Martin Heinrich: “we must never forget the ``first to fire'' troops from the United States and the Philippines who bravely defended…”

“we must never forget the ``first to fire'' troops from the United States and the Philippines who bravely defended Bataan, Corregidor, and other critical locations throughout the Pacific theater in the early months of World War II before enduring some of the most harrowing prisoners of war experiences in history. Their combat experiences began hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory, on December 7, 1941. Imperial Japanese forces launched coordinated attacks throughout Asia, striking Malaya, Thailand, Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and the American Territories of Guam, Midway, Wake Island, Howland Island, and the Commonwealth of the Philippines. By December 22, 1941, the American Territories of Guam and Wake Island were surrendered to Imperial Japan. The Commonwealth of the Philippines was under a full-scale invasion. By March 10, 1942, the U.S. Asiatic Fleet was destroyed, and U.S. Army Forces on Java in the Dutch East Indies were surrendered, and General Douglas MacArthur was evacuated from Corregidor to Australia. By June 9, 1942, all of the Philippines was surrendered. The Japanese occupied the Alaskan islands of Kiska and Attu. Japanese forces threw three captured American aviators from the Battle of Midway into the sea. Only in the Philippine Islands did U.S.…”