History

               I came across this when I was talking to my mother about the Bayan program I am enrolled in at Southwestern College. Both classes involve around a large significance within the Filipino culture and myself being a Filipino take pride in the culture and the people that represent it. One person who I discovered recently that has made a big impact in both Filipino and American history is my Great Grandfather Emilio S. Liwanag. My Great Lolo Emilio was an Officer in the Phillipine Navy during the Second World War and the Korean war. This impacts me because I am a direct descended of my great grandfather on my mothers side and  I am currently serving in the United States Military. It is a personal goal in my life to become a Military Officer and it is great to know that the military runs in my family bloodline. My Great Grandfather Emilio Liwanag started his military career as a Second Lieutenant with the 3rd Infantry regiment of the Phillipine Army after graduation of the Phillipine Military Academy. He joined the Offshore patrol unit of the U.S. Army forces of the Far East as a 1st Lieutenant during the second world war and was involved in the Battle of Bataan and during the country's liberation in the Battle of Manila.

During the Korean War, he served as an Lieutenant Commander - Logistic officer in the Army's10th Battalion Combat Team as part of the United Nations Forces -Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea(PEFTOK) during the 1st year of the war, which was the first deployment of Philippine combat forces under the Republic of the Philippines into foreign soil. Shortly after his return from his 1st tour in Korea, he served a 2nd tour as Liaison officer under the Philippine Navy for the UN Command and Philippine Diplomatic Representative in Tokyo, Japan.
 My grandfather is the one responsible who brought the standard of discipline, order, organization, and structure into the Philippine Navy and is remembered currently as a national hero of today in the PI as well as the US for his accolades. He saved many lives during his service and his efforts contributed to many factors of the victory over the Japanese in the retaking of the Philippines.
 On October 7, 1952, Liwanag was decorated with the Legion of Merit(Officer Degree) by Maj. Gen. Blackshear M. Bryan, deputy chief of staff - HQ Far East Command, for services in the Philippine Liaison office with the UN Command during the Korean War He became the first Filipino Officer to receive this distinguished medal, which is the highest US military decoration to be given to a foreign national.
It is an honor to be a direct descendant of a real hero who fought for the security of the nation, my homeland.
I hope that in my military career and as a man I can make a similar Impact that he made and contributed in the name of the Philipines. His service has brought Kapwa and amor propio not just to my family but to me as well as his Great Grandson so I hope to carry the same standard as this man has as long as I live.