Pinoy WWII heroes honored in California event

LOS ANGELES — A group of Filipino and American war veterans who fought side by side against Japanese forces in the Philippines during the World War II met again recently, in a dinner-gathering at Sheraton Hotel in Universal City to "celebrate their survival." The event, which was organized by the Los Angeles-based Filipino Veterans Foundation also served as the 67th anniversary observance of the founding of the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE), a combined force of American and Filipino troops tasked to fight the Japanese Imperial Army in the Pacific war. Three of their leaders – Col. Edwin Ramsey, Commodore Ramon Alcaraz and Gen. Tagumpay Nanadiego – were presented “Awards for Legacy" at the event that was also attended by both American and Filipino veterans’ families, as well as local political and Filipino community dignitaries, notably L.A. Deputy Consul Daniel Espiritu and Ambassador to the U.S. Willy Gaa. Among the attendees were Glendale council member Bob Yousefian, and two U.S. soldiers who served in the Philippines, retired MSgt. Donald L. Versaw and LCDR Ernest S. Cowell. The Illinois-born and Kansas-raised Ramsey who was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Cavalry Reserve who volunteered for service in the Philippines at the outbreak of the war, formed guerrilla forces of Americans and Filipinos in Central Luzon following the fall of Bataan on April 9, 1942. The guerrillas’ sustained stand against the Japanese paved the way for the return of General Douglas MacArthur to the islands in preparation for the liberation of the Philippines in late 1944. Nanadiego, a survivor of the Bataan "Death March," labored over his words of gratitude to the crowd for their support. "I have post-traumatic stress," he apologized. The retired brigadier general who headed the Philippine Embassy’s veterans affairs office in Washington D.C. until 1999, suffers from diabetes, arthritis and strokes that are reportedly attributed to the malaria, hunger and tuberculosis he endured as a prisoner of war. Alcaraz, who was commissioned as an officer in the Philippine Commonwealth Army under U.S. Army Forces in the Far East in 1941, earned a silver star in combat for shooting down three Japanese planes, among other heroic exploits. A survivor of the Japanese prison camp like Nanadiego, Alcaraz also joined the guerrilla resistance movement until MacArthur’s return. Less than a dozen Filipino war veterans—part of the remaining few survivors of the 250,000 Filipino soldiers who served in WW2—sat quietly as the ceremonies rolled on. One of them, Sgt. Victor L. Rendal, 82, opted to talk about the pending S-1315 or the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007 currently awaiting passage at the House. "They said, there’s no money, but I am still hopeful." MSgt. Jose C. Reyes was more vocal; his words, however, were far from celebratory. "Most Republicans are opposing the bill, citing economic reasons. They say, the money that we are asking are taxpayers’ money," the 82-year old ex-USAFFE guerrilla said. "But what about our sacrifices for American freedom and democracy? We did not join the Army. We were conscripted to fight the war of the United States against Japan, whether we liked it or not. Because we are under the territory of the U.S., we were obligated to serve. What if the U.S. was defeated by Japan? Where is this talk about economy, where will this generation’s taxpayers be without our sacrifices?" S-1315 was okayed by the Senate, by a landslide vote of 96-1. The House has yet to calendar the bill for floor debate. Also honored at the gathering were Glendale resident Dottie Stone, and her sisters Gloria Rose and Elizabeth Waaler. The sisters, who were recently feted by the City of Glendale for their "extreme hardships, suffering, and unbearable sacrifices," were imprisoned at a Japanese-run internment camp at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila during the Japanese Occupation. "We truly want the world to know of the bravery and dedication to the US of these Filipino guerrillas who helped rescue us and saved our lives," Stone told Philippine News. "We have a large community of Filipinos in Glendale which I am sure are unaware of the great heritage they have and to be proud of. I would love to see some type of citation given to the Filipino people for the good of the past." That citation, apparently, should come in the way of the passage of S-1315. The “celebration" vibe held at that swank Hollywood hotel was a perfect contradiction to the sullen aura that dominates the cause of the Filipino war veterans. Depending on the allowances, the range (of what they are asking) is between $50 million and $100 million a year—an amount that declines as nature takes the war heroes’ dwindling energies away. U.S. lawmakers Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), and Rep. Bob Filner (D-California) delivered pre-recorded messages to the veterans. The event was co-sponsored by the Southern California chapters of the Philippine Medical Association and the Philippine Nurses Association. - Philippine News