Filipino Regiments of WWII

The Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1934 defined Filipinos who lived within an American territory as aliens who could not be granted naturalization rights unless they were born within the continental United States. A letter written by a Filipino immigrant to his “Americanization” teacher expresses his thoughts on his alienation: “I live like an American, eat like an American, and dress the same, and yet everywhere I find Americans who remind me of the fact I am a stranger.” This act was just one contributor to the larger struggle faced by Filipino-Americans which included “labor exploitation, mob violence, and segregation” along with signs and slurs telling them they were not welcome. This discrimination built upon an already complex relationship many Filipinos had with the United States, with many having experienced first-hand the invasion and transformation of their country into a U.S territory by the United States. Nevertheless, after the United States came under attack by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941, the soldiers of the 1st and 2nd Filipino Regiment fought for the United States and their right to citizenship.

Filipinos from a variety of backgrounds immigrated to the United States for different reasons, but all faced some degree of discrimination. This often made social mobility in the United States difficult, and many Filipino-Americans had to take low-paying or dangerous jobs such as working in Alaskan fish canneries or becoming part of blue-collar migratory workforces. Furthermore, the denial of citizenship to Filipino immigrants was a major obstacle to finding work in the United States and prevented Filipino-Americans not born in the U.S. from joining the U.S. military. However, when Japanese forces attacked the Philippines, the treatment of Filipinos shifted. After America was flooded with stories of Filipinos and Americans fighting side-by-side against the Japanese, many Filipino-Americans saw better treatment even if they were physically distant from the battles taking place.

Filipinos were determined to overthrow the occupation of the Philippines. Even those too old to legally enlist sought to lay down their lives to liberate their homeland and, in some cases, to prove that they were just as good as any American. Filipino-Americans campaigned relentlessly to fight in the United States military, and within weeks they were given the opportunity. The influx of Filipino-Americans seeking to serve was so great that the 1st Filipino Battalion transformed into the larger 1st Filipino Regiment, which was eventually split into two regiments. This second regiment would be used exclusively in a supporting role throughout the war, and its men were often shifted to the 1st Filipino Regiment to make up for lost manpower.

The backgrounds and civilian lives of the Filipinos were varied, but all united under the goal of liberating the Philippines. Toribio Rosal, a veteran of the Regiment, describes: “A lot of the Filipinos, when they came to this country, they came here at a young age when they left the island and they left their relatives or brothers and sisters. And they felt it was their duty to go back to fight the Japanese that invaded the Philippines. And that was in their heart that they wanted to go back." The 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment chose the motto “Laging Una” which means “Always First” in Tagalog (a primary language of the Philippines). The Regiment was led by Lt. Col. Robert Offley, a West Point graduate who was fluent in Tagalog. The unit trained through the spring of 1944, and was first deployed in April of the same year to New Guinea where they were tasked with eliminating the remnants of the already scattered Japanese forces. While the number of Filipinos who enlisted far exceeded expectations, the regiments were often understaffed due to the high demand of Filipino soldiers in other military units like the Alamo Scouts and Philippines Civil Affairs Units. Nonetheless, the Regiment engaged in heavy fighting in Leyte for nearly two months. They gained recognition for the high casualties it incurred on Japanese forces fighting in Leyte and Samar through February of 1945, and by the end of the war the First Filipino Regiment earned the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

Once the war had ended, the Regiment disbanded. Those who wanted to stay in the Philippines were transferred to the 2nd Infantry Battalion which would become the Filipino section of the 86th Infantry Division. Others returned home to San Francisco on April 8th, 1946. During their time in the Philippines, many Filipino-American soldiers married locals and returned to the United States with their wives. The Regiment continued to host a 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments Association which helped bring the Filipino-American community together in the post-war years. Many Filipino veterans also encountered better civilian prospects, becoming welders, technicians, factory workers, and office workers, or using their credentials to enter high paying fields like engineering. With these social and economic doors opening, Filipinos took the opportunity to help repair their homeland or assist in the governance of the United States, as was the case with 1st Regiment veteran Peter Aduja, the first Filipino-American elected to public office.

Despite this social progress, many Filipino soldiers were denied benefits when they returned home from the war. In 1946, President Harry S. Truman signed the Rescission Act, which withdrew the funds promised to Filipino soldiers. Having been promised 200 million dollars, it was later decided that most of those who fought in the Philippines were not considered to have served the United States military. It was only in 2009, over 70 years after the benefits and money were promised, that many Filipino veterans were awarded some of their funds. Through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, fifteen thousand dollars were paid to Filipino veterans who were American citizens, and $9,000 to those who were not. However, many veterans were denied these sums, particularly those who were not on the list of registered Filipino guerrilla fighters. This list was especially inaccurate after a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Centers destroyed millions of military records, including those of some Filipino guerillas.

Overcoming enormous obstacles, Filipino-Americans united to liberate their homeland. Many of these Filipinos gained U.S citizenship through their service and using their credentials and experiences were able to find better fortunes in America. The 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments served the United States and, in the process, uplifted their community and helped it thrive. While many Filipino World War II veterans are still without benefits or any reward for their service, in 2017 Filipino veterans received the Congressional Gold Medal, honoring their contribution to the war.