Agenda 2022

Pre-Event 11:00 AM–A Mass of Remembrance will be held at Rosary Hall Chapel, Dominican College

12:30 PM: Meet in Staging Area — In parking lot of Tappan Zee H. S. , 15 Dutch Hill Rd., Orangeburg, NY, 10962
(Those not joining the March can go directly to Dominican College’s Upper Parking Area, bordered by Bataan Road and Western Highway, 470 Western Highway South, Blauvelt, NY 10913).

1:00 PM: SYMBOLIC MARCH on Bataan Rd will commence.

1:15 PM: Arriving at Dominican College*, the 10th Mountain Division’s Brass Quintet plus One will be playing  music from WWII and Patriotic songs.

• People congregate in Dominican College’s Upper Parking Area to meet, greet and eat.
• View artifacts including the Shanghai Bowl of the 31st Infantry Regiment.
• Meet and chat with REENACTORS and our men and women in uniform.
• Photos with reenactors and General MacArthur and President Quezon. 
• Eat from food wagons including plenty of Filipino food.
• Souvenirs and keepsakes will be sold. All proceeds to aid and assist veteran related projects and organizations

2:00 PM: The Commemoration will begin

• Invocation given by Sister Barbara of Dominican College.
• National Anthems of Philippines and the US sung by the Voice of Friendship Singers, conducted by Marvin Gayatgay, formerly of the Madrigal Singers.
• Remarks given by local dignitaries and Sibu Nair, NY State Deputy Director of Asian-American Affairs.
• Military Veterans and Active Duty troops will be honored and introduced.

• Edward Lengel, Chief Historian of the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, TX, will tell us about the latest developments at the museum.

• Sister Mary Eileen O’Brien, President of Dominican College will speak.
• County Executive Ed Day will speak.
• Speakers from Ukrainian organizations will attend and are invited to speak. 
• Lezlee Peterzell Bellanich, singer extraordinaire from Nyack, will perform an original song to honor her uncle, Major Roy Robinton, USMC who fought on Corregidor, and died while a POW.
• Representatives of the Philippine Scout Heritage Society and the 31st Infantry Regiment Association will be called on to say a few words and talk about the Scouts and the 31st.
• Voice of Friendship Singers will give their rendition of Filipino songs including songs song by Filipino Guerrillas.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: The Honorable Elmer Cato, Consul General of the Philippines in NYC will deliver the Keynote Speech.

JOE BATAAN, the world renowned Filipino-American singer, will perform several of his most well-known hits.

At Bataan Road, a wreath will be placed at the foot of the Memorial Plaque which honors the Filipino-American troops. Accompanied by an Honor Guard, a bugler will blow taps.

A recording by Kate Smith of “God Bless America” will be played as people leave this area.

3:15pm VIEW ARTIFACTS – Walk to Rosary Hall to view artifacts that include 3 Congressional Medals of Honor, among which is that awarded to General Jonathan Wainwright.

4:00 PM: the SYMPOSIUM will commence in The Lawrence Room, in Rosary Hall.

Speaker topics will include:

• Ex-U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, Harry K. Thomas Jr, will give opening remarks.
• Mary Cardenas, Director of the Orangetown Museum, will talk about Camp Shanks, the largest Embarkation Camp during World War II (the Bataan Commemoration is being held on what was Camp Shanks).  
• Filipino Guerrillas, a broad overview — LTC (ret.) James Kelly Morningstar
• Lucky Guillermo, famous Filipino movie producer and managing director of Spyron AV Manila will tell about his experiences making numerous Documentaries about WWII in the Philippines.
• How Filipino guerrillas saved American pilots, as told by Gregory G. Fletcher, whose father was a pilot on the USS Intrepid who was shot down during the Battle of Leyte Gulf and rescued and saved, together with about 30 other American aviators, by Filipino Guerrillas.
• How the courage and indomitable spirit of Bataan inspired America to victory both in Europe and the Pacific — Jerome Kleiman.
• General MacArthur (as portrayed by Robert Tidwell) and President Quezon (as portrayed by JonJon Raphael) will be interviewed by eminent historian, Dr. Edward Lengel Chief Historian at the Nation Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, TX.