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Press Release: |
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28 February 2006
Filipino WWII Vets, former US Congressman Honored
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Former US Representative Tom Campbell (2nd row 5th from left), Consul General Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez (2nd row 3rd from right), Commander Gregory Corrales, U.S. Navy ret. (1st row 5th from left) and Commander Rudy Asercion, U.S. Navy ret. (2nd row 4th from right) with Filipino WWII Veterans
Consul General Sanchez and Former US Representative Campbell with members of SF Consulate team.
Surviving Filipino World War II veterans and former United States
Representative Tom Campbell, now Dean of the Haas School of
Business at UC Berkeley were honored last 27 February 2006 in
simple rites held by the War Memorial Commission in San Francisco.
The former soldiers were given recognition for their valiant
effort of defending both the Philippines and the United States
during the Second World War while Mr. Campbell was feted for
his activities on behalf of these same military men.
The event was attended by members of the San Francisco Consular
Corps, representatives from the office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger,
Senator Diane Feinstein, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Speaker
Pro Tempore Leland Yee, Mr. Duf Sundheim, Chair of the California
Republican Party, members of the Filipino-American community,
and Filipino veterans who fought with distinction in World War
II.
The gathering which was organized by Commander Rudy Asercion
(U.S. Navy, ret.) honored Tom Campbell who was the driving force
behind HR 2407, the law which provided for the “naturalization
of natives of the Philippines through active-duty service in
the Armed Forces of the United States during World War II or
the Filipino World War II Veterans Naturalization Act of 1989.”
During the event Mr. Campbell received several certificates
of appreciation from the representatives of the various elected
officials present at the event. He also gave a stirring speech
in honor of the brave Philippine Scouts that fought with distinction
in those difficult days. He said “While the war was still
being fought, when America needed every Philippine Scout who
could carry a gun, the US Congress made a promise. Filipino
Scouts would be entitled to citizenship upon the war’s
end. American citizenship had not been extended to the civilians
of the Philippines. But for the Scouts, it would be. That was
the promise….In February of 1946, barely six months after
the end of the war, Scouts were no longer recognized as American
military veterans. The Congress passed the Rescission Act, and
officially withdrew its promise. America, a great country, had
gone back on its word “
“When I swore to uphold
the Constitution of the United States, on the floor of the House
of Representatives in January, 1989, I swore as well that America
would remember its promise…My bill reversed the 1946 Rescission
Act’s closed window for Filipino Scout veterans applying
for US citizenship. It also put INS officials in the Philippines
to naturalize all Scout veterans wanting to become US citizens.
Forty-three years after the promise was broken, my bill proposed
restoring the promise,” he added.
Consul General Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez also paid tribute
to the Filipino World War II Veterans “these heroes fought
bravely for the Filipino people and they deserve our undying
respect and gratitude.” The Consul General also honored
Mr. Campbell through the message of Her Excellency President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo “The Philippine government and
the Filipino people appreciate your efforts in giving due recognition
to our Filipino war veterans. These efforts underscore the strong
bond of friendship between our two countries which were forged
during a difficult period in world history.”
“Tom
Campbell as a former U.S. representative and as a citizen of
the United States today continues the struggle for our Filipino
veterans, we are fortunate to have such a good and decent man
giving so much of himself for our heroes,” she added.
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