Remembering the Fallen Heroes of Bataan

[legionnaire]

MacArthur Park memorial
Los Angeles, CA, Saturday , 10 am, October 25, 2006




"PASULOOONG KAD!!"








National Anthems of the Philippines and US musical rendition



Being played by Honor Guard officer Teddy Ortega with his flute.





wreath laying presentation guard

l to r; Joseph Rocamora, Ret. Col Antonio Ortega and Teddy Ortega and Philip Garcia
behind holding wreath are Ray Ortega ( his birthday also )and Manny Ortega





Wreath Laying ceremony by Consul Helen Barber , Ret. Col. Ortega, and Dr. Jenny and me ;D





Col. Ortega giving a speech, "I remenber Bataan"





Taps being played by the very Talented Teddy Ortega,




Joseph Rocamora and a veteran with flag folding ceremony.





Consul Helen Barber representing the Republic of the Philippines giving a speech.



Philippine Division Guarding the General





Ret. Col. Ortega on wheel chair,
Consul Helen Barber with Barong,
behind Dr. Jenny L. Batongmalaque
executive Director of the Filipino Veterans foundation with white coat,
behind is Chaplain Joel Pesado- Veterans Center Association, two veterans on the left.





After the ceremony a big delegation of Korean war veterans arrived and were so glad to see us and we had some photo opps again! And the Weekend Balita photographer Dionesio Grava was there too!


Mabuhay and Filipino and American Veterans of Bataan, WWII and Korea !

The Greatest Generation

All photos courtesy of Don Laurence, Maraming Salamat Don!

Philip

[VeeVee]

It must have been a very moving ceremony. I wish I could have been there to pitch in. Congratulations again in honoring our vets.

How did this come about? How was it organized and who was the point of contact?

More pictures please!

Incidentally, Jenny Batongmalaque was also in this episode of Goin' Back where some Bataan vets went back to their battlefields in the Philippines. She was interviewed and talked about how she discovered her Bataan vet father's diary and resolved to keep the memory alive.

Click for show write-up and schedule

[legionnaire]

How did this come about? How was it organized and who was the point of contact?

It was Teddy who set up the meeting with Dr. Jenny Batongmalaque and she organized and called in everyone. Our next event she is organizing will be on Dec 8, 2006, the surprise attack on the Philippines.

Dr. Batongmalaque has her office at the Bob Hope patriotic Hall in Los Angeles. Her Father was the commanding officer of Ret. Col Antonio Ortega and when he was assigned else were Col. Ortega took over his command.

- The building holds military memorabilia, artifacts and documents from the American Revolution through the recent wars in the Middle East.
- A gymnasium on the 10th floor capable of hosting volleyball, basketball games has bleacher seating for 300 spectators.
- Built as a living memorial to all veterans.
- The Hall was opened to the public in September 1926.
- The building has been awarded the Certificate of Honor by the American Society of Architects, Southern California chapter.
- The design of the building is Romanesque in expression.
- Following his death, the Hall was renamed in honour of Bob Hope the London, England-born veteran entertainer for his lifetime contribution to U.S. armed services personnel.

The building is now under a two year renovation and earthquake strengthening work. So hope fully we will be invited for the reopening ceremonies as Bataan honor guards. And hopefully have a place for my 1/6 Philippine Figures to be on Permanent display in a museum.

Philip

[legionnaire]

I just read in the Latest issue of the Asian Journal newspaper.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California on October 18

issued a proclamation naming October 20, 2006 as

"Filipino American Veterans Day"

to honor the contributions of the Filipino Soldiers who fought for the United States during WWII.

[VeeVee]

Great news! The group can participate in possible annual events similar to this wreath laying. This is only in California though, right?

[legionnaire]

Yes but hopefully other major states would follow.

I believe the Gov. did this to appease the Filipino community and veterans when he vetoed a proposed bill for California to have the history and participation of Filipino soldiers in WWII taught in California schools.



Philip

[VeeVee]

Thanks for the new pictures! Were the Korean war vets there for totally something else and just chanced upon your ceremony?

[legionnaire]

Yes, they were there for some other commemoration day. It so happen they arrived after our ceremony was over. So all we could do was photo opps. Had they arrived at the same time as us we could have combined for a bigger and better event.

Philip

[Dr Jenny Batongmalaque]

The Hand of God was on this memorable event. Against all odds, with hardly any resources, and only a band of people gathered in front of MacArthur's statue, a historic site for the Equity Village phenomenon in 1997...we pulled it off.

Thanks to the Honor Guards, The Consul General Aragon, Al Alpasan, the field deputy officer of CDVA, a widow, three Veterans and our prime Survivor of the Bataan Death March, Col. Antonio Ortega, whose three sons participated as Honor Guards, we captured the raison d'etre for showing the American people that we will never forget the priceless value of the Filipino troops in WWII. Dr. Jenny Batongmalaque, Exec Dir. Fil Veterans Fdn.

[VeeVee]

Greetings Dr. Jenny, we are very appreciative of the chance to honor our vets. Thanks for the event opportunities.

Victor

[legionnaire]

Dr. Jenny,

Maraming Salamat for inviting us and for sharinh the pictures from your son Don Lawrence. Will see you thei Nov. 11 at the unveiling and parade for the Filipino Veterans memorial.

Mabuhay ang Filipino battling Bastards and veterans of Bataan and Corregidor!

Philip

[legionnaire]

Community honors deceased WW2 vet with military rite

by Dionesio C. Grava