Written By Jamie Parsons
In celebration of the 80th anniversary of when President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a military order drafting Filipino military forces into the service of the U.S. Armed forces, the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan resolution honoring WWll Filipino veterans. Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50) and Congressman Ed Case (HI-1) introduced the resolution, with 16 other Reps. cosponsoring.
On July 26, 1941, Filipino military forces were called upon by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in order to weaken Japanese aggression in the Asia Pacific region. On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor Hawaii, and Clark Air Field in the Philippines were attacked, initiating fighting on the Pacific front.
More than 250,000 Filipinos served under the command of General McArthur in the Far East, guerilla units, and Philippine scouts. Thousands of Filipino soldiers died in the battles of Bataan and Corregidor, but their acts of selflessness gave the U.S. time in order to disrupt the Japanese’s plan for conquest in the Pacific. Three years after the battles, they resisted Japanese occupation all while staying loyal to the U.S.
Despite all the recent conflict between the parties, it’s a relief both parties can still come together to recognize and honor people who have made a historic impact on the country. Regardless of the Philippines being a U.S. territory throughout most of the war, they believed in our democratic values and fought tooth and nail to keep our philosophy alive. WWll is one of history’s greatest triumphs of freedom over global tyranny; this resolution is not only a celebration for Filipino veterans but a representation of what great America is and how much it’s worth fighting for.
