THE SENATE                           S.R. NO.              52
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  RESOLUTION

  URGING SUPPORT FOR THE DOCUMENTARY FILM "AN UNTOLD TRIUMPH" AND
    FOR THE STATE FOUNDATION ON CULTURE AND THE ARTS TO ASSIST
    COMPLETION OF THE FILM PROJECT BY PROVIDING FUNDS.
 


 1        WHEREAS, World War II is the most important period in the
 2   history of Filipino-Americans, the time when a war in the
 3   Pacific and a great calamity in their homeland brought them
 4   together for the fight of their lives for America; and
 5   
 6        WHEREAS, the participation of Filipino-Americans in World
 7   War II changed forever the way they see themselves and the way
 8   most Americans think of them; and
 9   
10        WHEREAS, on December 7, 1941, America was attacked when
11   the Imperial Japanese Naval Forces simultaneously bombed Pearl
12   Harbor, Hawaii, then a territory of the United States, and the
13   Philippines, a Commonwealth of the United States; thus plunging
14   the United States into World War II; and
15   
16        WHEREAS, because of their unique status as "nationals"
17   Filipino immigrants in the United States were denied the right
18   to join the United States Armed Force; and
19   
20        WHEREAS, with the persistence of the Filipino Nationals,
21   on January 2, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an
22   executive order allowing them to serve in the United States
23   Armed Forces in a specially organized fighting unit; and
24   
25        WHEREAS, Filipinos throughout the United States responded
26   to the call to arms, coming from the laboring fields in
27   domestic areas, farms, canneries, factories, and fisheries,
28   thus giving birth to the 1st Filipino Battalion, United States
29   Army, which was formed at San Luis Obispo, California on
30   April 1, 1942; and 
31   
32        WHEREAS, the 1st Filipino Battalion then grew into the 1st
33   Filipino Infantry Regiment, United States Army, by July 13,
34   1942; and  

 
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 1   
 2        WHEREAS, the 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiment, United States
 3   Army, was formed on October 2, 1942; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, seven thousand Filipino volunteers were trained
 6   in the following camps; Fort Ord, Hunter Ligget, Camp Beale,
 7   Camp Cook, and Camp Kohler; and
 8   
 9        WHEREAS, thousands were sworn in as citizens in mass
10   ceremonies in California; and
11   
12        WHEREAS, upon learning of these organized units, the
13   Allied Supreme Commander of the Pacific Far East, General
14   Douglas MacArthur, needing "eyes and ears" in the Philippines,
15   selected 800 men forming the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion
16   (Special Forces) for special training in Australia; and
17   
18        WHEREAS, these men were secreted in the Philippines by
19   submarines and completed more than 280 missions to infiltrate
20   enemy lines, collecting and sending vital military data on ship
21   and troop movements, and to train guerillas in preparation for
22   General MacArthur's return to the Philippines; and
23   
24        WHEREAS, in these endeavors the casualties for the 1st
25   Reconnaissance Battalion were 164 killed, 6 wounded, 178
26   missing, and 75 captured; and
27   
28        WHEREAS, all members of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion
29   were awarded the Bronze Star with valor; and
30   
31        WHEREAS, when the 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments,
32   United States Army, arrived in New Guinea for advanced
33   training, they were looked upon as a valuable source of
34   specialized soldiers, resulting in more volunteers to other
35   special units of the 6th and 8th Armies for
36   counterintelligence, civil-affairs assignments, and rescue
37   missions, such as freeing American prisoners of the infamous
38   "Bataan Death March," who were held captive in Cabanatuan,
39   carrying out the "Shangri-la Mission," and rescuing United
40   States Women Army Corps personnel whose plane was downed in the
41   jungles of New Guinea; and
42   

 
 
 
 
 
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 1        WHEREAS, other soldiers fought as a unit in cleanup
 2   operations in Leyte, Samar, and other islands of the Malay
 3   Archipelago; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, upon the cessation of hostilities, the 2nd
 6   Filipino Infantry regiment was disbanded in Manila, the 1st
 7   Reconnaissance Battalion (Special Forces) was disbanded in New
 8   Guinea, and the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment was returned to
 9   the United States for deactivation in California on April 9,
10   1946; and
11   
12        WHEREAS, these Filipino war veterans returned home proud
13   to have contributed to the cause of democracy and freedom; and
14   
15        WHEREAS, with the laws on their side as citizens with
16   veteran's rights, and the "GI BILL," these veterans forged
17   their lives as citizens, making contributions to their
18   communities and the nation by serving as entrepreneurs,
19   professional and public leaders, and attaining better lives for
20   themselves and their families; and 
21   
22        WHEREAS, those men who returned to the United States with
23   Filipina war brides established a new generation of Filipino
24   families in this country; and
25   
26        WHEREAS, since very little is known about these veterans,
27   who are now in their 80's and 90's, recognition of their
28   "untold story" should become public to the community and to the
29   nation at large; and
30   
31        WHEREAS, to acknowledge their experiences, exploits, and
32   heroic deeds, a 60 minute film documentary is in the making
33   entitled "An Untold Triumph:  America's Filipino Soldiers"; and
34   
35        WHEREAS, when completed, the film will become available to
36   the vast television audience and to schools throughout the
37   nation as another example of a great American story; now,
38   therefore, 
39   
40        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
41   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2000, that the
42   heroic deeds of the 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments,

 
 
 
 
 
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 1   United States Army, are recognized and the legislature supports
 2   documentation of their story in the film "An Untold Triumph:
 3   America's Filipino Soldiers" and urges the State Foundation on
 4   Culture and the Arts to assist completion of the project by
 5   providing funds; and
 6   
 7        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
 8   Resolution be transmitted to Members of Post 1572, VFW-1st
 9   Filipino Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army, and the State Foundation
10   on Culture and the Arts.
11 
12 
13 
14                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________