Filipino POW Freed by Japanese During WW II Now a Successful U.S. Dentist |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Sections - Filipino-Veterans' Lobby | |||
Friday, 14 September 2012 15:21 | |||
By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA (© 2012 Journal Group Link International) Instead, he was ordered to join the Japanese Imperial Army as part of the invading forces in the Mr. Flores “thought of the possibility that they would be executed once outside of the prison barbed wire fences. Instead, a few miles down the road, they were set free. Somehow, Sgt. Harada had been able to arrange for Samson’s release, along with the two other Filipino POWs.” This friendly profile of a Japanese soldier was detailed in a self-published book, “The Old Timers Most Memorable To Me,” written by Joseph Mapalo Dacanay (2012), who read excerpts from his book of the war exploits of Mr. Flores, the first cousin of his wife, Dee Dacanay, during the 70th Platinum Anniversary celebration Sunday, Sept. 9, of the Maywood Bataan Day Annual Memorial Service. Mr. Dacanay, a Chicago-born-and-raised Filipino American civil engineer was introduced by another Chicago-born-and-raised community leader, Estrella Alamar, director of Maywood Bataan Day Organization (MBDO). The memorial service is an annual tribute by the residents of this JAPANESE WAS FROM SEATTLE, WASHINTON A Bataan Death March survivor, In another conversation, Samson vowed that, when the war was over, he would continue his education to be dentist.” Samson Flores’ father, Felix Flores, was an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ Disciples while Samson, himself, later became a lay minister in the Dacanay said Harada was a resident of Dacanay also disclosed the atrocities of WW II when he said his maternal uncle, Alfredo, was tortured and beheaded after he was captured by the Japanese. When he was freed, In the fall of 1946, Born in Cabugao, Ilocus Sur, in the Philippines, the 90-year-old dentist still holds office once or twice a week as Head of the Department of Prosthodontics, whose $3-Million laboratory was named after him and his wife, Cecilia Tolentino Flores, for his “contributions to the furtherance of (the dental) profession.” Dr. Flores has been a volunteer during the last 58 years at the Pacific Garden Mission Health Services’ Dental Division, which provides free dental services “to indigent, the street people, the most needy people in the Mission District in In remarks that drew a lengthy applause during the anniversary, Deputy Consul General Orontes V. Castro of the Philippine Consulate of the Castro said his late father was also a Filipino WW II veteran and was buried at the Libingan ng nga Bayani ( Castro, who was speaking for Consul General Leo M. Herrera-Lim, said, “Indeed, we are irrevocably cleaved together by the blood that was shed in the hollowed grounds of “ The guest speaker, Brig. Gen. Richard J. Hayes, Jr., director of the Joint of Staff of the Illinois National Guard, paid tribute to the young “Without them, we would not be standing here today,” General Hayes said. “They fought, sacrificed and died for us. They helped hold the defensive lines as the Filipino and American soldiers (nearly 80,000 hungry and battle-worn troops) retreated in The 192nd Tank Battalion was tasked with providing cover for the withdrawal operations in 4-HOUR WINDOW TO GO TO THE A nother guest speaker, James Opolony, a teacher at Proviso East High School in Maywood and project coordinator of school’s Bataan Commemorative Research Project, said he learned that in the run-up of WW II when someone was “29 years old and in the Federal service or married, they were given opportunity to resign from the federal service and turn in their paper work to go the Philippines within a four-hour window. One turned in his paper work 15 minutes late and said goodbye. But many got married before leaving.” Mr. Opolony also recalled of a story of a young high-school student from Glenn Ellyn, Col. Richard A. McMahon, Jr., MBDO president, introduced the guests while U.S. Marine Major Edwin H. Walker welcomed the guests and acted as emcee. Village Manager William P. Barlow The Philippine National Anthem (Lupang Hinirang) and American National Anthem (The Star-Spangled Banner) were played while Rev. Jacques A. Conway, Pastor of Neighborhood United Methodist Church of Maywood led the Memorial Prayer. The ceremonies also featured the Monument Ceremony from DuPage Chapter of VietNow Color Guard Jeff Agonath, chair; Rifle Squad Gun Salute led by Howard H. Rohde of American Legion Post #888, Northlake; Wreath Laying by different organizations, including Army – Col. Robert F. Bracki; Navy – Commander Joseph E. Troiani; Air Force; Marine Corps – GySgt Leo Armwood, Cpl. Marcus Davis; Coast Guard; American Legion Filipino Post #509 & Auxiliary Philippine Campaign Survivors; Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago; Merchant Marine Veterans Association Chicago; Veterans Assistance Commission of Cook County; Daughters of American Revolution; George Rogers Clark Chapter, River Forest; Village of Maywood and MBDO. Filipino American Dr. Lourdes M. Ceballos and Ophelia Hendle recently retired as MBDO directors while another Fil Am Edward M. Brotonel became MBDO's new member. On Watch out for the upcoming media-outlet oriented, subscription-based website of Journal Group Link International that guarantees originally sourced stories, features, photos, audios and videos and multi-media contents.) Editor’s Note: To contact the author, please e-mail him at: (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)
Newer news items:
Older news items:
|
|||
Last Updated on Friday, 14 September 2012 15:28 |
Please consider supporting the "ReVOTElution of Hope" for Sorsogon as the Pilot Province. Please see "ReVOTElution" Banner on this page for details.