Filipino veterans of U.S. armed forces deserve benefits

I hope you had a restful Veterans’ Day. I also hope that you stopped, if only for a minute, to think of the millions of uniformed men and women who fought and died for this country over the centuries ““ risking their lives in Lexington, New Orleans, Gettysburg, Iwo Jima, Normandy, Baghdad, and Kabul. Those who join the armed services deserve the thanks and admiration of every citizen, regardless of our political affiliation, religious beliefs, or personal convictions.

There are some veterans who have not yet received America’s promised rewards. Filipino-American veterans, who were called to military service in 1941, have been denied the benefits of other World War II veterans. This is an enormous oversight, as some of the most brutal battles of the Pacific War were fought in the Philippines.

Filipinos have joined the U.S. Army since 1901, when the Philippine Scouts were essential in putting down Philippine Insurrection following the Spanish-American War. More Filipinos joined the Commonwealth Army of the United States Armed Forces Far East formed in 1935 in anticipation of Philippine independence.

Most of these soldiers grew up under American rule, and as a result saw themselves as American soldiers rather than foreign, second-class servicemen. In anticipation of Japanese aggression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a presidential order in July of 1941 placing the Filipino military under U.S. control. When the Japanese invaded the Philippines, these soldiers fought hard against long odds. While Singapore surrendered after eight days and Hong Kong after 17, the Japanese didn’t gain complete control of the Philippines until May 1942, six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. However, the Filipinos’ immediate reward for their valor was the cruelty of the Bataan Death March and Japanese prison camps; the very lucky escaped to live on the run as guerrillas, waiting for the Allies to return and risking Japanese reprisal not only on themselves, but on any civilians in the area.

Opinion and policy favored Filipino veterans after the war ““ General Omar Bradley, the head of the Veterans’ Administration, wrote to Congress about a benefits package that would run to three billion dollars. However, Congress didn’t approve the proposal.

Despite the fact that these residents of a U.S. commonwealth were called to duty by an American president, commanded by American officers, and fought alongside American soldiers, Congress and the War Department claimed that these soldiers weren’t American soldiers and were therefore, exempt from American veterans’ benefits. The U.S. split Filipino veterans into groups based on time served and status as a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or non-resident, and doled out benefits accordingly. While the U.S. government did its best to award medals and provide health care for veterans who chose to stay in the Philippines, some veterans ““ like those who served as guerrillas or as members of the Commonwealth Army ““ were denied family benefits such as education allowances, death pensions and disability accommodations that were available to the “Old Scouts,” who joined the Philippine Scouts component of the U.S. Army prior to 1945.

It seems reasonable to say that the men and women who fought under U.S. orders and alongside U.S. soldiers are no different than other American veterans, and they and their families deserve the same treatment.

The Filipino Veterans Fairness Act aims to amend Title 38 to grant full benefits to every Filipino veteran World War II. A version of the act has been introduced to Congress every year since 1993. Each version has died in committee.

While Congress is preoccupied with our current economic crisis, I hope that President-elect Barack Obama and the 111th Congress will take the time to address this oversight as a sign of good faith to the Asian-American community and our nation’s veterans. We have friends, relatives and neighbors overseas right now, with a government sworn to care for them when they come home. Filipino veterans have been asking for the same care for 50 years, and many have died waiting. This issue is not simply about fairness to foreign allies from a distant country. It is about justice for our fellow Americans who have been denied the full thanks of this great and grateful nation.

E-mail Sukaton at [email protected]. Send general comments to [email protected].