Bonifacio Ebanez * Filipino Inf Regt

Florencio Echaluce ST2c Navy Casualty 3/1/1942 from Libag Albay

Candido Edrozo born Philippines; Army Sgt. Co H 45^th Inf Regt; KIA; Distinguished Service Cross ( for 2/12/1942; posthumous)

Francis Eharis * Filipino Inf Regt

John Eharis * Filipino Inf Regt

Paulino Ejaype OST1c Navy Casualty 12/15/1942 USS Shark; from 31 C. Mapa St Iloilo

Esteban Elgario Officer’s Chief Cook Navy Casualty from Nabua Camarines Sur

Jose Eliares # PS

Juan Elizalde guerilla; from family of the wealthy Elizaldes of Manila

Feliciano Elvina POW; Casualty died Navy Officer’s Steward 3c from 1219 Leveriza Malate Manila; (formerly survivor of USS Squalus SS-192 on 5/23/1939 Navy Matt 1c)

Benjamin “Ben” Valdez Embry # Death March, POW was born in  1924, the second son of Valentina Valdez and 2^nd Lt. Thomas Embry. His father was a US Army veteran of Spanish-American and Philippine-American wars. On February 21, 1941 when he was 16 years & 4 ½ months old, Benjamin enlisted with the 26^th Cavalry Troop C PS thru the complicity of the U.S. military recruiter in the the absence of his parent’s consent (and knowledge) simply because he wanted to ride a horse with the cavalry, don cool military uniforms, wristwatch and boots with a gun etc. Well, Benjamin got what he prayed for-King (#5250) was his horse’s name and more… like, play soldier with real men in a real (Duh!) war. His military enlistment record was appropriately noted in the following manner:” Civil Occupation-Actor (Motion picture actor) or Director, Motion Picture (Motion picture director) or Entertainer”. His date of birth was also appropriately altered- October 7, 1920. Child labor law was conveniently suspended by the recruiter, not only for Benjamin’s sake, but also for other recruits. Benjamin’s term of enlistment is one year of military service.

 Now, what to do when you find yourself in the midst of a real war? Well, play the role of a soldier, of course, like they do in the movies and more. When the Japanese landed in the Philippines, Pvt. Benjamin Embry was sent to the Cagayan Valley on a military mission with five other (older?) soldiers. Benjamin’s recollection of their names… Figeroa, Maliklik or Maliksi, Laksima? However, the group got lost on the way to Isabela and so they decided to look for their comrades in a place like Bataan. Now, talk about someone who would be in the wrong place at the wrong time! But then again, this is my father, whose intrepidity or ability to get in to unusual circumstances is rather legendary amongst his peers. Additionally, like most of his generation, Benjamin has an unshakable faith in the United States military might and power. The defeat of the U.S. colonial Philippine government, the Death March, the Japanese Occupation are not in the horizon. Gen MacArthur’s proclamation that “Help is on the way from the United States. Thousands of troops and hundreds of planes are being dispatched, etc.” is biblical truth to Pilipinos and Americans soldiers alike. Anyways, on Jan 2, 1942 Benjamin arrived in Bataan by boat and joined PS 26^th Cavalry Troop B. Benjamin’s recollection of this event-Captain Cunningham dying in Bataan; 1^st Sgt Brower, Charlie Patton, William, a large black soldier, etc.. The rest, like they say is history and hell and hell and pure hell. Two hundred fifty 26^th Cavalry horses and forty eight pack mules went down in military saga and lore as slaughtered and eaten by the Pilipino and American soldiers during the late period of starvation, after all other methods of food forages had been exhausted in Bataan. In the Philippines the realities of a war, more brutal and devastating than in any other place in the world, begin to unfold. Miraculously, Benjamin, albeit in a weakened condition, survived the horrors of the Siege of Bataan and the Bataan Death March when he was just seventeen and a half years old. On April 9, 1942, Benjamin was also miraculously kept at the Camp O’Donnel Prisoners of War Concentration Camp instead of being sent to the more horrifying hellholes in Cabanatuan or University of Santo Tomas, after convincing the Japanese that he is of Spanish and not of American descent. On July 29, 1942 he was paroled, ill with malaria and bronchitis, after his Spanish mestiza mother vouched to the Japanese that Benjamin is of Spanish and not of American descent. The Spanish, the colonial ruler of the Philippines before the United States, were favored by the Japanese, simply because of the old adage that “your enemy is my friend”

On October 20, 1944 Gen MacArthur did return as he had promised to the Pilipinos, the loyalty and devotion of most of his soldiers undiminished. The Philippines subsequently was liberated from the Japanese military rule and occupation. Until he was honorably discharge from U.S. military service on February 28, 1945, Benjamin served with Co D 2^nd MP Battalion PS in Buenlag, Calasiao, Pangasinan. Thomas Embry died on September 18, 1948, his death hastened by difficulties suffered during the war. The Embrys are grateful to the residents of Paniqui for not revealing Thomas hiding place to the Japanese military, although the war impoverished townspeople could significantly profit financially from giving such information.

What about Benjamin’s post war life and career? No, he did not become a movie actor or director, but he became an amateur boxer, Paniqui police officer, and security chief at the sugar mills & plantation of the Estrella-Cojuangcos. He also went with his young family and tended his in-laws homestead abaca (Manila hemp) & fruit plantation in Kidapawan, Cotobato for three years. Significantly, Benjamin from two marriages and two relationships became the father of four boys and twelve girls, an event probably more turbulent than his experiences as a Death March and POW survivor combined.

Victor Encarnado Coxswain Navy Casualty 12/10/1941 from Bacoor Cavite

Manuel P. Enriquez Maj

Nicholas Enriquez Alamo Scouts

Manuel Enriquiez Cpt guerrilla, took over after Lt. Col Nakar was captured & executed

Pedro Enriquez MM2c Navy Casualty 12/10/1941 from 39 J Ocampo Bacoor Cavite

Romy Entac born 1919 Philippines; 57^th Inf (PS) G Co Machine Gun Platoon; Death March survivor; Award: Purple Heart

Pedro Entera Mess Attendant Navy Casualty; from Cebu

Alfredo Erece * Filipino Inf Regt

Julio “Jay” Ereneta,

born 1/2/1902 in Iloilo, Philippines; at age 17 signed on as pantry boy aboard the Danish ship Selandia for a trip w/ Philippine Gov. General Francis B. Harrison; arr Ellis Island on 2/2/1919; enlisted 2/18/1919 in the Navy; served in the USS Eider (Minesweeper #17) in the WW1 North Sea minefields. He went to Navy Radio School and became an Aviation Squadrons air crewman during WW11 & a Chief Warrant Officer in 1943; Solomon Island Campaign (1942-1944); Philippine Visayan Liberation (1945). A flyweight boxer in Naval Boxing competitions, he retired in 1949. He had a remarkable trend-setting career path and when he died 4/15/2005 @ 103 yrs old in San Diego, California he had outlive his contemporaries. buried Mount Hope Cemetery San Diego; Awards: WW1 Victory Medal, WW1 75th Anniversary Medal. (plenty of online photos; I’ve listed some weblinks here notes by M.E.Embry

Sources: http://filipinosgone2ellis-island.tripod.com

http://www.filipinohome.com/03_09_01ereneta.html by Nestor Palugod Enriquez, Pilipino online historian

http://articles.latimes.com/2005/apr/29/local/me-ereneta29

http://www.search.com/images?q=survivor+china  (website has several photos)

http://www.ussutah.org/2004_reunion.htm

http://www.webshots.com/explains/news/warrant-officer.html

http://news.webshots.com/photo/1163024234054062406WIPsWU

Source: http://www.soledadmemorial.com/web/pages/plaque_locator.php?wall=1&ln=e

also honored @ Mount Soledad Memorial La Jolla California located @ wall E  Facing East  Row 2  Plaque 50 

Theopilo Ermetano * Filipino Inf Regt

Anheal Escalante * Filipino Inf Regt

Leo Escalona E 6; 1942-1944

William Escalona *

Eulalio Escobedo Mess attendant 1c Navy Casualty 9/15/1942; from Gubat Sorsogon

Antonio Escoda # Col; Casualty; POW @ Ft. Santiago by Japanese Forces 6/1944; beheaded w/ Brg Gen Vicente Lim in 1945; Josefa, his wife was also arrested & was never seen again after 1/6/1945

Dionisio Escuro STM1c Navy Casualty 3/1/1942; from Navua Camarines Sur

Procopio Esguerra # PS

Salvador Espalana * Filipino Inf Regt

Elpidio Espejo OCk1c Navy Casualty; from Mayantoc Tarlac

Pio P. Espeso born 7/11/1919; died 10/18/2007; SS issued Michigan

Romeo Espino Col. post-war: Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines

Daniel Espiritu STM1c Navy Casualty 12/10/1941; from Santa Rita Olongapo Zambales

Dionisio Esquirra * Filipino Inf Regt

Catalino M. Estabillo ** born 2/6/1904 Phil; died 4/23/1985 buried East Union Cemetery San Joaquin Ca. Pfc Army

Mauro Estabillo Gunner’s Mate 1c Navy Casualty 6/4/1942 from Aliaga Nueva Ecija

Norman Estabillo * Filipino Inf Regt

Leon Estares # commander Nueva Ecija Hukbalahap guerrilla

George Esteban * Filipino Inf Regt

Faustino Estigoy Filipino Regt

Enrique Estrada PS, also Korean War veteran Source Joseph Embry

Mateo Estrada born Philippines; died 1942 POW Casualty Navy Fireman 1c from Agoo, La Union

Leon Estares # commander Nueva Ecija Hukbalahap guerrilla

Alvin Estrella * Filipino Inf Regt

Justiniano Estrella guerrilla

Pedro Euperio Army Pfc Co E. 26^th Cavalry Regt (PS); Award: Distinguished Service Cross (for1/16/1942)

Vincente Eustacio # guerrilla

Alfred Evangelista * Filipino Inf Regt

Juan Evangelista OST3c Navy Casualty 1/16/1942; from 7 Castellar St San Roque Cavite