someone explain the Filipino veterans to me

[yermom]

maybe this isn't quite Obamafest material, but wtf?

http://www.bakitwhy.com/articles/us-house-chairman-denies-request-hearing-filipino-wwii-veterans-surrender-medals-and


Some 250,000 Filipinos were commissioned by President Roosevelt before the war and were promises equal recognition and benefits as any American veterans. In 1946, the US Congress through the Rescission Act took away the recognition of US military service of the Filipinos, out of the 66 allied nationalities that served the US.

In the Enhanced GI Bill of 2008, for the second time in history, the Filipinos were singled out not to receive equal benefits.

[SCOUT]

I am not familiar with the specifics of the Filipinos, but this sounds like a travesty. I do know that some of the most decorated forces in WWII were international. Read up on the Gurkha Brigade.

[yermom]

i don't remember that much about them, other than the kukris

[SCOUT]

I had a Japanese exchange student friend in high school. He said that he learned in school that the Japanese military were completely dedicated to the Emperor. They only feared two things. Being captured by the US and facing the Gurkhas.

The kukri was one of the reasons why. Seeing a Gurkha literally decapitate a soldier with a single swing apparently had an affect on morale.


A total of 250,280[26] Gurkhas served in 40 battalions, plus eight Nepalese Army battalions, plus Parachute, training, garrison, and porter units during the war[27], in almost all theatres. In addition to keeping peace in India, Gurkhas fought in Syria, North Africa, Italy, Greece and against the Japanese in the jungles of Burma, northeast India and also Singapore.[28] They did so with considerable distinction, earning 2,734 bravery awards in the process[26] and suffering around 32,000 casualties in all theatres.[29]

[StoopTroup]

I could write a bunch of stuff regarding how this makes me feel but I think upsetting these guys further isn't the best way to honor all the Veterans who fought in that horrible War.

I'll leave it to the US Veterans of WWII to comment on someone who would return their medals over $15,000.

These two comments really try to bring some reason to these Veterans who are giving up even the things I know they have so dearly held onto all these years. It's sad to see them do this.


Please don't take this too personally. The US Government has never given any benefits to Veterans of Air America (an 'airline' owned by the US Government) who fought for the US for 25 years from 1949 - 1975. These veterans have received ZERO from the US Government. I only say this that please don't view this as some sort of racial issue or turning the other cheek. The US Federal government is doing this to its own citizens today.

That being said the Veterans of the US Territory of the Philippine Islands should get their due. If they have the deserved recognition on the WWII memorial on the National Mall (which they do), they should get the financial benefits as well.


As a son of a World War II veteran, I was one of the few beneficiaries of the US gov't educational benefits. At least my father, Marcial T. Sagmit, Sr., was so proud of the benefits I will achieved from that.
But deep in his heart, what he and all the World War II veterans want is to be recognized, given all the credits from Gen. Douglas MacArthur and no less than Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt right after the war ended. Unfortunately for my father and all the veterans, especially Filipino veteran today, they lost their last fight. God Bless the Filipino WW II veterans!

I know that some Veterans only wanted to be properly Welcomed Home instead of spit on.

This is just another incident that should continue to remind us all that nothing good comes from a War. No matter who wins and who loses...there are going to be hard feelings.

[olevetonahill]

Its a crock of ****. With out the Filipinos we would have lost a hell of a lot more US troops there before the surrender and during the Jap occupation of the Islands.

I can understand their frustration and anger. I would prolly do the same if I were in their shoes.

It doesnt seem they are asking for anything more than was promised them

[StoopTroup]

We have processed a lot of their requests.

I wonder if he's been such a part of the whining that they just decided to process his last and intended to even give him special consideration and now he's gone bat **** crazy so they don't have to? Maybe they will instead use the money to build a nice Statue honoring the completion of Roosevelt's Promise to them all?

I'm not saying any of this is right but nobody likes to be put on the spot by the actions of a President that died in office defending this Country until his own Death. Had he lived, I'll bet he would have made good on his promise to them.

Politics sucks and this is proof of how long it can and will suck.

[yermom]

equal benefits and recognition is only $15,000?

[TheHumanAlphabet]

The Filipinos were organized as guerillas with the US military as coordinators and ranking officers of the fighters. They fought as an underground force hitting thenhiding from the Japs. They kept up the fight until the army returned.

[KantoSooner]

It's especially egregious to stiff these guys as the Philippines where a US colony pushing for independence. It would have been easy for these guys to simply sit out the whole war. Instead, they stepped forward.
Very shabby treatment, considering the sacrifice.