Day of Valor: WWII veterans honored with Congressional Gold Medal
Awardees and their family members with Consul General Senen T. Mangalile (2nd from right), Permanent Representative Antonio Manuel R. Lagdameo (2nd from left), Col. Ralph Hibionada (rightmost) and Sonny Busa, director of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (leftmost) | Photo by Nikka B. Arenal
NEW YORK – Filipino and American World War II veterans were honored recently at an event commemorating Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Manila at the Philippine Center in New York.
The event, hosted by the Philippine Consulate General in New York, featured a lecture by author Brett Moyer, a ceremonial awarding of the United States Congressional Gold Medal and musical performances that paid tribute to the heroism of the WWII veterans.
“We are remembering tonight not just the cost of war, but the strength of the human spirit. Not just the fall of a city, but the rise of a people. Not just a long and arduous Good Friday, but the dawning of a glorious Easter Sunday,” said Consul General Senen T. Mangalile in his welcome remarks.
While April 9 marks a military defeat, it continues to resonate across generations because of what it reveals about the Filipino character, Mangalile said.
Author Brett Moyer presents ‘Lessons from Liberation: WWII and Beyond,’ highlighting the Philippines’ alliance with the United States and the role of Filipino nurses and resistance fighters during WWII. Photo by Nikka B. Arenal
Brett Moyer, author of “Had MacArthur Not Returned,” presented “Lessons from Liberation: WWII and Beyond,” highlighting the Philippines’ wartime alliance with the United States, the resilience of Filipino nurses under fire and the essential role of resistance fighters in liberating Manila.
“Without the courage and strength of the American and Filipino troops to fight on, there would be no amazing history to look back on today,” Moyer said.
(Left photo) Consul General Mangalile addresses guests during the Araw ng Kagitingan and Liberation of Manila commemoration event in New York. (Right photo) Mr. Busa delivers remarks on the multi-year campaign to secure recognition for Filipino WWII veterans. Photos by Nikka B. Arenal
The highlight of the program was the ceremonial awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the highest civilian honors granted by the United States, to four veterans and their surviving family members.
Petty Officer Arthur Grabiner, a 99-year-old US Navy veteran, who served aboard the USS Laurens, received the medal in person.
The medals were also posthumously awarded to Capt. Teodoro P. Lomuntad, Pvt. Herbert M. Morgan and Sgt. Abundio G. Gultiano.
Presiding over the ceremony was Sonny Busa, director of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP), who helped lead the advocacy for the medal’s approval by the US Congress.
“Many Americans still don’t realize that the Philippines took part in the war,” Busa said. “Filipinos fought side by side with American soldiers. Their stories need to be told – and remembered.”
He added that it took years of sustained lobbying and outreach to educate lawmakers about the Philippines’ contributions to World War II, culminating in the Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2016.
Permanent Representative Antonio Manuel R. Lagdameo and Col. Ralph Hibionada of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York joined Consul General Mangalile in presenting the medals.
Evita Cruz (left) and Ligaya Cullo closes the program with heartfelt renditions of ‘Bayan Ko’ and ‘Dahil Sa ‘Yo,’ honoring the courage and sacrifice of World War II veterans. Photos by Nikka B. Arenal
The evening closed with musical performances by Evita Cruz and Ligaya Cullo, who sang “Bayan Ko” and “Dahil Sa ‘Yo” to pay tribute to the courage and patriotism of WWII veterans.
