Manila Mata Hari
In the occupied Pacific, a now- forgotten Portland nightclub singer turned herself into one of World War II’s most Celebrated spies
By Brian Libby
The party at Ana Fey’s nightclub starts to get wild. A Japanese civilian, surrounded by cronies at a corner table, all drunk on cocktails and a self-confidence born of conquering half the Pacific, decides he wants special attention.
He beckons the club’s Italian singer: the tall brunette with the sultry voice, high heels, and shimmering gown, who’s been entertaining Japan’s forces with romantic songs in English from Ana Fey’s tiny, spotlit stage. The patron wants the singer to bring him ice for his drinks personally. The singer demurs. The patron insists—even grasps the woman’s backside. She slaps him across the face.
No one did that to one of Emperor Hirohito’s subjects in occupied Manila. The men take the singer into the club’s back room and beat her; the orchestra plays more loudly to cover her cries. But even as the drunken soldiers teach the nightclub girl “a lesson,” their blows fail to dislodge wartime’s most valuable commodity: the truth.
The singer wasn’t Italian, but American, from a small city across the Pacific Ocean. And she was no mere club beauty, but a budding spy, working to eclipse the Rising Sun. Her real name was Claire Phillips. Her code name was High Pockets—in honor of secret messages she stashed in her bra. She was fighting in the fierce shadow-contest over a city that played a key role in the Pacific theater’s brutal chess match. So the beating Phillips suffered that night—not her worst ordeal, by a long shot—was just part of the job. Years later, after the war, Hollywood made a movie about this chanteuse/agent. In I Was an American Spy, the beautiful (but fading) star Ann Dvorak embodied Claire Phillips. Another character, a fellow singer, told her: “You’ve had a good time while it lasted, but there’s a war on.”
This year brings the 70th anniversary of America’s plunge into World War II. I Was an American Spy came out in 1951, at a moment when Phillips, an obscure—even troubled—woman from Portland, tasted national celebrity. Today, few people remember the only Oregon woman ever awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Phillips lived and died in worlds nearly lost to living memory: the war, the extraordinary acts of bravery it demanded, and America’s postwar zenith.
A small local group of historians and admirers believe Phillips’s candle deserves rekindling. “This woman was rock-star famous,” says Sig Unander, a local history buff, writer, and filmmaker. “And that makes it more poignant that she’s been forgotten.” Unander is at work on a book and documentary about Phillips, and hopes to inspire a memorial to this forgotten local heroine. The World War II generation has received many accolades. But few Portlanders’ service could outstrip the drama—or pain—of Phillips’s saga.
She was born in Michigan in 1907, and arrived in Portland as a young child when her stepfather, a marine engineer, came to work in a shipyard. By her teens, a natural wanderlust emerged. In a Franklin High School photo, young Claire looks out from beneath a tangle of youthful curls with a half-smile and a subtly mischievous gleam in her eye. She soon ran away to join a travelling circus, selling tickets to a snake charmer’s show. In later years, she learned on the job as a singer and dancer in Northwest clubs. Eventually, Claire joined a musical stock company touring Far East metropolises like Hong Kong and Manila.
She was impulsive and addicted to drama. These qualities didn’t make her the greatest daughter, mother, or solid citizen. But they would make her an excellent spy.
The Philippines was then America’s largest colony. Manila, a vibrant, garden-filled city, was one of the most popular Asian destinations for westerners—and the US military’s largest Pacific stronghold after Honolulu. As Asia’s busiest port, Manila blended native Filipinos, Americans, Europeans, and Chinese. Claire met and married a Filipino man. When the marriage turned sour, she fled back to Portland with their adopted daughter, Dian.
Published: February 2011
Why was the original Mata Hari not mentioned?
It is hard to tell what the true story of Claire Phillips is in this article. I certainly have appreciated all the honorable tributes to Claire Phillips through written, theatrical or media expressions but to blame the City of Portland and or the military for overlooking Claire is irresponsible in our opinion. They gave her exclusively the highest honor a civilian could be awarded and gave a military tribute at the introduction of her 1951 movie. We do agree that the community should decide if they wish to commemorate a Mata Hari glamour movie or a soldier who sacrificed her life for country and honor and whose story depicts a very loving and devoted mother, daughter and sister. This is her truth for us. They are the ones who should have a say in Claires memorial.
Wendy and Gerald,
God Bless America!
I was compelled to locate a copy of Claire’s book, Manila Espionage, after recently reading about the Cabanatuan camp and some of her story. I just bought an autographed copy of her 1947 narrative and could not put it down. Manila Espionage should be read by every citizen of the United States. It is a very descriptive eyewitness account of how prisoners of war were treated by the Japanese and how women in general were treated in a degrading manner by the men of Japan. Thankfully these barbaric attitudes seem to have diminished in today’s Japanese culture. I am a 51 year old singer and teach music for a living. I can relate to Claire and her sensitivity and love for others as well as her longing for travel and adventure. However, I just can’t imagine enduring the horror of the many interrogations, beatings, toture, and hideous living conditions during her imprisonment. She was also torn away form her small child. Through all of this Claire Phillips remained a true and loyal heroine for the cause of the United States. Even when forced through extreme pain, fear, hunger and illness, Claire Phillips never gave in or disclosed any valuable military secrets. Even with confidence from studying martial arts, I honestly don’t know if I could have done what she did. Bravo Claire! Thanks to her, many others were able to survive. I’m sorry her health failed and it was difficult for her to continue with life after such nightmarish experiences. God will always bless and keep her.
Does anyone know Claires birth date? Someone heard at the speech in November that it was 1908? Did they hear that wrong? It appears here as 1907. Could you be specific and how you found it to be 1907? We’d really like to know because we’d like to celebrate that day.
So many people have asked me, what happened to Diane I am doing my best to know exactly what happened since 2007. Allow me kindly to finish the sentence which you state here in your article, “She was never very well after she got home and never really happy, her mother wrote a relative.” the letter which was kindly given to me to use appropriately by a relative to inform me of something else reads, " Her daughter Diane is married and has a little boy" Claire’s mother. Gerald and I were reunited after 50 years in February 2009. the letter meant the world to me. I thank whoever put my name in Sig Unanders article, since he was the first to be interviewed for it. I think that is fair to share. I carry deep in my heart the sacrifices of the men and women who sacrificed so much, that I am here today and this brave women, she saved my life and people like me.
Also does anyone know where Claire Phillips is buried?? I don’t see that information anywhere.
Thanks!
I was born in Portland in 1942. My mother and father were good friends with Claire and her husband Bob Clavier. I remember them staying at our home on many occasions and was present when my parents retold the stories Claire told them about her time in the Philippines. In fact, the article caused me to retrieve my copy of the exact same picture featured in the article. The picture was apparently taken at the time a General presented Claire with the Medal of Freedom. My copy is marked “proof” on the front, “Photographed by Fort Lewis Sentinel” on the back and the notation Mrs. Robert R. Clavier, 1325 S.E. 17th Street, Port. Ore.
Some very interesting comments. As for the questions about Claire Phillips why don’t you ask the real informative affiliate of this article Sig Unander. He stated publicaly in November 2010 that Claire was buried in the Philippines at the war memorial there. He also stated that Dian was adopted, and in relation to adoption was a, drop out. Perhaps you should ask him as a professional I would think he would have “proof” of what he is stating for you all. Claire lived at 14th st. in Portland until she died. Please continue to ask questions, Claire Phillips believed all people are capable of extaodinary things, no matter what color, size or shape.
Wendy and Gerald