World War II Honoree

Louis Gadi Pangilinan

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Manila, Philippine Islands

Honored By

Christopher Santos and Family

Relationship

Grandson

HE WAS AN OFFICER IN THE FILIPINO ARMY AT THE OUTBREAK OF WAR. HE FOUGHT SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH AMERICAN SOLDIERS AT CORREGIDOR. HE WAS CAPTURED WHEN THE ISLAND BASTION FELL, EVENTUALLY SURVIVING THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH AND BECOMING A PRISONER OF WAR. UPON LEARNING THAT ALL OFFICERS WOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO JAPAN FOR 'REEDUCATION,' HE AND HIS BROTHER, WHO WAS ALSO A PRISONER OF WAR IN THE SAME CAMP, DECIDED TO ATTEMPT AN ESCAPE, WHICH WAS ULTIMATELY SUCCESSFUL. HE THEN JOINED THE GUERRILLA MOVEMENT UNTIL THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS WERE LIBERATED. HE EVENTUALLY JOINED THE U.S. ARMY, BECAME A NATURALIZED U.S. CITIZEN, AND RETIRED FROM ACTIVE SERVICE AS A MAJOR.