As one born and raised in the Philippines,
I completely appreciate this recognition by America of its Asian-Pacific heritage.
For too long, America has
looked at Europe as the front of its history
and heritage. Now, the contributions of peoples from the Asian-Pacific region
in making the United States
of America the greatest country in the
entire world are getting recognized and even celebrated.
Among the countries of the Asian-Pacific
region, the Philippines has
the second biggest number of immigrants to the United
States, next only to China. The Filipinos’ friendship
and kinship with America
hold strong in times of peace and war. Filipinos fought alongside Americans
during World War II and during the Korean War. Aetas, sometimes called
Negritoes, who belong to a pygmy tribe in Zambales, trained many American
soldiers during the Vietnam War on jungle survival. In answer to the call of America, the Philippines
sent a civic action group to Vietnam
during the Vietnam War, and some armed troops to Iraq as part of the “Coalition of
the Willing.”
On a personal note, I have a grand uncle, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, the equivalent of West Point, who battled Japanese invaders alongside Americans in Bataan and died during the war. Another grand uncle, still alive, is the first man in the hometown of my father to join the U.S. Navy. Another grand uncle and three uncles are retired U.S. Navy men. Three uncles have retired from the U.S .Coast Guard, one from the U.S. Air Force. A cousin serves with the U.S. Air Force and another is a member of the U.S. Army with three stints in Iraq. He volunteered to return to Iraq twice.
I feel very privileged that I was chosen to speak at our ceremony May 8 on Asian-Pacific Heritage month. It was an honor to convey, in my small way how generations of Filipinos have now become an integral part of the American soul. Perhaps, I need not even stress this. The American celebration of Asian-Pacific Heritage month is enough indication that America is fully appreciative of the contributions of generations of people from that region in shaping the United States into what it is today.
On a personal note, I have a grand uncle, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, the equivalent of West Point, who battled Japanese invaders alongside Americans in Bataan and died during the war. Another grand uncle, still alive, is the first man in the hometown of my father to join the U.S. Navy. Another grand uncle and three uncles are retired U.S. Navy men. Three uncles have retired from the U.S .Coast Guard, one from the U.S. Air Force. A cousin serves with the U.S. Air Force and another is a member of the U.S. Army with three stints in Iraq. He volunteered to return to Iraq twice.
I feel very privileged that I was chosen to speak at our ceremony May 8 on Asian-Pacific Heritage month. It was an honor to convey, in my small way how generations of Filipinos have now become an integral part of the American soul. Perhaps, I need not even stress this. The American celebration of Asian-Pacific Heritage month is enough indication that America is fully appreciative of the contributions of generations of people from that region in shaping the United States into what it is today.
Respectfully,
GSEFN Ryan Danao
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