From the Parsons Sun a picture was shown but no date shown:

The family of Pvt. Michael J. Daley today were rejoicing the news of his liberation from a Japanese prison camp after more than 43 months of internment.

The message his mother, Mrs. Mary Daley, 2421 Main, received from the war department stated that he had been "returned to military control in Japan, Sept 15 and will be sent to the United States immediately." His physical condition was reported as fair.

Pvt. Daley was taken prisoner in the battle of Java on Feb. 24, 1942, when he was serving with the 131^st field artillery battalion. After he was reported missing, his family did not learn that he was a prisoner of the Japs until March 2, 1943. They have received several brief form cards and letters from him since then. The last one was dated Dec. 31, 1944.

It has been five years since Mrs. Daley has seen her son, because he was living in California, when he entered the army in March, 1941, and did not receive a furlough to come home. He was in Honolulu, when the Japs made their sneak attack on Dec. 7, 1941, and was sent from there to Java.

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Another clipping from the Parsons Sun with no date:

Mrs. J. S. Daley, 2421 Main, through the war department, today received a message from her son, Pvt. Michael J. Daley, liberated Sept. 15, from a Jap prisoner of war camp on Hakodate Island.

The message stated: Safe and well will be home soon, Love. Michael." Although Mrs. Daley had been notified of her son’s liberation, this was first direct word she had heard from him. There was no mention of his present location.

Pvt. Daley was taken prisoner Feb. 24, 1942, when the Japs took Java.

This next clipping from the Visitor no date shown:

It was 2:30 last Friday morning. A well known Parsons lady was walking alone westward on Main toward her cozy home, a broad smile of relief written across a face that had shown a worried expression. She saw the editor of the Visitor at his desk. She stopped and entered the office.

In her hand was a flimsy piece of paper. She handed it to the editor—an acquaintance of many years. "Look at the other side," she said hurriedly "and you can tell more about it." We looked. It was from Camp Hakodate, Japan—a prisoner of war camp. It was from Mike.

The editor looked again and read. He was the first to see the message of cheer from Mike Daley to his mother, after she had gotten it out of the post office, when an obliging clerk had telephoned her that she had a letter from her son, a prisoner of war in Japan.

This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had," said Mrs. Daley, and she had good cause to say this, for here was the message:

"Dearest Mama: Received letters with photographs, since I wrote you last. Very nice. I hope everyone is O. K. I am still hoping to see all of you soon. When I do I shall certainly do justice to that banana cream pie. Regards to all. Love, Mike."

It was dated Sept. 24, this year and the approximately post-card size paper, upon which he had printed the message, bore the name, Michael J. Daley, American, Private, Camp Hakodate, Japan, with Japanese characters and addressed to his mother, Mrs. Mary B. Daley, 2421 Main.

He was taken prisoner in the battle of Java, Feb 24, 1942. It had been more than a year since Mrs. Daley had heard from him—but now she is happy-happy to know that he is alive and hopeful and prayerful that he may be delivered alive and unharmed.

Mrs. Daley has two other sons, Bernard, in Egypt and John who is yet in the states.

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From the Kansas City Star, Sept 14, 1945:

OMINATO ANCHORAGE, JAPAN, Sept. 14.(AP)--Three ships of the North Pacific fleet were dispatched this afternoon to Hakodate to evacuate 350 Allied prisoners of war from Central Hokkaido camps, after rain and heavy fog prevented ready movement of transport airplanes.

Rescue vessels are the American escort carrier, Kitkun Bay and destroyer Howarth, and the British destroyer Barfleur temporarily attached to this North Pacific force. They will take prisoners aboard at Hakodate, 120 miles north of Ominato, tomorrow morning, then steam directly for Yokohama.

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From the Kansas City Star no date shown:

(By the Associated Press)

Eighteen ships, with more than 22,000 troops, including army units which recently left India, are scheduled to dock today at three East coast ports. At least nineteen other vessels are due with approximately the same number of servicemen FROM THE Pacific theater at West coast ports. Five ships with more than 11,300 troops are listed to arrive at Boston, seven with 8,278 at New York and six others with 2,696 at Newport News, Va. Ships and units arriving:

At San Francisco—An aggregate of 19,838 passengers including returned prisoners of war, aboard these ships: Battle Creek Victory with three men; Camanga, 37, Cavalier, 1,524: Diciens, 1,962; Drew, 1,752; Escalante, 85; General William Weigle, 5,162; Green Bay Victory, 21; Lubbock, 1,862; Marine Shark, 2,413 returned prisoners and 936 others; Mission Santa Barbara, 22; Missoula, 1,943; Mokihana, 17; St. Mary’s, 2008; Tomahawk, 69; William H. Steward, 2.

Also from the Kansas City Star with no date but with a three by five "Wirephoto" picture of a bedraggled but happy looking bunch of prisoners. The caption read: "FREED, THEY START THE LONG JOURNEY HOME to the United States. These Americans are leaving a Jap prison camp on Hokkaido, northern Jap island, where they had been confined. They are shown marching to planes bound for Tokyo, first leg of the trip to the objective all, home--(Wirephoto)."

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CHITOSE NAVAL AIR STATION, HOKKAIDO, Sept. 13.—An Army screening team from Yokohama was doing a rush job today in evacuating war prisoners from all camps on Hokkaido to the Atsugi airfield near Tokyo by transport plane.

The processing group of 24 officers and men, including 10 medics, managed to move all 43 of the sick prisoners on Tuesday, the first day of operation, and an average of more than 300 liberees are flown out of the rugged mountain country daily.

Major Lyman B. Sutter of 4220 Chestnut, Long Beach, Cal., who heads the screening party, said that the Hokkaido prisoners are in surprisingly good condition as compared with prisoners found in camps on other Jap islands and in China.

HUNGER CURE----His intelligence aide, Captain T. S. Stirling, of New Haven Conn, said that atrocities have been few by comparison, and were mostly run of the mill beatings, solitary confinement and long hours of standing at attention.

He added, however, that he had sworn reports of criminal acts committed by a Jap colonel who gave prisoners a "three day hunger cure." This consisted of making a prisoner undergo three days of starvation while confined to a flimsy shack, clad only in underclothes and with no blankets and no heat in the dead of winter.

Major Sutter said he hoped to complete the evacuation of the remaining 1200 POWS on Hokkaido by Sunday night.

Along with the last to come out will be the ashes of 154 men who died during their incarceration. The death of two of the men added a note of bitter tragedy to the jubilation in the last few days before release: Cases of food dropped by carrier planes struck a veteran Marine from Wake and a survivor of the Bataan death march, killing both.