[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 87 (Thursday, June 13, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6243-S6244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 64--RELATIVE TO FILIPINO WORLD WAR II 
                                VETERANS

  Mr. INOUYE (for himself and Mr. Akaka) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary:


                            S. Con. Res. 64

       Whereas the Commonwealth of the Philippines was 
     strategically located and thus vital to the defense of the 
     United States during World War II;
       Whereas the military forces of the Commonwealth of the 
     Philippines were called into the United States Armed Forces 
     during World War II by Executive order and were put under the 
     command of General Douglas MacArthur;
       Whereas the participation of the military forces of the 
     Commonwealth of the Philippines in the battles of Bataan and 
     Corregidor and in other smaller skirmishes delayed and 
     disrupted the initial Japanese effort to conquer the Western 
     Pacific;
       Whereas that delay and disruption allowed the United States 
     the vital time to prepare the forces which were needed to 
     drive the Japanese from the Western Pacific and to defeat 
     Japan;
       Whereas after the recovery of the Philippine Islands from 
     Japan, the United States was able to use the strategically 
     located Commonwealth of the Philippines as a base from which 
     to launch the final efforts to defeat Japan;
       Whereas every American deserves to know the important 
     contribution that the military forces of the Commonwealth of 
     the Philippines made to the outcome of World War II; and
       Whereas the Filipino World War II veterans deserve 
     recognition and honor for their important contribution to the 
     outcome of World War II: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that the 
     President should issue a proclamation which recognizes and 
     honors the Filipino World War II veterans for their defense 
     of democratic ideals and their important contribution to the 
     outcome of World War II.

  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise to submit a concurrent resolution 
which recognizes the valiant military service of Filipino soldiers 
during World War II.
  The Philippine Islands were the possessions of the United States from 
the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898 until shortly after the end 
of World War II in 1946. On December 8, 1941, the Japanese invaded the 
Philippine Islands. The invasion delayed the islands' independence from 
the United States for 2 years.
  On July 26, 1941, 4 months before the invasion of the Philippines, 
President Roosevelt issued a military order calling members of the 
Philippine Commonwealth Army:

     into the service of the armed forces of the United States for 
     the period of the existing emergency, and placed under the 
     command of a general officer, United States Army * * * all of 
     the organized military forces of the Government of the 
     Philippines * * *

  On December 18, 1941, General MacArthur issued General Order No. 46 
which provided that:

       Pursuant to provisions of the Proclamation of the President 
     of the United States,

[[Page S6244]]

     dated July 26, 1941, all personnel of the Philippine Army on 
     active duty and all active units of the Philippine Army, less 
     personnel and units already accepted for service with the 
     United States Armed Forces, are hereby called into the 
     service of the armed forces of the United States in the 
     Philippines * * *

  Among the fierce battles fought was the battle at Bataan, which could 
not have been maintained without the valiant efforts of Filipino 
servicemen who constituted more than 75 percent of the troops and 
incurred a disproprionate number of deaths. During the Bataan Death 
March and subsequent internment, Japanese brutality toward Filipino 
solders far exceeded those of American prisoners. For example, 
approximately one-half of the 60,000 Filipino servicemen died at Bataan 
in contrast to one quarter of the 10,000 United States servicemen who 
lost their lives while imprisoned.
  According to a June 1973 Philipine study entitled ``The Status of 
Members of Philippine Military Forces During World War II,'' Filipino 
guerilla resistance movements arose prior to the May 7, 1942, surrender 
to the Japanese. These movements comprised of personnel from the 
Philippine Army, the Old Philippine Scouts and other units of the 
United States Army. These guerilla forces engaged in overly aggressive 
moves against the Japanese that resulted in heavy losses and the 
capture of many of the movement's leaders. From his headquarters in 
Australia, General MacArthur, in March 1943, instructed the guerillas 
to limit combat contact to the minimum necessary for self-protection, 
and to concentrate instead of improving organizational 
and intelligence-gathering abilities. During May 1942 to May 1944, the 
Japanese could only maintain control over the major cities and towns 
because guerilla forces controlled the countryside. Without the combat 
and support contributions of the guerilla forces before and during 
General MacArthur's return to the Philippines in October 1944,

     the task of reoccupying the Islands would have been vastly 
     more costly to the United States in terms of time, money, 
     manpower, and casualties.

  On October 28, 1944, Philippine Commonwealth President Osmena issued 
Executive Order No. 21, which recognized the military service of 
guerilla forces as active service in the Philippine Army, the date of 
entry into such active service being the date of joining a recognized 
guerilla force. General MacArthur subsequently issued retroactive 
recognition orders dating back to the times when the various guerilla 
units began to fight, thereby bringing them within the terms of 
President Roosevelt's order calling Philippine forces into the service 
of the United States. Effective June 30, 1946, after cessation of 
hostilities in the Philippine Islands, the Philippine Army and its 
recognized guerilla units were released from service in the armed 
forces of the United States by military order of the President.
  The Philippine Army and its recognized guerilla units, loyally and 
valiantly fought, suffered, and in many instances, died in the service 
of our country, in the same manner as other members of our armed forces 
during World War II. We must not ignore the recognition they duly 
deserve as United States veterans. Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to 
support this resolution which recognizes the valiant military service 
of the Filipino World War II soldiers.
  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise to join my colleague, the senior 
Senator from Hawaii, to recognize and honor World War II Filipino 
veterans. The concurrent resolution we submit today is the first step 
in acknowledging the contributions made by Filipino veterans to the 
United States during World War II.
  Few Americans realize the pivotal role Filipinos played during World 
War II. From 1898 to 1946, the Philippines were a U.S. possession. 
Although the Philippine Independence Act of 1934 established a 10 year 
timetable for independence and bestowed the Commonwealth of the 
Philippines with certain powers over internal affairs, its full 
independence was delayed until 1946 because of the Japanese occupation 
from 1942 to 1945.
  Between 1934 and 1946, the United States retained certain sovereign 
powers over the Philippines. President Roosevelt invoked an executive 
order on July 26, 1941, which ordered the Philippine Commonwealth Army 
into the service of the U.S. Army Forces of the Far East under the 
command of Lieutenant General Douglas MacArthur.
  Thousands of Filipinos served with United States military personnel 
in the Pacific during World War II. Of the nearly 142,000 Filipino 
veterans who fought during World War II, only 70,000 survivors remain 
today. From the Japanese landing at Lingayen to the liberation of the 
Philippines in 1944, Filipino Army units gave their all to repel 
Japanese forces. Filipinos forces marched alongside Americans in the 
Death March after the surrender at Bataan and Corregidor. Thousands of 
Filipinos continued to resist Japanese occupation and continued to 
assist the United States through intelligence gathering throughout the 
war.
  In return for their service, Filipino veterans were granted benefits 
amounting to only fifty cents on the dollar compared to other veterans. 
President Truman objected to the restrictions on benefits for the 
Commonwealth Army veterans. The Filipino veterans who were called into 
service by the United States served just as honorably and faithfully as 
American veterans and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.
  Recognition of the Filipino veterans who served during World War II 
is long overdue and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

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