HONOLULU -- Some 150 Filipino World War II veterans received the Congressional Gold Medal award during the World War II Filipino Veterans Congressional Gold Medal Presentation at the Coral Ballroom of the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu, Hawaii on 06 May 2018.
Proud and teary-eyed, the remaining World War II Filipino American veterans and the next of kin for posthumous recipients attended the presentation. Consul General Jimeno had the honor to receive the award on behalf of his late father Eleutario Jimeno who was a guerilla during the World War.
Others who graced the event were State of Hawaii Governor David Ige, Deputy Commander of the US Pacific Command Lieutenant General Bryan Fenton, US Pacific Fleet Director Rear Admiral Victorino Mercado, Major General Antonio Taguba (retired), State of Hawaii and City and County of Honolulu officials and Ms. Maya Kasandra Soetero-Ng who is the sister of former US President Barack Obama.
The United States Congress enacted the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015 and signed into law by President Barack Obama on 14 December 2016. (PNA/PR-DFA)
