BAMBAN KAYABE JOINS AMERICAN MEMORIAL DAY 2009

May 24, 2009
By: Joshua Little John Dela Cruz



During the Second World War, thousands of young soldiers from the far county of rural America answered the call of their nation and enlisted in the military. As young as eighteen years old, these men and women were drafted and sent to far away places like the Philippines which were almost unknown to them. Some were anxious as to what lie ahead of them in the fiercest battle against the Japanese who occupied the islands for more than three years. Of course, they were fighting for America but they were also to give the ultimate sacrifice to liberate the Filipinos from the clout of the Japanese invaders. At the beginning of battle of Luzon campaign, with Bamban and Bamban Hills protecting the Japanese defenses, two American infantry divisions; the 40th and the 37th were poised to wrestle the fanatic Japanese army and navy forces. Another three American divisions would follow suit in order to eliminate the remaining Japanese forces holed up in the crevices of the Bamban mountains and deep into the Zambales mountains With the aftermath of the campaign in the hills and ridges pockmarked with hundreds upon hundreds of tunnels that were meant to delay the American advance to liberate Manila and the other areas, more than two thousand American soldiers gave their lives in order to give Filipinos their liberty from the then enemy. In one of the intense battles with the fanatical Japanese soldiers hiding in the numerous holes in the mountains of Bamban, Private First Class William H. Thomas, 149th Infantry, 38th Division received the highest military award for bravery; the Congressional Medal of Honor after eliminating Japanese positions until his last bullet and grenade expended while suffering from massive wounds due to grenades hurled against him by the well-entrenched enemies.

Every last Monday of the month of May, Americans commemorates the US men and women who died while in the military duty. This is known as Memorial Day and it encompass all those who died in the action against enemy, much like what had happened in the Battle of Bamban Hills. JCI Bamban Kayabe in partnership with the Bamban Historical Society participates in the annual commemoration of the Memorial Day in memory of those American soldiers from the 40th, 43rd, 38th and 6th Divisions who died in the Battle of Bamban Hills and the Zambales mountains.

JCI Rhonie C. Dela Cruz, the immediate past president of the JCI Bamban Kayabe and the only credible local historical of Bamban; a researcher and field explorer in the real sense, narrates how American soldiers as mentioned above fought the Japanese along side with the local Bruce Guerilla of Bamban and the Aeta Squadron 30 in fierce engagements against the Japanese holding up in the mountain positions locked up in numerous crevices and tunnels dug from the hard sandstone of the Bamban Hills.

A delegation was created and composed of twelve members with JCI Rhonie Dela Cruz himself as the Committee Chairman with his position as concurrent president of the Bamban Historical Society. The delegation was warmly welcomed by no less than the director of the US Department of Veterans Affairs; Jon Skelly along with the vice-president of the American Chamber of Commerce and high-ranking officer of Filipino-American Memorial Endowment, Inc. (FAME); Mrs. Leslie Murray. Various dignitaries and diplomats from various foreign embassies attended the event. The Philippines was represented by Lt. Gen. Yano, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The Bamban Kayabe delegation was joined by the Junior Chamber International Philippines’ national officers headed by the National President, Fulbert Woo and Glendo Dasmarinas. A wreath dedicated to the dead American soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the Philippines was presented by JCI Bamban Kayabe along with the JCI Philippines and various organizations.

The United States of America, represented by the ambassador, Honorable Kristie Kenney, gave her speech reminding everyone about the sacrifice of the American soldiers and all those in the military serving in various services. She also thanked all those participating organizations like the JCI Bamban Kayabe for such a worthy endeavor in remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the liberation of our country.

After the event, Ambassador Kristie Kenney joined the delegation of the JCI Bamban Kayabe and personally thanked the group for their active participation on all historical commemorations like the Memorial Day and the Veterans’ Day. After the ceremony, JCI Bamban Kayabe joined various officials and head of organizations and took souvenir photos, highlighting that freedom is not free; as in this case, the lives of young American soldiers were given so that a new Philippines will be borne in the aftermath of the Second World War.

JCI Bamban/BHS Veterans’ Week Observance

By AnacBamban

We at the JCI Bamban Kayabe/BHS firmly believe that our veterans of WWII deserve the highest respect and admiration for their sacrifice and love of freedom in their fight against foreign invaders. The names of these veterans be their Commonwealth Army (USAFFE), Philippine Scouts, or USAFFE and Hukbalahap guerillas etched in the history of our struggle as a nation must be remembered, the living and the dead. Theirs is a legacy of heritage that must be calculated in the heart and spirit of our generation. It is in the concept of historical and cultural paramount that the organization, the Bamban Historical Society was created and established. Hence, it is just fitting that such Veterans’ Week, the 67^th Anniversary of the Araw ng Kagitingan be celebrated and observed by us in the highest form of participation.

JCI Bamban Kayabe, with its sister organization, the Bamban Historical Society, earmarked three special projects for the Veterans’ Week. Operation Bayang Matangkilik has been launched as a brainchild of Rhonie Dela Cruz, himself a product of veteran family. Coordinating with the Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor and concerned government agencies, a delegation was sent to Mt. Samat on April 7, 2009 where the Shrine of Valor (Dambana ng Kagitingan) is located. That big cemented cross overlooking the whole Bataan Peninsula symbolizing the extreme battlefields between Filipino-American forces against the Japanese invading army in 1942. In the end of the battle for Bataan, more than 70,000 Filipino-American soldiers were surrendered to General Homma. The aftermath is what is now known as the Bataan Death March; a 120 kilometer march without food, water, and medicines for the dying soldiers and battle-weary and hungry prisoners of war from Mariveles, Bataan to San Fernando, Pampanga. The march started from April 10, 1942 up to April 15; or a minimum of three-day march. From the train station of San Fernando, the prisoners were cramped in hot, steel box car and were transported to Capas, Tarlac. From the train station, another eight kilometers of March of Death endured the prisoners. Along the route of the Death March were silent massacres conducted by the Japanese guards against helpless prisoners. However, the earth open up and Hell Hole sprouted from the former USAFFE encampment that was Camp O’Donnell. More than twenty six thousand Filipino prisoners and five thousand Americans died at O’Donnell.

The delegation was warmly welcomed by various veteran organizations like the Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor. US Ambassador to the Philippines, Kristie Kenney and Director of the US Department of Veterans Affairs Jon Skelly joined the delegation during the ceremony. The next day, April 8, 2009, JCI Bamban Kayabe/BHS sent another delegation to the Capas National Shrine, site of the former Hell Hole O’Donnell for a sacred observance of the Araw ng Kagitingan. The delegation brought the surviving veterans of Bamban and their families. During the ceremony, no less than Usec. Ernesto Carolina of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, Mr. Johnson of the office of the US Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and Tarlac Governor Vic Yap joined the JCI Bamban delegation. Atty. Rafael Evangelista, National Commander of the Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor thanked the delegation for the support and participation and most importantly, the sincerity in promoting the legacy and heritage of our veteran-heroes of WWII.

In the final program of the JCI Bamban Kayabe, an exhibit for WWII was launched at the foot of the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, the site of the 40^th Division Memorial on April 8 (Holy Wednesday) in the afternoon up to April 9 (Good Friday). The exhibit shows images and photographic mural of the Battle of Bamban in 1945 (Liberation) with the Filipino, American, and Japanese military during the campaign and the town as it was ravaged by the result of the great battles for the control of Bamban Hills and Clark. Hundreds of visitors and tourists went to the exhibit hall inside the memorial and were impressed with the collections as a portal to the history of the place that was as sacred to the pilgrims as to the Filipino, American, and Japanese soldiers who shed blood and tears in that place called Grotto, Hill 500, and Hoshino-yama.

Melencio Figueroa (26th Cavalry, PS)

March 20, 2009

Joshua Little John Dela Cruz

On January 30 (Friday) 2009, on the eve of the Bamban Fiesta, the bust of Melencio Figueroa, a local hereo of WWII belonging in the famous 26^th Cavalry Philippine Scouts, was finally erected in the premise of the BHS Bamban Museum of History. Members of the BHS, headed by Luisito Caguiat, finally put the finishing touches of painting gold on the support base of the bust. Family members of the late cavalryman from barrio Banaba donated the bust in response to the request of the BHS president last year. Bill Asprec, nephew of Melencio, worked with a famous Kapampangan sculptor in Balibago, Angeles City for the making of the bust.

It is the wish of the Bamban Historical Society to immortalize the legacy of our veteran-heroes, in the name of the late Melencio Figueroa by setting up bust statue for their remembrance in fighting for liberty, love of country and extreme sacrifice in order for the present and future generations of Bambanense be proud of their veterans’ heritage.

A simple, yet striking short information on his life (as provided by his younger brother Domingo Figueroa) is etched in the base of the bust, as written:

"Melencio M. Figueroa. Pvt, Serial No. l0 306 261, U. S. Army

Company B, 26th Cavalry Regiment, Philippine Scouts

Enlisted on February 27, 1941 at Fort Stotsenberg, Philippines and sworn into service with the U.S. Army by C. R. Bowers, 1st Lt, 26th Cavalry (PS).

Records of the U. S. Army Archives show that Pvt Melencio Figueroa was listed "Missing in Action" as of 7 May 1942, following the surrender of Corregidor, Philippine Islands. Following reports on 7 May 1943 as continued missing in action, War Department AGO (Adjutant General Office) records show Finding of Death substantiates the presumptive date of death as 31st day of March 1946, U. S. Army War Department records state that , after substantial review, it was determined that evidence does not exist to contradict a finding of non-recoverability of remains for Pvt. Melencio Figueroa. "