PRESS RELEASE
SFPCG-PR-099-2021
FIL-AM HISTORY MONTH KICKS OFF IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA WITH EXHIBIT ON 120 YEARS OF FILIPINO ENLISTMENT IN THE U.S. NAVY
ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA, USA – The annual commemoration of Filipino American History Month kicked off at the San Francisco Bay Area on 3 October 2021, with the opening of a month-long exhibit chronicling 120 years of Filipino enlistment in the United States Navy.
The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, led by Consul General Neil Frank R. Ferrer and Mrs. Miriam M. Ferrer, graced the launch of the exhibit entitled, “120 Years of Loyal and Faithful Service by Filipinos in the U.S. Navy” at the historic USS Hornet Museum in Alameda, California.
The exhibit commemorates the 120th anniversary of the entry of the first group of Filipinos into the United States Navy. On April 5, 1901, U.S. President William McKinley signed an executive order that allowed Filipinos to enlist in the U.S. Navy’s Insular Force.
In his remarks, Consul General Ferrer recognized the longstanding tradition of Filipino enlistment in the U.S. Navy and its significance in strengthening Philippines-U.S. relations.
“Today, thousands of Filipino Americans remain an integral part of the U.S. Navy. While Americans of Filipino descent actively serve in almost all the service branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, it is in the U.S. Navy where the presence of Filipino Americans continues to be felt the strongest,” Consul General Ferrer said.
“May we be reminded of the historical and people-to-people connection that continues to define the enduring relations between the Philippines and the United States. All of us here bear the responsibility of ensuring that the legacy of our veterans in the U.S. Navy and the larger Armed Forces will never be diminished nor forgotten,” the Philippine Consul General further said.
Consul General Ferrer thanked the Bataan Legacy Historical Committee, the USS Hornet Museum, and the Friends and Family of Nisei Veterans for spearheading the event, and gave assurances of the Consulate’s support to efforts in preserving the memory of Filipino and Filipino American veterans.
Filipino American Naval Captain Leopoldo Albea Jr., who currently serves as the Director of the Joint Functional Component Command, Integrated Missile Defense, keynoted the exhibit opening, where he paid tribute to his late father, Master Chief Petty Officer Leopoldo Albea Sr., for paving the way for him to join the U.S. Navy. He exhorted the Filipino and American veterans and their families present to “share their stories” and keep their inspiring memories alive.
In a touching end to the event, Consul General Ferrer and Captain Albea jointly led a wreath-throwing ceremony aboard the USS Hornet, to honor Filipino and Filipino American men and women in uniform who gave their lives for flag and country.
The exhibit will run for the whole month of October 2021 at the USS Hornet Museum in Alameda, California, which is open Fridays through Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The exhibit opening is the first of many activities in the San Francisco Bay Area to mark Filipino American History Month. On 18 October 1587, sailors from the largest Philippine island of Luzon arrived in Morro Bay, California onboard the Spanish galleon ship “Nuestra Señora de Esperanza.” The arrival of the so-called “Luzones Indios” in Morro Bay is considered to be the first recorded presence of Filipinos in continental U.S. END
