[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 23 (Thursday, March 3, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E366]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN MEMORY OF MAGDALENO DUENAS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 3, 2005

  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the life of 
Magdaleno Duenas, a World War II military hero who passed away on 
February 27 at the age of 90.
  We honor and thank him for his courageous military service and the 
sacrifices he made for our nation, as well as his lifelong struggle on 
behalf of Filipino veterans of World War II. His life is a symbol of 
the struggle for total recognition of Filipino veterans and a sad 
reminder of a shameful page in the history of our nation.
  Born and raised in the Philippines, Mr. Duenas joined the 101st 
Infantry in 1941. In 1943, he joined the guerilla forces in the 
mountains and was captured by the Japanese while procuring food for 
American soldiers. Under questioning, Mr. Duenas denied any knowledge 
of the whereabouts of the American soldiers. He escaped, and helped 10 
U.S. soldiers escape the Japanese POW camp.
  Mr. Duenas came to the United States to claim his U.S. citizenship 
and military benefits, and fell into the hands of an abusive landlord 
in Richmond, Calif. He and 16 other veterans were held in captivity, 
beaten, chained and fed dog food, while their landlord kept their 
monthly government checks.
  After being rescued, his experience received news coverage. It 
brought public attention to the plight of elderly Filipino veterans who 
came to America expecting to receive previously promised veterans' 
pensions for their honorable U.S. military service, but instead learned 
that Congress had stripped them of those benefits and recognition.
  Thousands of Filipino veterans came to the U.S. seeking equity and 
have waited 60 years for the promise to be honored. After fighting for 
more than half a century for their right to U.S. citizenship, other 
issues related to their health and recognition remain to be addressed. 
Many live alone in poverty. It is a national tragedy to see our 
veterans suffer from neglect, despair and hopelessness.
  Mr. Duenas moved to San Francisco's Tenderloin district in 1993, 
where he was vibrant member of our community. This diminutive, gentle 
man worked tirelessly to improve the experience of Filipino Veterans in 
the Bay Area.
  All these years, he waited for the recognition of the U.S. Government 
for the services he rendered during WWII. He was featured in two 
documentaries: Tears of Old and Second Class Citizens. He died still 
waiting for the full equity bill to be passed by the U.S. Congress. We 
will not rest until the equity bill becomes law.
  Mr. Speaker, we will never forget his struggle on the frontlines of 
the battlefield and on the frontlines of the fight for equity for 
Filipino veterans. Mr. Duenas' courage and resolve moves all of us to 
continue the fight for justice in our country for all people.
  We will never forget the sacrifices Mr. Duenas and other Filipino 
veterans made for our freedom. We must dedicate ourselves as a nation 
to ensure that America fulfills its moral obligation to those who pay 
the high price for our freedom.

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