Filipino vets 'deserve what they were promised'

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-march10.html

After three days of marching in the Philippine sun without food and water, Jesus Groyon could barely trudge on, but he feared the bayonets and swords carried by his Japanese captors who stabbed to death those who fell.

Although 10,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war died along the 63-mile route that started on April 9, 1942, Groyon and five other Chicago-area Filipino veterans were among those who survived. But at 86 years old, Groyon, of Alsip, may not live long enough to see the United States restore Filipino soldiers' status as active veterans, rescinded by Congress in 1946.

On Saturday -- the 63rd anniversary of the Bataan Death March -- Groyon and other march survivors were honored by Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn and city, county and state officials who hope to draw attention to their plight.

FDR pledged benefits

"These soldiers are not receiving their share of benefits," Quinn told a gathering of several hundred Filipino-Americans. "They are in their 70s and 80s and deserve what they were promised during World War II."

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[murielm99]

1. My husband's uncle

was a Bataan Death March survivor. He was Herbert Ott, the camp veterinarian. He died last year, at age 93.

Strangely enough, he and his family were pacifists, for religious reasons. He went as a veterinarian, because he wanted to do something. He ended up spending all those years in a prison camp.

He always spoke highly of the Filipinos.

[carnie_sf]

2. One of the great trevesties

committed by our country has been the mistreatment of the filipino vets