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Filipino veterans share untold stories of sacrifice in a special television program

“Faces of Courage: Untold Stories of World War II Filipino Veterans”

Hawaiʻi’s Wilfredo Tungol, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Army reserves for 28 years, knows a thing or two about duty to country. He's passionate about the story of Filipino veterans and their fight for recognition after World War II.

Tungol shared the importance of a special Veterans Day program airing on television Thursday called “Faces of Courage: Untold Stories of World War II Filipino Veterans” — thanks in part to MoveMeHawaiʻi, a Beta Beta Gamma Foundation effort that highlights social justice issues.

"It basically tells of how the Filipino veterans made tremendous sacrifice in helping the U.S. government fight the Japanese during the war in the Philippines. Yet, after the war, the promises that were made to the Filipino veterans, that they will receive the same benefits as the regular U.S. Army soldiers, were rescinded at the end of the war, and they weren't able to receive the benefits that usually the regular U.S. soldiers would get," Tungol said.

The program features veterans in Hawaiʻi sharing stories about the war and the injustices they experienced after the Rescission Act of 1946.

Tungol is with the Filipino Veterans Recognition Education Project. Proceeds from the event will go to support its education efforts in the community. The film airs on KFVE at 7 p.m. on Thursday (Veterans Day), 6 p.m. on Nov. 13 on KGMB, and 4 p.m. on Nov. 20 on KHNL.

Watch the trailer below.

This interview aired on The Conversation on Nov. 11, 2021.

Catherine Cruz is the host of The Conversation. Originally from Guam, she spent more than 30 years at KITV, covering beats from government to education. Contact her at ccruz@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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