Filipino Veterans Education Center

Memorial Day 2024 Picture of Flag Planted in front of the tombstone of Major General Frederick Funston.

Footnote from the Philippine American War Research Project.

It was not until February, 1901, that Aguinaldo’s actual hiding-place was discovered. Col. Frederick Funston formulated a scheme and led an expedition with four other American officers to capture Gen. Aguinaldo. Authorized by Arthur MacArthur, the raiding party consisted of Col. Funston, Captain Newton, Lieutenant Hazzard, Lieutenant Kitchell and 82 Filipino soldiers loyal to the Americans..

The Malolos Republic collapsed after the capture of General Aguinaldo. The American troops moved in to occupy the Philippines.

President Roosevelt announced official conclusion of the Insurrection on 4 July 1902. General Funston was then sent to the Presidio in San Francisco, as commander of the Department of California.

On May 14, 1903 President Roosevelt dedicated the Dewey Monument in San Francisco's Union Square as a tribute to the sailors of the US Navy commemorating the victory of Admiral George Dewey and the American fleet over Spanish forces at Manila Bay.

In 1906, General Funston ordered the US Army demolition team to blow up certain buildings and was credited for great services to San Francisco when The City was devastated by earthquake and fire.

Brigadier General Frederick Funston, died of a heart attack on February 19, 1917. His body laid in state at San Francisco’s City Hall rotunda on February 23rd and 24th, 1917, and was buried at the Presidio of San Francisco. General Funston’s widow and surviving family members lived in San Francisco. Mrs. Eda Funston died in the early thirties and was buried next to her husband in the Presidio.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7-4EmsZFF_k

Catch Mr. Balatkayo in person on December 16 at Marriott Burlingame.For tickets please go to:
Http://tinyurl.com/westbay55

Donate to West Bay Pilipino Multi Service Corporation Help support West Bay Pilipino Multi Service Corporation by donating or sharing with your friends.

This city was ravaged in WWII. Why do few remember the suffering and sacrifice? — Los Angeles Times Even in the Philippines, the 1945 battle by American and Filipino forces to liberate Manila is largely forgotten. Researchers and historians are trying to change that.

WWII Pictures on Twitter “Color footage of the flag raising on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima, filmed 75 years ago on this day. ”

The money was used to buy weapons,ammunition, and supplies for the allied cause such as this check paid to the Moore Shipbuilding Company of Oakland California. This one check was 10% of the total paid to Moore to construct ships for
the war: $13.5 million through 1918- $223 million in 2018 dollars.

Today in Philippine History
JULY 5, 1945

The complete Liberation of the Philippines from Japanese forces was declared by General Douglas Macarthur.

* * * * * * * *

from the Philippine Official Gazette
(gov.ph)
.. (A) historical event of the month was the announcement made on July 5, 1945, by General MacArthur that “the entire Philippine Islands are now liberated and the Philippine campaigns can be regarded as virtually closed.”

According to the announcement, the enemy during the operations employed 23 divisions, all of which were practically annihilated. The American forces comprised only 17 divisions.

“This was one of the rare instances,” General MacArthur said, “when in a long campaign a ground force superior in numbers was entirely destroyed by a numerically inferior opponent.”
________

On the day following the announcement, Commonwealth President Sergio Osmeña issued a statement expressing to America and, in particular, to General MacArthur, the Filipino people’s gratitude for the complete liberation of the Philippines.

“No event since the memorable day the American forces landed in Leyte,” the President declared, “can match the significance of this liberation, not only for us but also for the other peoples who are still in the grip of the treacherous enemy.” The complete liberation of the Philippines, according to the President, presages the return of “normal civil conditions and the full enjoyment by the Filipinos of their constitutional rights and prerogatives.”

“Upon the termination of the Northern Luzon campaign and the liberation of the whole island of Luzon on June 28, 1945, United States President Harry S. Truman and United States Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson sent General MacArthur congratulatory messages.

“With the complete defeat of the Japanese in Luzon,” President Truman said, “you have swept them from all the Philippines and redeemed the promises of the American people to the loyal Filipino people.”

Secretary Stimson in his message said that the liberation of Luzon was a “most skillful and heroic achievement.” He declared: “Your great victory hastens the day when the last of the oppressors will have been cleared from Philippine soil.”

________

Statement of President Sergio Osmeña:
On the occasion of the Complete Liberation of the Philippines
released on July 5, 1945

"The complete liberation of the Philippines, as announced by General MacArthur, fills every Filipino heart with supreme satisfaction. No event since the memorable day the American forces landed in Leyte can match the significance of this liberation, not only for us but also for the other peoples who are still in the grip of the treacherous enemy.

"The Philippines as a powerful base of American operations places the same forces that have freed us practically at the doorsteps of Japan. From our direction the decisive blow will be dealt—the blow that will make it impossible for the Japanese to repeat the atrocities inflicted on peace-loving peoples.

"At the same time the complete liberation of the Philippines presages the return of normal civil conditions and the full enjoyment by us of our constitutional rights and prerogatives.

"To America and, in particular, to General MacArthur goes our heartfelt gratitude for the permanent liquidation of the Japanese menace and the assurance of peace, security, and freedom for the people of this country."

Source: Presidential Museum and Library/ Osmeña, S. (1945). Statement of President Sergio Osmeña on the occasion of the Complete Liberation of the Philippines.Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines, 41 (4), 290.

* * * * * * * *

sources

info: gov.ph (Official Gazette of the Philippines)
photo: Wikimedia Commons (photo was cropped & enhanced from its original version)

from 2016

This Retired US Army Major from Vallejo is running for US Congress.

California’s Army Filipino Regiments played important role in WWII, beyond PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. (June 27, 2022) – Corregidor had fallen. The Commonwealth of the Philippines, a United States territory since 1898, was occ...

Once they were men: The only one remaining is MR. Reggie Nacua, seen here standing in the middle of the photo (behind Rudy Asercion). This historic picture of Filipino WWII Veterans and advocates of AB 199 was taken to commemorate the passage of the legislation to include the Filipino WWII veteran’s history in the curriculum of K12 students which Governor Jerry Brown signed on October 8, 2011. AB 199 is based in part on the documentation contained in these WWII veterans’ collections that include the history of the Rescission Act and their 60 year advocacy to have it reversed. Photo L-R Rodel Rodis, Carmen Colet, Tina Novero Rudy Asercion, Ester Aure, Yolanda Ortega Stern and Greg Macabenta.

Philippine Embassy in Washington DC, USA

DFA STATEMENT ON THE RETURN OF THE BALANGIGA BELLS

Manila, 15 November 2018

After 117 years, the bells of Balangiga will be coming home. This morning the Government of the United States announced it would be returning the historic bells to the Philippines. The Philippine Government and the Filipino people appreciate this gesture. Today is a time of solemn remembrance as we pay tribute to all those who gave up their lives during the Filipino-American War. We also honor the shared sacrifice of Filipinos and Americans who fought shoulder to shoulder during the Second World War. We are grateful for the efforts of the executive and legislative branches of the United States Government, most especially Secretary of Defense James Mattis and US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley as well as concerned Filipino and American friends, who worked together over the years to bring the bells back home. END

Inquirer VetEduCtr 1 16 2016

Inaugural Opening of FVEC

youtube.com

Grey Team

It is with a heavy heart that Grey Team informs you that CSM Patrick Gavin Tadina, the longest continuously serving Ranger in Vietnam and one of the war’s most decorated enlisted soldiers, has died a few days ago in North Carolina. He was 77.

CSM Tadina served in Vietnam with the 173rd AB, LRRP, 74th Infantry Detachment Long Range Patrol, and Company N (Ranger), 75th Infantry. For over 5 years, between 1965 and 1970, he led long-range reconnaissance patrols deep into enemy territory — often dressed in black pajamas and sandals, and carrying an AK-47. His small stature and dark complexion helped him pass for a Viet Cong soldier on patrols in the Central Highlands.

Even though he was a leader, Tadina always took point position in his team. Because of his appearance, he would brazenly walk up to within a few feet of the enemy, open fire, then hastily retreat, leading the surviving enemy pursuers directly into an ambush, previously set up by his team.

A native of Hawaii, Tadina also served in the Dominican Republic, Grenada, and Iraq.

During his 30-year US Army career, Tadina earned two Silver Stars, 10 Bronze Stars — seven with valor — three Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry, four Army Commendation Medals, including two for valor, and three Purple Hearts.

Rest easy CSM, you will not be forgotten.

Perhaps more than any American institution, none has had a greater impact on Filipinos, both economically and socially, than the United States Navy.

According to an article "Filipino American Lives" by Yen Le Espiritu, Temple University Press, Philadelphia, the U.S. Navy began actively recruiting Filipinos as stewards and mess boys as early as 1898. In 1901, President William McKinley issued General Order No. 40 allowing the U.S. Navy to recruit up to 500 Filipinos for the Naval Insular Force. By World War I, there were some 6,000 Pinoys, or Filipinos, in the U.S. Navy.

Most were assigned as stewards performing the work of domestics, serving as cooks and doing menial jobs such as cleaning up in the galley, the wardroom and living quarters of officers.

Under a 1947 agreement, only the U.S. Navy was allowed to recruit Filipinos for its armed forces and during the Korean War, the Navy annually took in up to 2,000 Filipinos, ages 18 to 24. By 1970, there were close to 17,000 Filipinos in the U.S. Navy. Someone mentioned that there were probably more Filipinos in the U.S. Navy than in the Philippine Navy.

For many of our young men, a career in the U.S. Navy was a life-long dream. In a number of communities, joining the U.S. Navy had become a tradition as well as a badge of distinction. The U.S. bases in the Philippines exposed the local people to American wealth, culture and standards of living, generating strong incentive for enlistment. In particular, the monetary incentive for joining was exceptional --the salary of a raw recruit was a lot higher than many in the towns and villages where they came from. There was also the opportunity to gain permanent residency in the United States and with that, eventual citizenship.

Gordon explains issue behind return to PH of Balangiga Bells

The Bells of Balangiga are back in the news.

news.mb.com.ph Senator Richard Gordon has lamented the continued

Who is Sol Bayoneta and why is his discharge paper the only one signed by Douglas MacArthur, the General of the Army. Learn more about this WWII veteran at the Filipino Veterans Education Center.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Veterans History Project Urges Public to Submit Memories of their Veterans in New Library of Congress PSA

PSA Now Available for Veteran's Day

Frederick, MD – The Library of Congress Veterans History Project (VHP) is marking its twentieth anniversary by issuing a new :30 second TV broadcast Public Service Announcement (PSA) in English and Spanish. The PSA urges the public to record interviews and/or submit photos, letters, diaries or journals of their veterans to the VHP.

For the past two decades the Library of Congress Veterans History Project has had a mission: to collect the stories and original materials of U.S. veterans.

Now more than ever the stories of our veterans play an integral part in the preservation of our history and help educate future generations, because their stories are our stories.

For more information visit our online press kit:
http://3roads.com/press-kits/veterans-history-project/
Library of Congress Veterans History Project 2019 PSA (ENGLISH)
Library of Congress Veterans History Project 2018 PSA (SPANISH)
The PSA is available to all broadcasting and social media organizations at no charge.

To download the HD TV broadcast version of the PSA, please click here.

Please email us at [email protected] to let us know if you’ve downloaded the PSA.

Veterans History Project was created in 2000 by Congress as part of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. VHP's mission is to collect, preserve, and make accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. VHP relies on volunteers to interview veterans to contribute to the permanent library collection by submitting audio and video interviews along with documentation. To learn more about the project and download the field kit visit www.loc.gov/vets