2013 PSHS Reunion - Tacoma, WA

[VeeVee]

First article out... great snapshot of Rudy ;D

Philippine Scouts and descendants honor those who fought in WWII

Read more here: www.thenewstribune.com/2013/04/13/2556043/philippine-scouts-and-descendants.html#storylink=cpy

[VeeVee]

Lt. Col. Al Cosio's speech at the reunion. I must say it hit the nail right on the head:


---------------------------
GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

THROUGHOUT THE YEARS WE’VE BEEN MEETING TOGETHER, WE’VE BEEN HONORING OUR PHILIPPINE SCOUT VETERANS AND THEIR HEROIC STRUGGLES AND SUFFERINGS.

THE LAST TIME I WAS UP HERE, I SPOKE A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT THE FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS MIGHT HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR SOME OF THE PRISONERS.. AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILIES, AND A COUPLE OF STORIES OF WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE JAPANESE OPERATIONS NOT AT THE STRATEGIC LEVEL BUT ON THE SMALL UNIT LEVEL.

TONIGHT, I WANT TO CONTINUE OUR THEME OF THIS REUNION.

THIS WON’T TAKE LONG AND I’VE EVEN BROUGHT MY OWN TIMEKEEPER, MY GRANDDAUGHTER ABBY IS HERE WITH US TONIGHT AND IF SHE STARTS TO PLAY WITH MY IPAD, I KNOW IT’S TIME FOR ME TO SIT DOWN.

SO WHAT’S A LEGACY,… SOMETHING HANDED DOWN?…,AN INHERITANCE IFYOU WILL? IT CAN BE MONETARY. BUT IT CAN ALSO BE A BESTOWAL…, A TITLE PERHAPS…, A BIRTHRIGHT, ANYTHING HANDED DOWN…, IT CAN BE TEACHINGS, …A PHILOSOPHY…, AS IN THE CASE OF THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. OR GHANDI.
A LEGACY CAN ALSO BE A SIN OR TERRIBLE DEED THAT HAPPENED IN ONE’S PAST OR ANCESTOR’S PAST, MAYBE A STRUGGLE OR CONFLICT THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN HANDED DOWN TO YOU BUT YOU HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH, AS IN THE CASE OF THE DECADES-LONG CONFLICT BETWEEN THE FAMILIES OF THE HATFIELDS AND MC COYS.
SO WE CONTINUE TO HONOR THE PHILIPPINE SCOUTS AND THEIR MEMORIES.

SO WHAT IS THEIR LEGACY? IS THE PHILIPPINE SCOUT HERITAGE SOCIETY THEIR LEGACY?

TO THOSE HERE TONIGHT WHO ARE ABOUT THE SAME AGE AS I, WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP, DID YOU EVER HEAR YOUR MOM OR RELATIVE SAY DURING GOOD TIMES OR BAD, “WOW, YOU ARE SO MUCH LIKE YOUR FATHER OR GRANDFATHER” . IT COULD HAVE BEEN MEANT AS A POSITIVE THING WHEN YOU DEMONSTRATED A SKILL OR CHARACTERISTIC OR…..SAID DIFFERENTLY IT MIGHT HAVE MEANT AS A REBUKE… OR A PRELUDE JUST BEFORE YOU GOT PUNISHED…”MY GOODNESS! YOU’RE JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER OR GRANDFATHER!”

CHILDREN OFTEN CONSIDER THEMSELVES AS UNIQUE AND DON’T LIKE BEING COMPARED TO THEIR SIBLINGS, NOR TO THEIR PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS. BUT LITTLE DID WE KNOW AT THAT TIME, ABOUT A LITTLE SOMETHING AS DNA.
WELL, SCIENCE HAS CERTAINLY PROVEN THAT THROUGH DNA TESTING THAT WE ARE IN MANY WAYS OUR PARENTS’OR GRANDPARENTS’S CHILD, GRANDCHILD, NEPHEW, OR NIECE. NOW PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING CALLED CULTURAL DNA. I HEAR SOME OF MY FRIENDS THAT THEY JUST HAVE TO HAVE RICE AT LEAST EVERY OTHER DAY.

I KNOW THAT IF I EVER WANT TO GET UNDER MY WIFE’S SKIN, I SAY SOMETHING LIKE, “YOU’RE ACTING LIKE YOUR MOM “ . OH MY GOSH, THOSE ARE FIGHTING WORDS. SHE LETS ME HAVE IT. BUT IF YOU TURN IT AROUND TO SOMETHING POSITIVE, IT CAN BE QUITE REFLECTIVE AND ONE ENDS UP WALKING A LITTLE PROUDER, FEELING A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND THAT’S EXACTLY MY POINT TONIGHT.
SOME THINGS DIMINISH OVER TIME…, AND TIME DOES A GOOD AMOUNT OF HEALING, AND SOMETIMES HISTORY GLOSSES OVER EVENTS OVER THE YEARS,…BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

I NOTICE THAT THE DEFENSE OF BATAAN SEEMS TO BE STAYING IN THE PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS MORE AND MORE LATELY. SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN A TV AD LATELY FROM USAA INSURANCE COMPANY TALKING ABOUT HISTORY AND HOW THE INSURANCE RELATIONSHIP WAS HANDED DOWN FROM ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER AND IN IT, THIS ELDER LADY TURNS AND LOOKS INTO THE CAMERA AND SAYS, “BATAAN 1942”.
I JUMPED OUT OF MY SEAT AND SAID … YESSSSS!.

THEN THIS PAST FEBRUARY, MY WIFE AND I WERE WATCHING A MOVIE ON THE HALLMARK CHANNEL. THE MOVIE WAS CALLED “LOST VALENTINE” AND IN IT, WAS BETTY WHITE, WHOSE HUSBAND HAD BEEN MISSING IN ACTION FOR 70 YEARS DURING COMBAT IN THE PHILIPPINES. SHE WAS GETTING ON IN YEARS AND STILL NO WORD OR EVIDENCE WAS EVER FOUND ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HIM. BUT THROUGH THE HELP OF AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, SHE DID FIND THE ANSWER.

TOWARDS THE END, SHE WAS ABLE TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE WHO HAD COME TO KNOW HER HUSBAND AND… HE SAID, “YES, I KNEW YOUR HUSBAND AND I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM…..HE DIED HERE HELPING US GUERILLA FIGHTERS……AND I KNOW WHERE HE IS BURIED…, I KNOW BECAUSE I BURRIED HIM……….. AT THE ABUCAY LINE.

I SAID WOW, I KNOW WHERE THAT IS, I WAS THERE LAST YEAR WITH SOME OF OUR VETERAN SCOUTS AND THEIR CHILDREN AT OUR LAST REUNION THAT WAS HELD IN THE PHILIPPINES.

BUT WHAT STRUCK ME WAS THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE HALLMARK CARD COMPANY CHOSE THE DEFENSE OF BATAAN AS A KEY POINT OF THEIR SCRIPT AND HOPEFULLY IT WAS UNDERSTOOD BY THOSE HEARING IT.

RECENTLY, I PAID ONE OF MY SCHEDULED VISITS TO ONE MY MENTEES AT THE WASHINGTON STATE YOUTH ACADEMY IN BREMERTON ABOUT 25 MILES FROM HERE. YOU CAN ASK ME LATER WHAT THAT’S ALL ABOUT. ANYWAY, WE WERE GIVEN A LIST OF 100 CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE COULD USE TO DESCRIBE OURSELVES TO USE AS A POINT OF DISCUSSION WITH OUR MENTEES. WE WERE LIMITED TO ONLY SELECTING FIVE. MY MENTEE WAS ALSO TOLD TO SELECT FIVE TO DESCRIBE HIMSELF. ANYWAY, AFTER I CAME HOME THAT EVENING, I LOOKED AT THAT LIST AGAIN AND THOUGHT OF OUR SCOUTS, I SELECTED SEVERAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT I THOUGHT MIGHT BE WORTHY OF DESCRIBING OUR SCOUTS. ALLOW ME TO SHARE SOME OF THOSE WITH YOU IN ALPHABETIC ORDER:

ADMIRABLE-----AGGRESSIVE-----BOLD-----BRAVE----COMPASSIONATE---CONCERNED-----CONFIDENT-----

COURAGEOUS-----DEDICATED-----DETERMINED-----DIGNIFIED-----FIERCE-----FORGIVING-----RESOURCEFUL-----

RESPECTED------SERIOUS-----STRONG-----SUPPORTIVE-----TOUGH---- AND FINALLY-----------VALIANT. COULD THESE CHARACTERISTICS BE OUR LEGACY?

SO IF WE’RE REFERRING TO DNA AS A LEGACY, HOW ABOUT A FEW EXAMPLES TO GIVE STRENGTH AND VALIDITY TO THAT LEGACY.

IN THE CASE OF ONE PHILIPPINE SCOUT VETERAN…, WOULD HAVING 8 GRANDCHILDREN BE CONSIDERED A NOTEWORTHY LEGACY? HOW ABOUT 12 OR 13 OR IN ONE CASE, 20 GRANDCHILDREN?

HOW ABOUT 39 GREATGRANDCHILDREN, OK LETS KEEP THAT IN MIND FOR A MOMENT AND CONSIDER INSTEAD THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN OF THESE SCOUTS. YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE YOURSELF OR KNOW OF SOMEONE DECENDED FROM A SCOUT IN THE FOLLOWING:

HOW ABOUT A FIRE DEPARTMENT CAPTAIN, A BUSINESSPERSON OR FOUNDER OF HIS OWN COMPANY, DIRECTORS OF NURSING AT MAJOR HOSPITALS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES,

HOW ABOUT A ONE STAR GENERAL, CERTAINLY… A TWO STAR GENERAL, OH YES…, A THREE STAR GENERAL, A STATE LEGISLATOR, AN AUTHOR, A DOCUMENTARIAN, HISTORIAN, FILM MAKER, AN AIR FORCE CAPTAIN, NEWS REPORTER, NURSE, DOCTOR AND OTHER MEDICAL SPECIALISTS…,

HOW ABOUT CHILDREN OF THESE VETERANS WHO BECAME PRINCIPALS AND OTHER EDUCATORS, A WARRANT OFFICER, A SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE BROKER, A COLONEL WHO WAS CONCURRENTLY CHIEF OF SECURITY AT A MAJOR UNIVERSITY, FINANCIAL MANAGERS, AND SO MANY SERVING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR,

THEY ARE RE-ENACTORS, CHAPTER PRESIDENTS AND OFFICERS.

JUST LOOK AT ONE COMPANY, SAY BOEING, WITH DECENDENTS OF SCOUTS WHO ARE SOFTWARE ENGINEERS, WEBMASTER, CONTRACTING MANAGER, SUPPLY MANAGER, MACHINIST, ENGINEERS, ELECTRICIAN.

HOW ABOUT A MAJOR COMPUTER COMPANY WITH A GRANDSON OF A SCOUT AS A SOFTWARE ENGINEER AND AUTHOR OF A COMPUTER BOOK,

HOW ABOUT TWO FAMILIES WHO WERE BROUGHT TOGETHER THROUGH MARRIAGE THAT PRODUCED TWO NURSES AND TWO LIEUTENANT COLONELS, ONE OF WHICH WAS A DOCTOR, ANOTHER CHILD WHO WAS AN EDUCATOR, ANOTHER A DIRECTOR AT A MAJOR COMPUTER FIRM, AN AEROSPACE SPECIALIST AND STILL ANOTHER, A COMPUTER APPLICATIONS PRODUCTION ENGINEER.

HOW ABOUT A FAMILY WHO PRODUCED TWO CAREER OFFICERS AND A THIRD BROTHER WHO EARNED HIS PHD?

HOW ABOUT A DAUGHTER WHO BECAME A SPECIAL EDUCATION SPECIALIST AND WENT ON TO MANAGE THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS PROGRAM FOR A MAJOR CALIFORNIA CITY?

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN…… WE….ARE….THE …..LEGACY!!!.......... WE…ARE…THE…LEGACY!!!
(PAUSE)

WE RECENTLY LOST SOME MORE OF OUR BELOVED VETERANS, BUT…… THEY ARE NOT GONE..…,
THEY ARE HERE…, LOOK AROUND……,

THEY ARE HERE IN EACH OF US WHO CONTINUE TO HONOR THEM.

THEY ARE PRESENT WHEN WE DO GREAT WORK.

THEY ARE PRESENT WHEN WE SERVE OUR CHURCHES AND SYNAGOGS,

THEY ARE PRESENT WHEN WE SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR NATION.

WHEN OUR SON DEPLOYED TO IRAQ, MY WIFE’S ADVICE WAS IF HE GOT INTO A BAD SITUATION TO “BE ON HIGH GROUND”. MY ADVICE TO HIM WAS, YOU’RE THE SON OF A VETERAN, THE GRANDSON OF TWO PHILIPPINE SCOUTS, A GREAT GRANDSON OF A PHILIPPINE SCOUT…IF YOU GET INTO A BAD SITUATION OVER THERE, DO IT IN THEIR HONOR.

RECENTLY DECEASED CAPTAIN FELIPE FERNANDES ONCE SAID SOMETHING LIKE, DID WE REALLY CHANGE THE LIVES…FOR THE BETTER? IT IS UP TO YOU, FOR WHOM WE FOUGHT FOR, TO SHOW THAT OUR SACRIFICES ARE NOT IN VAIN?

WITH THAT, THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND GOOD EVENING!

[26th]

First, I think that was "Lt.Colonel" Al Cosio.

I thought that was one of the most emotional speech's I have heard about the Scout's.

I even told the Colonel I wanted a copy of that speech. No need now, if I can copy this on line.

Thanks you Colonel, you hit it on the nose what Scout Legacy is.

Brought tears to my eyes after I read it. But Victor, you should have been there to feel it.

The Fire Captain



admin comment: Thanks Rudy, I fixed the typo.

[friscohare]

LTC Al Cosio gave an amazing speech. It really fit the theme of "Be the Legacy" so kudos to Al!

I just wish I had recorded the speech!

[friscohare]

I did not record too much from the 29th Reunion, but I did catch part of the Forgotten Soldiers Q&A Session as well as most of the Veteran's Panel.

I'll be posting these on the PSHS site later... but you get the exclusive first-look!

Here are the videos from the Forgotten Soldiers Q&A Session.

Part 1:




Part 2:

[friscohare]

Next up is the introduction to the Veteran's Panel and a poem to the veterans by David Green.

[friscohare]

Sgt. Dan Figuracion of the 26th Cavalry Regt. (PS) started the panel discussion:

[friscohare]

PSHS Counselor and Philippine Scouts veteran Aniceto Bagley spoke next:

(Note: The audio gets stifled for a brief moment in the middle of the video. I apologize for this)

[friscohare]

Then, David Tejada of the 12th Signal Company (PS) tells his story.

Nancy Craig of the American Defenders of Bataan & Corregidor, and Olive Rosen, wife of the late Col. Melvin Rosen 88th FA (PS), add to the discussion.

[friscohare]

Olive Rosen continued and spoke of how Col. Rosen began to learn Tagalog:

[friscohare]

David Tejada talks a little bit about LTC Edwin Ramsey. Sgt. Dan Figuracion talks a little bit about the Death March:

[friscohare]

In my final video, David Tejada discusses why troops who surrendered on Corregidor had lots of money when they got off the island:

[friscohare]

In terms of photos, I only have this one uploaded so far. More to come!



From left to right: yours truly, the three reenactors from the Historic Aviators Guild, Rudy, John Rotter, and Gil.

[friscohare]

Oh... P.S. I showed our reenactment picture to my Lolo (grandfather) via Skype. He thought it was a 1940s photo of actual Philippine Scouts!

I guess we did a pretty darn good job, guys!

[VeeVee]

Thanks for the videos!

Who's the gentleman on the left wearing the blue jacket?

[26th]

Hi Victor:

Not sure of name but Capt Calugas had him sit on panel because Capt Fernandez new his father. We all wondered why he did that.

Rudy

Here are two veterans you know. Also short handed for color guard when they have to get me.

[legionnaire]

Congradulations to a successful reunion! Texas reunion looks promising to me to see the PSHS repository.

Mabuhay ang Philippine Scouts!

[legionnaire]

Great to see Sean in hi PS class A uniform. Nice one!

What is strange are missing DUI's and pins on his uniform from his great collection except on the campaign hat.

Philip

[VeeVee]

Thanks to Rudy Cabigas for sending in pictures from the reunion. I've been extremely busy, I just finally squeezed in the time to upload and post these.

(What's the matter Rudy, you can't post them all yourself? haha)

(click for bigger)

[VeeVee]