Media Advisory
Justice for Filipino American Veteran (JFAV)
July 15, 2009
HONOR OUR HEROES; AWARE-HPMC MARKS 68th USAFFE DAY JULY 24 IN LA
Los Angeles—“Honor our Heroes, Remember their Heroism.’
Widows, advocates and veterans led by the Association of Widows, Advocates and Relatives for Equality (AWARE) in cooperation with the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center (HPMC) of Los Angeles commemorates the 68th year anniversary of the USAFFE Day, July 26, 1941 on Friday, July 24th at 9:30 AM at the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center Auditorium at 1300 N. Vermont St, Los Angeles, CA 90027.
On July 26, 1941, the 70,000 Commonwealth Army of the Philippines was integrated into the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) by an executive order of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in preparation of an impending war in Asia in 1941. It is also known as " Conscription Day" by JFAV. The day Filipino soldiers was drafted to the USAFFE.
At that time there were only 30,000 US armed forces stationed in the Philippines. With the formation of the USAFFE, the Philippines became the largest US garrison outside of the mainland.
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Forces attacked the US Naval base in Pearl Harbor that brought the United States into the Second World War. On the same day, Japanese planes bombed the Philippines.
The invited guests are HPMC leaders, Philippine Consul General Mary Jo Aragon and other personalities. This was announced by AWARE president Lulu Astilla.
AWARE was formally formed in December 2008 after the US Congress excluded the Filipino World War Ii veterans and widows from receiving benefits under the S. 1315 or the American Veterans Enhancement Law due to “ budgetary constraints”. Instead they rescued big corporations that caused the present economic crisis.
For more information please call Al P. Garcia at (213)241-0906 or email at
jfav_us@yahoo.com ******
