Recently, a web search for information on my grandfather, Darley Downs, a POW in the Philippines during WWII, led me to the website of the Burke Library, where some of his papers are archived. With a previously planned trip to New York City to visit my son a little over a week away, I reached out to the library, wondering if I might get access to the papers.
The response was immediate and most helpful. Of course I could visit, and a generous window of time was reserved for me and my son (the great grandson) to review the materials. On a very cold and windy afternoon last month, my son and I found refuge in the library and enjoyed several hours reviewing my grandfather’s clandestinely recorded war diary along with other materials. I remain very grateful to Caro and the staff at the library for making the visit possible. We’ll be back! -Michael Downs, grandson of Darley Downs
Biographical / Historical Notes: (from the Archives / Finding Aid for the Darley Downs papers) | Darley Downs was born in 1894 in Colorado and served as a Christian missionary with the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. In 1919, Downs arrived in Tokyo, Japan to teach at Doshisha University. In 1929, he became the principal of the School of Japanese Language and Culture and a secretary of the National Christian Council, positions he held until 1941, when he left Japan due to strained relations between the country and the United States. Downs traveled to Dansalan, Mindanao, Philippines to substitute for Frank Laubach, a missionary who had been working with Muslim Moros, and Downs also worked for the American Congregational Mission Board in Mindanao. Beginning in May of 1942, Downs was interned by the Japanese at multiple internment camps for nearly three years. In September of 1943, Downs was moved to the Los Banos camp, where he served as translator. Downs remained at Los Banos until the camp was liberated in February of 1945. After his return to the United States, Downs earned a Master of Sacred Theology degree from Union Theological Seminary in 1946, completing a thesis titled, “Effects of war time pressures on churches and missions in Japan.” Downs returned to Japan in 1947, and was secretary of the Council of Cooperation and the Interboard Missionary Field Committee. Darley Downs died in 1969.
I’m so very glad that it was so easy a process to get access to this remarkable diary. It was a retired career librarian, who heard about this journal of our grandfather and said it really needs to be preserved for posterity and available to people who might want to do research or study. thanks to her suggestion I was able to find the union theological seminary partnered with Columbia University to have a section for such things. I feel so grateful that it’s well taken care of and easily accessed!