Susan Magnuson Devoe was born in Manila [Annotator's Note: Manila, Philippines] in June 1940. Her father worked as an importer and exporter out of San Francisco [Annotator's Note: San Francisco, California] and was sent to the Manila office in 1938. Her family enjoyed living in Manila before the war because it was a very luxurious life. They had several servants. The family lived in a house near Manila Bay about five miles from Clark Field [Annotator's Note: now Clark Air Base, Luzon, Philippines]. Her family hosted and attended several parties before World War 2 began. The people living in Manila were surprised that the city fell in two weeks when the Japanese arrived on 8 December 1941 [Annotator's Note: Fall of the Philippines, invasion by the Empire of Japan, 8 December 1941 to 8 May 1942]. The Japanese were confiscating property of Americans by January and arresting American men and military men. Because Devoe's mother was seven months pregnant, the Japanese allowed her mother and some of the servants to stay behind in the house, while other families were rounded up and sent to an internment camp. Many of the people were sent to Bataan [Annotator's Note: Bataan Peninsula, Luzon, Philippines] and Corregidor [Annotator's Note: Corregidor Island, Luzon, Philippines]. Since all the American doctors were interred, Devoe's mother had to find a Filipino doctor to help deliver her baby. When the baby finally came, her doctor could not get there, and her mother was having a difficult time. Finally, a woman doctor came in and helped her with the delivery. Devoe's father was given a pass to leave the internment camp to visit his family after the birth of his second daughter. When people in the camp heard he was going into town, many of them gave him notes and letters to pass on. Her mother was able to stay outside of camp for five months, but then was ordered to report to the internment camp in August. Devoe and her mother went to camp [Annotator's Note: the Santo Tomas Internment Camp, or, Manila Internment Camp, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines], while her baby sister was left with her father's secretary for a year.

[Annotator's Note: Susan Magnuson Devoe and her family were forced into the Santo Tomas Internment Camp or Manila Internment Camp, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines.] The adults treated the children very well, and she had lots of kids to play with. As food became scarce, children had less energy to play. Devoe and her mother were put in the building that housed 12 women and six children in a packed room with a room monitor. They later moved into a shanty with her father. Devoe slept on a mattress and bed frame. They were not enough showers for people, so they would often shower four women to a shower head. They did not have toilet paper. They had to use rags to clean themselves after using the bathroom. Then they would wash the rags to reuse them. Women used pieces of flannel for their menstruation cycle, and one lady in the camp would take charge of washing the pieces. Many women stopped menstruating because they were not getting enough nutrients. Devoe was too young for school. Women would take turns watching the young children. She felt blessed that she had so many women that took good care of her while she was in camp. For Christmas [Annotator's Note: Christmas 1941], Santa Claus visited with toys that the adults had made for their children. As food became scarce, Devoe and her sister developed a habit of licking their plates. After World War 2, their mother had to remind them not to lick their plates anymore. The first meal she had after the war was with her uncle. He took the family to a nice restaurant with several utensils on the table. Devoe picked up a fork and began brushing her hair. It took a while to acclimate to her new surroundings.

Susan Magnuson Devoe remembers being liberated [Annotator's Note: from the Santo Tomas Internment Camp, or, Manila Internment Camp, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines on 3 February 1945]. She was so excited and was given food to eat. Her father got sick from eating too much food. He also contracted beriberi [Annotator's Note: severe, chronic Thiamine deficiency] and had to stay in the hospital for some time. He lost almost 100 pounds during his time in camp. Devoe's sister was also in the hospital for some time because she contracted dysentery [Annotator's Note: infection of the intestines]. After the official liberation shelling started, one shell hit the corner of the building that Devoe was napping in. The shell blew her out of the bed and blew the underwear off her body. Devoe was sent to a military hospital to treat her wounds. She also suffered from shell shock. She began having nightmares which would wake up the whole family. Devoe still suffers from the trauma of camp life. Her father's nerves were shot by the end of World War 2 and he suffered post traumatic stress disorder [Annotator's Note: PTSD]. Even though her father continued to work internationally, he held animosity against the Japanese people and refused to buy Japanese products. Her family was able to take the first ship out of Manila Bay [Annotator's Note: Manila Bay, Luzon, Philippines] and head to the United States. There were 400 other internees on the ship. It took almost 40 days to get to the harbor at San Pedro [Annotator's Note: San Pedro, California]. Many of the internees slept on the deck, except the children and elderly who slept below deck. She remains friends with some of the families from the internment camp. Coming to the United States for the first time was confusing for her. She was often scared when planes flew over and hid under her school desk. Kids in her class would make fun of her for that. Devoe's family and other internment families lived on her aunt's farm in Oregon.

Susan Magnuson Devoe and her family moved to Lima, Peru for her father's company in 1948, and stayed there until 1953. [Annotator's Note: Devoe and her family moved to the United States after being liberated from the Santo Tomas Internment Camp, or, Manila Internment Camp, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines on 3 February 1945.] Her family enjoyed the life and culture in Peru. Sue attended school wherever they moved and taught Spanish as a career. Devoe believes that World War 2 greatly affected her life by teaching her to be able to adapt and help others in need. Her most memorable experience of World War 2 was during the bombing [Annotator's Note: in Manila, Philippines] because she did not feel safe during that time. She feels for children that are in bombings. She has an appreciation for life. After the war, her father was so affected by World War 2, that he had a nervous breakdown. Her mother eventually wrote a book about her World War 2 experience, and she had a breakdown after she completed the book. The former POWs [Annotator's Note: prisoner of war] are very comfortable around each other and enjoy going to reunions. She enjoys the support system of her POW friends. Devoe believes it is important to have institutions like The National WWII Museum [Annotator's Note: in New Orleans, Louisiana] continue to teach World War 2 to future generations.

Susan Magnuson Devoe says that people had to adapt to camp life [Annotator's Note: as internees at the Santo Tomas Internment Camp, or, Manila Internment Camp, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines]. It was very warm there so one woman, Mary Lou Browning, knitted clothes, such as sweaters and bras. Her family remained friends with her and her husband, Tommy Thompson, after the war. Once the Japanese made Mary Lou Browning stand and bow to them. It was very difficult for her to get up because she was weak and malnourished. The prisoners would find ways to entertain each other. They played different sports, like boxing and baseball. They put on theater shows too. The prisoners learned to adapt to the situation they were in.