My father, Atty. Lauro J. Jocson, was a 9-year old boy when World War II broke out in the Philippines in 1941. It is sometimes difficult for me to imagine that my father was once a young boy who did errands, played childhood games, watched movies, or did the usual things boys of his age would do... even more difficult to imagine that [he] somehow survived the many hardships of War and Occupation. His book not only recalls those difficult times, but also makes people of my generation appreciate the things we take for granted -- a good pair of shoes, running water, and regular meals.

We who have never experienced war should never forget the trials our fathers' generation went through. - From the Foreword by Jojo Jocson.