IT was time once more to honor the men and women who died during moments of celebration despite the bloody cost, on Tuesday, July 28, inside the protective cocoon of the Los Angeles City Council.
It wasn’t just about the colors or uniforms. It was just a few moments to show off their med- als and remember bittersweet memories.
Many of those who left for World War II were fresh, muscular 20-21 year-old young adults. Back then, they were strong and resolute, bonded in a relationship war forged with fire and steel. Now they sit on wheelchairs or walk aided by a cane, some can no longer walk. Some were unable to speak to us about the death defying dramas they survived oh so long ago!
Craggy faced veterans in their uniforms and garrison caps, bedecked with medals of valor, stomachs in, shoulders back, faces set firm, stood solemnly, occasionally dabbing at their eyes.
It was a day of retracing the steps from many year ago, in honor of fallen comrades. The men in their uniforms, the Fil-Am community, began to clap and stomp their feet and some began to cry.
The people’s applauses were special. They weren’t in the program. There was no cue. People simply put their hands together, in long sustained ovation for the bemedaled veterans of a world war, who came perhaps for the last time to pay tribute to the few left among them, and their untucked memories.
Why are the Filipino veterans, all 100,000 of them (with only 75,000 survivors and the remaining 25,000 dying at the rate of five each day) not given equal access to the benefits long enjoyed by Americans with whom they fought side by side in the Bataan Peninsula, at Leyte Gulf and in the mountains of Luzon?
As the old veteran saying goes: “They gave up their tomorrows for your today!”
We honor in different ways WWII veterans and even more those that have gone.
Last Tuesday, the LA City Council, led by Council President Herb Wesson, Councilmen Mitch O’Farell and David Ryu produced an unparalleled tribute to the remnants of WWII veterans. Councilmember Krekorian, who sponsored the resolution, presented the certificate of recognition to surviving veterans, Francisco Franco Arcebal, who fought in the Battle of Bessang Pass; Greg Albeno, a Bataan Death march survivor; and John Aspiras Jr. of JFAV.
It was a commemoration of the 70th year anniversary of the Battle of Bessang Pass, June of 1945, the only Filipino Military victory over Japan’s Imperial army in WWII in the Philippines.
Scores of widows and relatives of the veterans, Art Garcia led the JFAV, Bernie Ganon of FASGI, Silverlake CBAS and SAFACE filled the Hall. It was capped by a Chinese luncheon hosted by FASGI Executive Director Ms. Yey Coronel.
