24 October 2005—Philippine Consul General to San Francisco Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez has honored the courage and heroism of Filipinos, American and other Allied soldiers in the successful landing of Allied Forces that led to the liberation of the Philippines during the Second World as she called for better recognition of the bravery of the Filipino veterans.

Speaking at the 61st anniversary reception for the A-Day commemorative rites held on 20 October 2005 at the historic War Memorial Building in San Francisco, Consul General Sanchez said there has to be a proper  recognition and a restoration of the material benefits for Filipino Veterans who fought with courage and sacrifice alongside American troops in the defense of freedom for the Philippines and the United States.

“It was a grave injustice that the Filipinos who had been called to serve in the USAFFE, by no less than President Franklin D. Roosevelt, would have their rightfully earned veterans’ service and benefits cast aside by the Rescission Act of 1946,” said Consul General Sanchez in reading the message of Philippine Ambassador to the United States Albert del Rosario for the occasion that marked the 61st anniversary of the Allied landings in Leyte.

“To correct this injustice, Filipinos and Americans have worked together through successive Administrations and Congress to gradually restore what was taken from our brave Filipino Veterans,” Consul General Sanchez quoted the Ambassador in his A-Day message.

The A-Day rites in San Francisco were held to commemorate the Allied landings on the shores of Leyte, Philippines on 20 October 1944.  General Douglas Mac Arthur coined the term to differentiate it from D-Day, which is the day American and Allied forces landed in Normandy, France on 6 June 1944.

In her opening statement, Consul General Sanchez cited the heroism and courage of Filipinos and Allied soldiers who spearheaded the campaign to liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation during the war.

“The sacrifices made by many Filipinos, Americans, and other Allied troops proved vital to the success of A-Day and the campaign to liberate the Philippines. We should take every opportunity to thank these brave men and women whose numbers are dwindling every year,” she added.

Present at the A-Day commemoration included all personnel from the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco whose choir sang the Philippine national anthem, officials from the White House and the City and County of San Francisco, and the Filipino and American war veterans as the honored guests.

Among the veterans present during the A-Day rites included Lt. Joe Aquino, a Filipino World War II veteran who was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the American Legion War Memorial Commission. END