16 September 2014 – The 72nd Annual Maywood Bataan Day was celebrated on September 14 in Maywood, Illinois by the Maywood Bataan Organization, the Village of Maywood, surviving World War II veterans, and members of the Filipino-American community.
A program commemorating the day's event began at 3:00 p.m. at the Veteran’s Memorial Maywood Park on the corner of 1st Avenue and Oak Street in Maywood. The day’s commemoration was marked with the re-dedication of the memorial plaque at the park, which was originally dedicated on May 1959.
Philippine Consul General Generoso D.G. Calonge gave his remarks on behalf of the Filipino community. He paid tribute to the thousands of Filipino and American soldiers who displayed extraordinary gallantry and courage beyond the call of duty in defending Bataan and Corregidor in 1942. He emphasized the continuing bond between both countries and stated, “May our renewed sense of unity and purpose grow stronger and continue to spread trough the future generations.”
The program ended with a rifle gun salute, the playing of Taps and wreath-laying by representatives of the different armed services of the US as well as from several veterans' organizations. Approximately 200 people were present at the commemoration.
Maywood Bataan Day is celebrated annually on the second Sunday of September in Maywood, in honor of the troops of the 192nd Tank Battalion who were all from Maywood, Illinois and who all served in Bataan. The first celebration was in 1942 by the American Bataan Clan, which is the precursor of the Maywood Bataan Organization. END