By SAMMY JULIAN
Manila News Bureau Chief
MANILA – A bill introduced in the United States Congress calling for the awarding of a single Congressional Gold Medal collectively to Filipino veterans of World War II in recognition of their service to the US from July 1941 to December 1946 is gaining support from Filipino-American community activists.
Organizers of the Filipino-American World War II Soldiers Recognition Project announced plans to hold a national summit in June to formally launch a national coalition and mobilize grassroots support for congressional action on House Bill 111, otherwise known as the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Colleen Hanabusa of Hawaii. It has more than 54 sponsors.
“There has never been a formal declaration to recognize Filipino-American soldiers for their sacrifice and loyal service during World War II,” said US Army Major General Antonio Taguba (Ret.) in a statement. “They fought bravely alongside American soldiers to resist Japanese aggression, engaged in guerilla warfare and provided intelligence to US forces critical in ultimately winning the war.”
The bill directs the Speaker of the House and the Senate President pro tempore to make arrangements for the award, on behalf of the US Congress.
The medal, the cost of which will be charged against the US Mint Public Enterprise Fund in an amount not to exceed $30,000, shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution for display.
The Smithsonian, in turn, should make the medal available for display elsewhere, particularly in locations associated with the Filipino war veterans.
According to House Bill 111, it was then US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who issued an order commissioning around 250,000 troops from the Philippines into active service for the US during World War II.
Philippine Scout units and the New Philippine Scouts, who were directly recruited by the US Army, immediately responded to President Roosevelt’s call-to-arms and later fought under the American flag throughout the entire duration of the war.
“Under extremely severe occupation policies imposed by the Japanese, it was the anti-Japanese resistance movement that drew more and more Filipinos to its side and through 1943 many of these anti-Japanese guerrillas recovered or newly established liaisons with the United States Army Command of the Southwest Pacific Area and placed themselves under the command of General Douglas MacArthur,” the measure stated.
Rep. Hanabusa said the US “remains forever indebted to the bravery, valor, and dedication to country these men displayed.”/PN
