This year’s Veterans Day takes on a special meaning for me, because of my experience with many living Filipino World War II veterans.

Earlier this year, community volunteers participated in searching and enlisting eligible surviving Filipino veterans or their next of kin to receive the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal (CGM), which was signed into law by former President Barack Obama on Dec. 14, 2016. The CGM recognizes the contribution, bravery and sacrifices of Filipino and U.S. soldiers who fought in the Philippines during the period between July 1941 to December 1946.

Here in Hawaii, there were more than 130 veterans or their next of kin who received the CGM. A public ceremony and celebration took place last May co-presided by retire Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, a Leilehua High School graduate and former Hawaii resident. Taguba was also instrumental in shepherding the Filipino veterans CGM law through Congress. It is also noteworthy that his father was one of the Filipino veterans who fought during the war and later continued to serve in the U.S. Army here in Hawaii.

There were also many Filipinos from Hawaii and the mainland who volunteered in the 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiment at that time. Many returned to civilian life, took advantage of the GI Bill to further their education and served the community. Among them are the late Hawaii Supreme Court Associate Justice Ben Menor, the late state representatives Emilio Alcon and Peter Aduja, the late labor administrator Roland Pagdillao and former Department of Education district superintendent Domingo Los Banos. The late Chief Justice William Richardson also served as a company commander in the 1st Filipino Regiment and became a close political ally of Menor, and both served at the same time as justices in the Hawaii Supreme Court.

Their service to the state continued through their children, many of them having served or currently serving in Hawaii’s Legislature (Melody Aduja, Romy Cachola), Honolulu City Council (Ron Menor) or Judiciary (retired judges Barbara Richardson and Dexter del Rosario).

There is still a dozen or so surviving Filipino veterans who are eligible to receive the CGM as well as the next of kin of those that are deceased.

The Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetRep) Hawaii region will be recognizing them in a public ceremony on Jan. 26, 2019, at the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu.

One of those survivors, Los Banos, has been instrumental in identifying those Hawaii veterans who were members of the 1st Filipino regiment. He has constantly reminded the FilVetRep Hawaii region volunteers to make every effort to make sure that “we take care of our Hawaii boys.” I, along with the other FilVetRep volunteers, are inspired by his dedication to recognize the bravery and sacrifices of his comrades.

They are truly deserving of being called the “greatest generation.” It will do us good to thank all the veterans we may encounter on Veterans Day for their service to our country.

For more information, see www.filvetrep.org.