FILIPINO VETERANS RECOGNITION AND EDUCATION PROJECT

1. FILIPINO VETERANS RECOGNITION AND EDUCATION PROJECT • INFORMATION BRIEF (V.5) • AS OF JANUARY 24, 2015

2. TO RAISE AWARENESS THROUGH ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OBTAIN NATIONAL RECOGNITION OF THE FILIPINO AMERICAN WORLD WWII SOLDIERS FOR THEIR WARTIME SERVICE TO THE UNITED STATES AND PHILIPPINES FROM JULY 1941 TO DECEMBER 1946. I AM A WARRIOR AND MEMBER OF THE TEAM I WILL ALWAYS PLACE THE MISSION FIRST I WILL NEVER ACCEPT DEFEAT I WILL NEVER QUIT I WILL NEVER LEAVE A FALLEN COMRADE (EXCERPT FROM THE U.S. ARMY SOLDIER’S CREED) MISSION

3. CONDUCT A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO – • INITIATE CONCLUSIVE ACADEMIC RESEARCH ON THE FILIPINO AMERICAN SOLDIERS EXPERIENCE DURING WORLD WAR II. • PHILIPPINE SCOUTS, PHILIPPINE COMMONWEALTH ARMY, RECOGNIZED GUERILLAS, NEW PHILIPPINE SCOUTS, 1ST FILIPINO INFANTRY REGIMENT, 2D FILIPINO INFANTRY BATTALION (SEP), AND 1ST RECON BATTALION. • RAISE NATIONAL AWARENESS AND PUBLIC EDUCATION/INFORMATION ON THEIR WARTIME SERVICE AND SACRIFICE IN DEFENDING THE PHILIPPINES AND UNITED STATES. • SEEK AN ACT OF U.S. CONGRESS TO AWARD A CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO THE FILIPINO AMERICAN WORLD WAR II SOLDIERS. PURPOSE

4. - President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a Military Order on July 26, 1941 directing the Philippine Commonwealth Army, Philippine Scouts, and Philippine Constabulary to be under the command of the Commander, U.S. Army Forces Far East (USAFFE) to defend the Philippines and United States. • - The fall of Bataan in April 1942, and Corregidor in May 1942 led to the capture of over 72,000 American and Filipino troops. • Remnants of the USAFFE forces and Filipino civilians organized into Recognized Guerilla Units led by U.S. and Philippine Army Officers. • The 1stFilipino Infantry Regiment, 2d Filipino Infantry Battalion (Sep), organized in California, and lst Recon Battalion participated in the Philippine Liberation in 1945-46. • Over 200,000 Filipino soldiers fought in WWII. An estimated 16,000 to 17,000 soldiers remain in the U.S. and Philippines. • BOTTOM LINE - Public awareness of the contributions of the Filipino soldiers during WWII is scant or nonexistent. There has been no formal declaration by the United States to recognize the Filipino American WWll Soldiers for their selfless sacrifice and dedicated service. FACTORS TO SUPPORT RECOGNITION

5. TUSKEGEE AIRMEN (WW II) MONTFORD MARINES (WW II) NAVAJO CODE TALKERS – Twice Awarded (WW II) WOMEN AIR SERVICE PILOTS (WW II) JAPANESE AMERICAN NISEI SOLDIERS (WW II) PUERTO RICAN SOLDIERS – 65TH INFANTRY REGIMENT (WW II) VETERANS MINORITY GROUPS FORMALLY RECOGNIZED BY CONGRESS WITH CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL – WORLD WAR II SERVICE

6. ESTABLISHED GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE: BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND REGIONAL GROUPS CONSISTING OF VETERANS SUPPORT ASSOCIATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. CONDUCT ACADEMIC AND HISTORICAL RESEARCH – LED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AT COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND AND MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. - TO PROVIDE INDISPUTABLE PROOF THE FILIPINO AMERICAN WORLD WAR II SOLDIERS FOUGHT THE JAPANESE IMPERIAL FORCES, AND SET THE CONDITIONS FOR U.S. AND ALLIED FORCES TO LIBERATE THE PHILIPPINES IN OCTOBER 1944, AND JAPANESE SURRENDER IN SEPTEMBER 1945. STARTED PROCESS TO CREATE AN EDUCATIONAL AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION - FILIPINO VETERANS RECOGNITION AND EDUCATION PROJECT – A NON PROFIT 501(C)(3) TAX-EXEMPT, NON PARTISAN, ORGANIZATION. SEEK CONGRESSIONAL AND GOVERNMENT SUPPORT – REQUIRING U.S. SENATE AND HOUSE SPONSORS, SUPPORT FROM THE DEPT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, U.S. ARMY, DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT. DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT EDUCATIONAL AND PUBLIC INFORMATION INITIATIVES TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE FILIPINO SOLDIERS’ CONTRIBUTIONS IN WWII ON BEHALF OF THE U.S. ACTIONS TO DATE

7. PHASE 1 – CONDUCT ACADEMIC RESEARCH ON THE FILIPINO SOLDIERS’ EXPERIENCE DURING WWII. CONTEMPORANEOUSLY, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT PUBLIC INFORMATION INITIATIVES TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE FILIPINO SOLDIERS’ CONTRIBUTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE U.S. PHASE 2 – U.S. CONGRESS PASS A NATIONAL RECOGNITION PROCLAMATION AND APPROVE THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. FOLLOWED BY A FORMAL PRESENTATION AND SERIES OF EVENTS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. PHASE 3 – PLAN FOR A NATIONAL EXHIBITION IN THE U.S. AND PHILIPPINES OF THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. CO-SPONSORED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, SPONSORS, AND ADVOCATES. PHASE 4 – ESTABLISH A DIGITIZED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM CO-SPONSORED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION AND SUPPORTERS FOR USE IN SECONDARY AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. PROJECT DESIRED OUTCOMES

8. Chairman: ANTONIO TAGUBA, MAJOR GENERAL, US ARMY RETIRED Vice Chairman: MARIE BLANCO Secretary: JON MELEGRITO General Counsel: ERICK SORIANO Treasurer: OPEN Student Representative: JOEL VASQUEZ Philippine Veterans: DELFIN LORENZANA, MAJOR GENERAL, PHILIPPINE ARMY, RETIRED REGIONAL DIRECTORS: Region 1: STEVEN RAGA – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire Region 2: SONNY BUSA – Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia Region 3: JERRY CLARITO – Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin Region 4: ARMIN SAYSON – Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio BOARD OF DIRECTORS

9. Region 5: DICK AQUINO – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands Region 6: GISELLE RUSHFORD: Colorado, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming Region 7: CHRISTY POISOT – Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma Region 8: OSCAR HILMAN – Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington Region 9: LUISA ANTONIO – California Region 10: ROZITA LEE – Nevada, Arizona, Utah Region 11: BEN ACOHIDO – Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Marianas Islands BOARD OF DIRECTORS (cont’d)

10. LEGISLATIVE TEAM: MARIE BLANCO, PHILIP OLAYA, JUDE SOUNDER, BEN DEGUZMAN ACADEMIC ADVISORY GROUP: DR COLLEEN WOODS, DR JON SUMIDA, DR JANELLE WONG—UNIV OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK; DR CHRIS CAPOZZOLA—MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY LEGAL COUNSEL: ERICK SORIANO, HECTOR VARGAS, PHILIP OLAYA, JUDE SOUNDER VETERANS SUPPORT, MEMBERSHIP, OUTREACH: RON SAGUDAN, DELFIN LORENZANA, TONY TAGUBA COMMUNICATIONS: BEN DEGUZMAN, ERWIN DE LEON, JUDE SOUNDER, ERIC MACALMA, JOEL VASQUEZ, SONNY IZON, MARGARET LACSON-ECARMA FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN: BING BRANIGAN, LIDA PETERSON, GLORIA CAOILE, GEM DAUS, MARGARET LACSON-ECARMA; ERIC MACALMA EDUCATION, PUBLIC INFORMATION AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS: JON MELEGRITO, HECTOR VARGAS, BING BRANIGAN, TONY TAGUBA, GEM DAUS EVENT PLANNER – LIDA PETERSON PROJECT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

11. PHILIPPINE SCOUTS HERITAGE SOCIETY – JOE CALUGAS SEATTLE/TACOMA, WASHINGTON – BG OSCAR HILMAN, US ARMY RETIRED VFW AND FILIPINO HISTORY SOCIETY OF HAWAII – BEN ACOHIDO BATAAN SOLDIERS LEGACY, SAN FRANCISCO, CA – CECILIA GAERLAN VETERANS EQUITY CENTER, SAN FRANCISCO, CA – LUISA ANTONIO HOUSTON, TEXAS – CHRISTY POISOT SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – NONIE CABANA NaFFAA – JON MELIGRITO NAFVE – LILLIAN GALEDO LAS VEGAS, NV – ROZITA LEE FIL-AM VETERANS GROUP, LOS ANGELES, CA – SUSAN DILKES GUAM – CSM BEN PALACIOS, US ARMY RETIRED FILIPINO AMERICAN VETERANS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS – AS OF JANUARY 1, 2015

12. FLORIDA VETERANS FOUNDATION, FLORIDA – DICK AQUINO FILIPINO AMERICAN ASSOCIATION, GEORGIA – MAJ DENNIS CALIYO, US ARMY RETIRED FILIPINO AMERICAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY – JUDY PATACSIL PILIPINO AMERICAN UNITY FOR PROGRESS (UNIPRO) – IRIS ZALUN FILIPINO CULTURAL ASSOCIATION, UNIV OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK – JON REYES PHILIPPINE EMBASSY – DEL LORENZANA, MAJOR GENERAL, PHIL ARMY, RETIRED AMERICAN COALITION OF FILIPINO VETERANS – FRANCO ARCEBAL FILIPINO AMERICAN VETERANS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS – AS OF JANUARY 1, 2015 (CONT’D)

13. DESIGN A NATIONAL PUBLIC/COMMUNITY INFORMATION AND EDUCATION CAMPAIGN PLAN FOR THE PROJECT. FILVETSREP WEBSITE AND FACEBOOK PAGE. • FINALIZE LEGISLATIVE BILL AND ENGAGE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO SPONSOR AND PASS THE LEGISLATION FOR THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL– PRESENT TO CONGRESS NLT FEB 17, 2015. • CONTINUE TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTERS ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT. • DEVELOP A NATIONAL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN OPERATIONS PLAN – NLT FEB 2015 • ESTABLISH A U.S. AND PHILIPPINE ROSTER OF VETERANS AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE RECOGNITION PROJECT– NLT FEB 2015 • AWAITING APPROVAL OF ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION TO ESTABLISH 501(C)(3) NON PROFIT STATUS FOR THE PROJECT. KEY ACTIONS – ONGOING

14. THE FILIPINO WW II VETERANS DESERVE NATIONAL RECOGNITION FROM U.S. CONGRESS