During this time, China, Vietnam, Korea and other Asian countries that Japan conquered during the war were protesting the Japanese revisions in their history. On the other hand, the Philippine authorities kept quiet about it.

Marcos even bragged to the foreign and local media that General Volkmann confided to him that “General Yamashita should have surrendered to him (Marcos).” Marcos made it appear that as an intelligence officer, he supplied the USFIP-NL vital information about the Japanese forces in Bessang. But it was a known fact among guerillas that he was in Nueva Vizcaya during those times. He was nowhere around Bessang Pass to be involved in the battle.

The incident raised a lot of howl among historians especially military historians who knew about the battle. Most of the military historians kept quiet about Marcos claims to glory. Even the relatives of military heroes of Bessang Pass like Major Rigor, General Balao and Major Borje kept quiet about the Marcos claims so as not to ruffle the feathers of the dictator.

The newspaper “Ang Malaya” printed articles on the guerilla activities in Northern Luzon casting doubts on Marcos allegations that he was at Bessang Pass. But most of the articles were indirectly saying that.

It was only in late 1985 that the late Col. Bonifacio Gillego who later became a congressman after the overthrow of Marcos in 1986, directly questioned Marcos’s 27 military medals and his claim to glory at Bessang Pass was exposed. The well-documented exposé was a big factor in the defeat of Marcos during the snap election of 1986. Gillego did a good research in the US military archives and exposed Marcos as a fake hero.

Now, on the 60th anniversary of the Battle, we honor the real heroes of Bessang Pass – the nameless farmers, soldiers, bolomen, haulers who supplied the fighters with ammunition, food and other war materials, and the brave volunteer Igorots who fought tooth and nail the fascist Japanese forces who entrenched themselves in the northern highlands.

American tribute to Filipino soldiers

The American officers in the Cordilleras during the siege issued statements with glowing praises for the Filipino soldiers. Gen. Walter Kruger, commanding general of the U.S. 6th Army where the USFIP-NL belongs, in his memoir and official report, described the Battle of Bessang Pass as:“ one whose magnitude and decisiveness far surpasses the U.S Army 32nd and 25th Divisions’ battle for the Villaverde Trail and the Balete Pass, respectively.”

Gen. Douglas Macarthur, the U.S. Supreme Commander in the Pacific also paid tribute to the victors of Bessang Pass: “The work of the Northern Luzon guerillas alone was equal to a front line division.”

Brig. Gen. Russel W. Volkman, USFIP-NL Commanding officer, said: “With such courageous spirit as the motivating force behind USFIP-NL, together with the wholehearted cooperation ad willingness on the part of the officers and men of the USFIP-NL, to undergo sacrifices and hardships, the seemingly insurmountable obstacles through the dark days of the Japanese occupation were overcome. Your devotion to duty, to the cause, to your country, and to the United States of America has been rightly blessed with commendations of highest order.”

The USFIP-NL was not disbanded after the war and it became the 2nd regular Philippine Army Division. Many of its top officers became army chiefs of staff like Gen. Calixto Duque and Eulogio Balao who later became the secretary of national defense and a senator.

On June 14, 1952, President Elpidio Quirino officially declared the Fall of Bessang Pass as a military holiday to be commemorated in the Philippines.

Quirino declared ruing the 7th Anniversary of the Battle: “…to win the liberation of Northern Luzon in which the USFIP-NL played a major role, you accomplished no ordinary achievement. Your battle for Bessang Pass in eastern Ilocos Sur in 1945 for instance stands out prominently as one of most decisive battles of the Philippine liberation campaign.”

Thus, to honor the Filipino American veterans in the United States and living in city of Los Angeles and in the Philippines who fought in this great battle and to support the continuing struggle of the Filipino Veterans to be recognized as American World War veterans for equity, recognition and justice, we remember the Filipino victory at Bessang Pass.

From the Filipino community in the United States – we salute you! Bulatlat

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