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Jose Calugas (December 29, 1907 - January 18, 1998) was a member of the Philippine Scouts during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Battle of Bataan.
[edit] BiographyCalugas was born on December 29, 1907 in Barrio Tagsing, Leon, Iloilo, Philippines.[7][5] In 1930 Jose Calugas enlisted in the United States Army and was trained as an Artilleryman at Fort Sill, Oklahoma[4] and then assigned to the 24th Artillery Regiment (Philippine Scouts) at Fort Stotsenburg, Pampanga. There at Fort Stotsenburg he met his wife, and began to raise a family. Later he was reassigned to the 88th Field Artillery Regiment (PS).[7] As a Sergeant in Battery B of the 88th Field Artillery (PS), his unit was mobilized due to the news that the United States, and thus the Philippine Commonwealth, was at war with Japan. During the month of December his unit was sent to Bataan before the withdrawal of all capable USAFFE units withdraw to the peninsula. On January 6, 1942 his unit was assigned to cover the withdrawal of the rest of USAFFE along with the 26th Cavalry Regiment (PS) and the 31st Infantry Regiment and did so successfully. On January 16, 1942, while leading KP, he noticed that one of his units guns had knocked out, and its crew killed. In response his actions, that are detailed in his Medal of Honor citation, occurred which allowed other soldiers to dig in and defend the line. As that day ended, and combat subsided, he returned to KP.[8] For his actions on that day, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.[9][10] However, he would not be presented the Medal of Honor, but would become a prisoner of war when Major General King ordered the forces on Bataan to surrender. He joined the rest of the POWs in the Bataan Death March,[9] and was held at Camp O'Donnell until January 1943 when he was released. After being released, he was assigned to a Japanese Rice Mill and secretly joined a guerrilla unit, #227 Old Bronco.[7] With the liberation of the Philippines underway, beginning with the Battle of Leyte, return to normal combat would not begin until January 1945 when on the 9th of that month U.S. Forces landed at Lingayen Gulf. As an officer of the aforementioned guerrilla unit, he participated in the attack on the Japanese Garrison at Karangalan.[7] His unit joined the continued campaign leading the liberation of the Philippines.[8] In 1945, he finally received the Medal of Honor he had been awarded at the beginning of the war, and was presented it by General George Marshall.[8][9] Accepting a direct commission in the United States Army,[8] he was later assigned to the occupation of Okinawa with the 44th Infantry Regiment.[7] After the unit was disbanded, he was assigned to Ryuku Command where he remained until 1953.[7] During this time, he was naturalized as a U.S. Citizen, even though he was born a U.S. National.[7][8] Calugas eventually retired from the army with the rank of Captain and settled in the U.S. at Tacoma, Washington in 1957.[4] Afterwards he worked for Boeing, earned a degree in Business Administration from the University of Puget Sound in 1961,[4] and was involved in several veterans groups. He died in Tacoma on January 18, 1998 at age 90.[4] He is buried at Mountain View Memorial Park in Tacoma, Washington.[1] [edit] Medal of Honor citationPlace and date: At Culis, Bataan Province, Philippine Islands, January 16, 1942. Entered service at: Fort Stotsenburg, Philippine Islands. Citation:
[edit] Honors/LegacyOn Fort Sam Houston, Texas within the Family Housing area Calugas Circle was dedicated in his honor, with his family present in 1999. His Medal of Honor is now at the Fort's Museum for safekeeping and Display.[14] In 2006, a 36-unit apartment building, designed for low-income and disabilities residents was dedicated as the "Sgt. Jose Calugas, Sr. Apartments" in High Point, Seattle, Washington.[15] On Memorial Day 2009, his memory will be honored at Living War Memorial Park on a memorial already there.[16] [edit] See also
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Categories: 1907 births | 1998 deaths | Army Medal of Honor recipients | United States Army officers | American military personnel of World War II | Filipino immigrants to the United States | American prisoners of war | Recipients of the Prisoner of War Medal | Naturalized citizens of the United States | University of Puget Sound alumni | Foreign born Medal of Honor recipients | Filipino Americans in the United States Military | Boeing people | Filipino Americans | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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