Oahu’s oldest living WWII Filvet, 100, gets his Gold Medal

One-hundred-year-old Francisco “Kiko” Benigno, Sr., receiving his Congressional Gold Medal in Honolulu. SCREENSHOT

HONOLULU — Bataan Death March survivor Pfc. Francisco “Kiko” Benigno, Sr., honorably discharged when he was 25 years old.

Like other Filipino veterans, he was denied benefits promised by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Filipinos who fought under the U.S. flag.

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Now 100 years old, Benigno received the Congressional Gold Medal on Dec. 3 at a ceremony at Fort Shafter, surrounded by his family, friends, the military community and city and state officials.

He is the oldest known surviving Filipino veteran of World War II on Hawaii’s island of Oahu, according to a KITV4 report.

The medal is the highest civilian award bestowed by Congress. “I’m very happy to receive my gift,” Benigno said, with a smile.

The national non-profit Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP) organizes these ceremonies across the country. It estimates there are less than 10,000 surviving Filipino vets of World War II in the U.S. and the Philippines.

“Even if they’ve passed on, they can still get the Gold Medal. They just need one person in the family to be the one to receive it,” said Anita Loando-Acohido, Region 11 Director of FilVetREP.

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FilVetREP works to keep these heroes’ memories alive and make sure their families receive the benefits they fought for.

Visit the group’s website at filvetrep.org or email Tony Taguba at [email protected].