At Library of Congress: A daughter unfolds a veteran's untold story

Written by Mercedes I. Velgot
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 11:28

“Remember this day,” I told my 10-year old son, James, as we walked through the awe-inspiring Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. “None of us will ever be asked to speak here in our lifetime.”

The invitation had been extended to my father, Dr. Valentin Ildefonso, a veteran of World War II and longtime resident of Villanova, Pa. Dr. Ildefonso is a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel and served as a Filipino guerilla and member of the Philippine Scouts.

He was asked to share his perspective and take part in “Unsung Heroes: Asian Pacific American Heroism during World War II” at the Library of Congress on Oct. 26 by the Asian Division Friends Society and Veterans History Project.

The Filipino guerilla resistance to the Japanese invasion during the Second World War is considered by military historians as the most active and effective guerilla movement of the Pacific War. The U.S. was aided by Filipino guerillas, who carried out reconnaissance activities ahead of advancing regular troops. These guerillas received instructions and supplies, and in return, sent back valuable intelligence to the U.S.

The morning at the Library of Congress began with the Presentation of Colors. It is a ceremony rich in tradition, which used to signal the presence of a military commander.

Today, the Armed Forces Color Guard consists of eight service members, who are at least six feet tall. An Old Guard soldier carries the American flag, while each representative from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines Corps, and Coast Guard carries its respective flag, creating an array of colors. A soldier and a Marine with M-14 rifles flank the color team.

As I videotaped the Color Guard, I caught a glimpse of my dad. He was saluting the flag, wearing his American Legion cap from Philadelphia Chapter 717 of Filipino veterans. In this fleeting, poignant moment, it occurred to me that his was truly the Greatest Generation. Honor, service to country, and belief in freedom and democracy may never again run so deep.

Dr. James Billington, librarian of Congress, welcomed those in attendance. Peter Young, chief of the Asian Division, introduced Robert Patrick, director of the Veterans History Project.

The Veterans History Project was created in 2000 by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Clinton. Its mission is to record, preserve and make accessible for future generations the first-hand remembrances of American wartime veterans from World War I through the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The keynote address was delivered by Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba. He is the second Filipino American officer to attain the rank of U.S. Army General. Taguba came to national attention in 2004 when he wrote the investigative report about abuses of detainees at Abu Graib prison in Iraq.

“The Asian-Pacific American families who join us today have marked a lasting legacy in our history not to be forgotten,” began Maj. Gen. Taguba. “Our unsung heroes have many untold stories yet to be shared. It is their time. It will always be their time.”

Department of Veterans Affairs Assistant Secretary L. Tammy Duckworth followed Maj. Gen. Taguba. “You constantly reach out across time, my fellow veterans, to different generations, and I thank you for your service.”

Ms. Duckworth served in Iraq and flew combat missions as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot. During a mission north of Baghdad, her aircraft was ambushed and she lost both her legs and partial use of one arm.

Finally, it was my father’s time. He walked slowly to the podium. As he did, my mind raced. He has been battling cancer for four years and had rescheduled a week off from chemotherapy to be well rested for this day. He had a nagging cough.

“I saw my godmother, my godfather, my friends and family slaughtered by the Japanese.” As he began, I was caught up in the story and forgot for a moment that he was my dad.

“My brother, Lucio Ildefonso, my brother-in-law, Gumersindo Alba, my uncle and my cousin, Teofilo Ildefonso, were all in the Bataan Death March.”

Growing up, I had heard the story many times about my Uncle Lucio, who escaped Bataan by pretending to be a deaf mute. He was told to march, awaiting the gunfire from behind that would signal his death. But as he walked 10 steps, 20 steps; miraculously, the shots never came. He started to run, leaving the Death March far behind. Uncle Lu was one of the lucky ones.

The 60-mile march in tropical heat involved the forcible transfer of 75,000 Filipino and American prisoners of war captured by the Japanese to prison camps. The Death March was aptly named, as it has been characterized by unspeakable torture and murder.

My father continued by playing an excerpt from his appearance on the History Channel’s The Last Days of WWII. My mother, Angelita, my sisters and I urged my dad not to play the DVD. “You should just tell your story, Dad. It’s not about you; it’s about all the unsung heroes.”

The lights dimmed and the narrator’s voice boomed, “February 18, the Philippines.” The audience was immediately transported back in time to the Battle of Manila. In a fierce clash between American and Japanese forces, Manila was reduced to smoldering rubble and ash, its destruction comparable only to Leningrad and Berlin.

We could hear the artillery fire, and count the bodies of the dead. The enormity of a world at war loomed before us on the screen. As he had proven so many times in my life, Dad was right. The video left the audience with indelible images of war and what it was like to be there. It gave us a true appreciation for those who defended democracy on our behalf.

As this final speaker of the morning, Dr. Valentin Ildefonso, made his closing remarks, I realized that he was our unsung hero.

James watched proudly as his grandfather was presented with a plaque of appreciation and a dog tag commemorating the day’s events. “Mom, you never know,” James mused. “You and Dad won’t ever speak here, but one day, I might be asked back to the Library of Congress.”

As we left Washington, filled with stories of patriotism, heroism and bravery to defend our nation’s liberty, I knew that James was right. He could, perhaps someday, follow in his grandfather’s footsteps.

Dr. Ildefonso has lobbied for years to obtain compensation for Filipino veterans of World War II, who never received the medical or monetary benefits of their American counterparts. After a decades-long struggle, President Obama signed the WWII Filipino Veterans Compensation Fund in February 2009. It offers a one-time payment of $15,000 for Filipino veterans in the U.S. and $9,000 for those in the Philippines.

For more information on the Veterans History Project, visit www.loc.gov/vets orr call 888-371-5848. The project relies on volunteers and families to record veterans’ remembrances.

Mercedes Ildefonso Velgot is a television producer and anchor who lives in Weston with her husband Jim and fifth grader, James.