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PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor
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J.R. 26
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WHEREAS, It has been 56 years since about 142,000 Filipino veterans fought in
World War II after President Franklin Roosevelt called them into active service under
the United States flag; and
WHEREAS, The Philippines is strategically located and thus was vital to the
defense of the United States during World War II; and
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 MacArthur by General Marshall; and
WHEREAS, Filipino World War II veterans were American nationals when
called into the United States armed forces; and
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; and
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; and
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; and
WHEREAS, President Truman in 1946 promised veterans benefits to Filipino
veterans; however, the 79th Congress passed the Recision Act, which drastically
limited veterans benefits for Filipino American veterans but which did not limit
benefits for any other allied national who served under the American flag; and
WHEREAS, Based on their military service, Filipino veterans were given the
right to become United States citizens under 1942 and 1960 immigration laws; and
WHEREAS, Many of the surviving 28,000 Filipino veterans of the United States
armed forces are disabled and live in poverty; and
WHEREAS, Every American should know about the important contribution that
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; and
WHEREAS, In the words of a Washington Post editorial printed on December
13, 1997, "it's demeaning to Americans as well as Filipinos for the United States to
continue denying benefits that were pledged at the highest level then abundantly
earned on the battlefield, then denied, then withheld through decades of Filipino
entreaty"; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the
General Assembly acknowledges and appreciates the important role played by
Filipino veterans in World War II; and be it further
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- 4379 -
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