WASHINGTON >> The Hawaii delegates to the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony for Filipino veterans arrived tired but energized after their long flight to Washington, D.C., because their United Airlines flight turned delightful.
A United flight attendant noticed the baseball cap of one of the Filipino veterans, which identified him as a veteran of World War II who had served in the Philippine campaign under Gen. Douglas MacArthur. She told the captain, and over the intercom he introduced the group and explained why they were going to D.C. A big applause broke out, and the 13 delegates were asked to stand.
Of the 13, three are living Filipino veterans who would receive bronze replicas of the Congressional Gold Medal. The others were next of kin of Fil vets who have passed away. The trip was led by Ben and Anita Acohido and Abelina Shaw of the Filipino Recognition and Education Project, Region 11-Hawaii.
In a gala banquet award ceremony on Wednesday night, the delegates finally received the recognition due them.
Lucio Sanico, 92, of Honolulu, served in the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army in Philippine mop-up operations in Leyte and Samar. He was 21 years old.
Oscar Bangui, 91, of Waipahu, was a guerrilla spy in Cagayan Valley in the Philippines at age 16. He came to the U.S. in 1992 when naturalized citizenship was offered to Filipino veterans in the Philippines.
Salome Calderon, 92, of Royal Kunia, Waipahu, was a 17-year-old guerrilla in the Philippines in the Manila area working with intelligence units in the mountains.
Receiving replicas for their deceased fathers who also had served under MacArthur were Milagros Kaahanui, Bernard Jacang, and Luella and Luly Costales.
Also receiving one for her Hawaii-born father’s service in the 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiment, U.S Army, was yours truly. My father, Wallace W. Castillo, was a military intelligence officer whose job was to identify Filipinos in Manila who collaborated with the occupying Japanese government.
