Bob Filner: “Mr. Chairman, 55 years ago this Congress committed a terrible injustice. After World War II, after the victory that…”

“Mr. Chairman, 55 years ago this Congress committed a terrible injustice. After World War II, after the victory that occurred, of course first in Europe and then in the Pacific, those who were drafted into the U.S. Army from our Philippines protectorate were unceremoniously deprived of the benefits that were promised and earned as veterans of the United States. In 1946 the then Congress rescinded all the benefits that had accrued to our Filipine allies. There was no doubt of the contributions that the Filipinos made. Side by side with Americans, they held onto the Philippines and held up the Japanese advance for many, many, many months beyond what the Japanese had expected, and thus allowed the United States, at a terrible time in 1941, to prepare for the war.”