping normally, |
| corrected, the island was called "Isla del | | | | facing large crowds, focus or commit in a |
| Corregidor" (Island of the Correction). | | | | relationship, or even looking at a simple |
| Another version claims that the island was | | | | garbage bag without worrying that a bomb |
| used a penitentiary or correctional | | | | might be hidden inside. |
| institution by the Spanish and came to be | | | | |
| called "El Corregidor." | | | | PTSD can be seen as an overwhelming of the |
| | | | body's normal psychological defenses against |
| In early and pre-hispanic times, it was | | | | stress. Thus, after the trauma, there is an |
| likely populated by fishermen and no doubt | | | | abnormal function (dysfunction) of the normal |
| provided a base for pirates who could easily | | | | defense systems, which results in certain |
| launch an attack against any vessel entering | | | | symptoms. The symptoms are produced in three |
| Manila Bay. During the Spanish era, this | | | | different ways: (1) re-experiencing the |
| tadpole-shaped island was a signal station | | | | trauma, (2) persistent avoidance and (3) |
| where bonfires were lit to alert Manila of a | | | | increased arousal. |
| homecoming galleons. Later on, Spaniards | | | | |
| built a lighthouse on the island. | | | | Fortunately today, unlike 50 years ago, |
| | | | support is available for military personnel |
| The big guns of Corregidor in 1941 were used | | | | experiencing PTSD. Acting on lessons learned |
| in support of Filipino and American defenders | | | | from World War II and other conflicts, the |
| of Bataan until the island itself was invaded | | | | military and other government agencies of |
| by Japanese Forces. The restless pounding by | | | | countries such as the United States have |
| Japanese guns including intermittent bombings | | | | focused on early intervention of PTSD among |
| reduced its defenses and compelled its | | | | active-duty soldiers. They offer counseling |
| surrender. On January 22, 1945, Corregidor | | | | to prepare service members for overseas duty |
| was once again caught in the fury of war as | | | | and send teams of chaplains and other mental |
| the Americans retook the island after a | | | | health personnel into the field. |
| bloody battle. | | | | |
| | | | It is indeed comforting to know that the |
| After more than 50 years, Filipinos, as well | | | | various methods of treatment for PTSD are |
| as American war veterans, still remember | | | | highly effective. Moreover, there are trained |
| their history by heart about the fall of | | | | clinicians experienced at handling the |
| Corregidor to the Japanese. | | | | difficult problems of posttraumatic stress. |
| | | | But, of course, we hope that we will never |
| However, not only did the Fall of Corregidor | | | | have to experience a repeat of the appalling |
| left a mark on the war veterans, wars also | | | | tragedy of non-sense fightings such as what |
| left them many serious problems and | | | | transpired at the Fall of Corregidor. |