Wheelchair Diffusion Blog

The Filipino troops served as combat soldiers. They served with honor, distinguished themselves as hardcore troops, and were killed in great numbers. The enemy often preferred to execute captured Filipino troops rather than take them POW.

Washington promised them the same health and pension benefits as their American brothers. Even after the war, in October of 1945, Gen. Omar Bradley, then Administrator of the Veterans Administration, reaffirmed that they were to be treated like any other American veterans. That has never happened.

“ there is a legal and moral compact between this nation and our defenders.”
Paul Tobin, President & CEO, United Spinal Association

Read the entire story.

It is a national disgrace that these heroes and their families be cast aside and denied the benefits that they have justly earned.

Here is information from the Veterans Administration fact sheet.

Citizens of the Republic of the Philippines who serve today in the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible for VA benefits under the same criteria as other U.S. military veterans. However, eligibility for VA benefits for Filipino veterans who served in recognized units of the Philippine Armed Forces – especially during World War II – is not so clear-cut.

Congress is presently bickering over this issue. You can help get the swift passage of H.R. 760 and S. 57, the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007, and S. 1315, the Veterans Benefits and Emoluments Act of 2007. The new laws would grant full recognition of the sacrifices that Filipino veterans made in the service of the U.S. during World War II by entitling them to VA health care, disability compensation, pensions, survivors’ benefits, and full burial benefits.

Help to right a 60 year old wrong.
Contact:
Senator Daniel K. Akaka and Representative Bob Filner. the respective chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Veterans Affairs.