WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye today continued his efforts to secure long-promised benefits for Filipino veterans who fought under the U.S. flag during World War II. These Filipino veterans, who died and bled alongside U.S. troops, were promised full U.S. veterans’ benefits, but in 1946, the U.S. Congress betrayed the Filipino soldiers by passing legislation that took away the very benefits to which they were entitled.
Senator Inouye, who for nearly 20 years has sought to rectify this wrong, now has a provision in S. 1315, the Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act, that would end this injustice.
Today, S. 1315 cleared a procedural hurdle, and will be put to a vote after as much as 30 hours of debate.
Senator Inouye today spoke extemporaneously on the Senate floor about the importance of the legislation, and also issued the following statement:
“This measure would provide an array of benefits to young and old veterans. The intent of veterans’ benefits is to ensure that the brave men and women who serve in our military are compensated for their service to our nation, and are assured certain benefits once they have left the service of the military. The Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act does just that by expanding a myriad of programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“Unfortunately, there are still some veterans who have not been able to claim the benefits that they have duly earned through service to our nation. Included in S. 1315 is a provision that would restore benefits to Filipino veterans by granting them full veterans’ status for the sacrifices they made during World War II. Some of you know of my continued advocacy on the importance in addressing the plight of the Filipino World War II veterans, all of whom are in their twilight years. As an American, I believe the treatment of Filipino World War II veterans was shameful. At a time when we as a nation recognize our longstanding history, commitment, and friendship with the Philippines, our treatment of these brave men is a stain on our national honor.
“The Philippines became a U.S. possession in 1898, when it was ceded by Spain, following the Spanish-American War. In 1934, the Congress enacted the Philippine Independence Act, Public Law 73-127, which provided a 10-year time frame for the independence of the Philippines. Between 1934 and final independence in 1946, the United States retained certain powers over the Philippines, including the right to call military forces organized by the newly formed Commonwealth government into the service of the U.S. Armed Forces.
“On July 26, 1941, during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a military order, calling on the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines to serve with the United States Armed Forces in the Far East. The Filipinos who served were entitled to full veterans’ benefits by reason of their active service with our armed forces. Of the 470,000 Filipino veterans who volunteered, approximately 200,000 served in the Philippine Commonwealth Army, Philippine Army Air Corps, and the Philippine Army Off Shore Patrol, and another 200,000 served in recognized guerilla units. Today, approximately 18,000 surviving veterans reside in the United States and the Philippines.
“I believe that too many Americans are not aware of, or have forgotten the sacrifices of our Filipino friends. The estimated total of forces in defense of the Bataan Peninsula were 80,000 and comprised of troops from the U.S. Army, Philippine Scouts, and the Philippine Commonwealth Army. In the spring of 1942, the Japanese 14th Army overran the Bataan Peninsula and after a heroic but futile defense more than 75,000 American and Filipino troops were captured. Of the 75,000, there were 15,000 Americans; the remaining 60,000 were all Filipinos. From April 9, 1942, through May of that year, the infamous Bataan Death March continued. Many ill and seriously wounded prisoners of war were forced to make the devastating march of 65 to70 miles on foot, without medicine or water. Of the 75,000 who started, only 54,000 prisoners reached POW Camp O’Donnell alive; a staggering 15,000 died during the march. The remaining 6,000 escaped to organize or join underground guerilla forces.
“After the fall of the Bataan Peninsula, the Japanese turned its sights on Corregidor from April 6, 1942 to May 1942. The estimated forces in defense of Corregidor totaled 13,000, and was comprised of American and Filipino troops. Of this number, 800 were killed, 1,000 were wounded, and 11,000 were captured and forced to march through the city of Manila after which they were sent to various POW camps. The rest escaped to organize or join the underground guerilla army.
“On December 20, 1941, President Roosevelt signed the Selective Training and Service Amendments Act, which, among other things, allowed Filipinos in the United States to enlist, and also provided them with the opportunity to become United States citizens by virtue of the fact that they were serving in the military.
“The mobilization of forces included the activation and assumption of command of the First Filipino Infantry Battalion on April 1, 1942, at Camp San Luis Obispo with four officers and 12 enlisted personnel. There were so many recruits, orders were issued to activate the First Filipino Infantry Regiment and Band at Salinas, California, effective July 13, 1942, with 143 officers, six warrant officers, and 3,019 enlisted men. The Second Filipino Infantry Regiment was activated on November 21, 1942, at Fort Ord, California. In all, approximately 7,000 Filipinos and Filipino Americans fought in the U.S. Army 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments.
“When General Douglas MacArthur was forced to flee the Philippines on March 17, 1942, he vowed to return. But to live up to this promise he realized he would need intelligence behind enemy lines. More than 800 handpicked volunteers from the 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments were assigned to supply intelligence in the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion in the Japanese-occupied Philippines. By the end of the war, the unit’s casualties totaled 164 killed, six wounded, 178 missing, and 75 captured. More than half of the battalion received the Bronze Star for heroic service.
“Soldiers of the 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments participated in the bloody combat and mop-up operations in New Guinea, Leyte, Samar, Luzon, and the Southern Philippines. Members of the 1st Regiment were also attached to the U.S. 6th Army “Alamo Scouts,” a reconnaissance group that traveled 30 miles behind enemy lines to free Allied prisoners from the Cabanatuan death camp on January 30, 1945.
“Despite all of their sacrifices, on February 18, 1946, the Congress passed the Rescission Act of 1946, now codified as Section 107 of Title 38 of the United States Code. The 1946 Act deemed that the service performed by these Filipino veterans would not be recognized as active service for the purpose of any U.S. law conferring rights, privileges, or benefits. Accordingly, Section 107 denied Filipino veterans access to health care, particularly for non-service-connected disabilities, and pension benefits. Section 107 also limited service-connected disability and death compensation for Filipino veterans to 50 percent of what their American counterparts receive.
“Thus, Filipino World War II veterans are precluded from receiving most of the veterans’ benefits that were available to them prior to 1946, and that are available to all other veterans of our armed forces regardless of race, national origin, or citizenship status. Throughout the years, I have sponsored several measures to rectify the lack of appreciation America has shown to these gallant men and women who stood in harm’s way with our American soldiers and fought the common enemy during World War II.
“S. 1315 would restore veterans’ status to these World War II heroes. In particular, it would provide pension benefits to aid Filipino veterans, residing in the Philippines, during their twilight years. This pension would allow these veterans to live in dignity. Some of my Senate colleagues contend that the pension benefits, which are only one-third of those given to other veterans, are too generous under S. 1315, despite the fact that these aged veterans have been denied benefits for more than 60 years.
“The pension benefits under S. 1315 would amount to less than one-third of the basic pension amount provided to veterans living in the United States. The average income of persons residing in the Philippines, however, is considerably lower than their counterparts in the United States, so the pension benefits under S. 1315 would provide a decent living standard. Even so, at only one-third the U.S. rate, they would not afford Filipino veterans a higher standard of living than U.S. veterans. In addition, the average income in the Philippines does not accurately reflect the economic status of the World War II veterans who would receive this pension. The top 10 percent of the Filipino population earns 80 percent of country’s income. Yet, elderly veterans on fixed incomes are generally much worse off, and in need of assistance to meet their basic needs.
“Our nation cannot abandon those who have served under our flag. Heroes should never be forgotten or ignored. Let us not turn our backs on those who sacrificed so much. Let us instead work to repay all of these brave men for their sacrifices by providing them the veterans’ benefits they deserve. It is the right thing for our nation to do in honor of those who have bravely served in its defense. Now, in their twilight years, many of these men who rallied to protect America’s cherished way of life find themselves in need of allies to stand up and fight for them so they may enjoy the simple dignity of financial security.
“I hope that my colleagues will join me in rallying to the support of these proven friends of America, and act to redeem our nation’s debt of honor to them. I ask my colleagues to support the passage of this much deserved and much needed legislation not only for the Filipino veterans of World War II, but for all the gallant men and women who stood in harm’s way in defense of America.”
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