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McCain, Hillary in film premiere
WASHINGTON -Former First Lady and now Senator Hillary Clinton, Democrat from New
York and Senator John McCain, Republican from Arizona, were the special guests
at the July 28 Miramax premiere here of “The Great Raid,” a World
War II movie.
The movie is based on “The Great Raid in Cabanatuan” by historian
William Breuer and partly on the best-selling “The Ghost Soldiers”
by Hampton Sides.
The setting is apt. The 2008 elections is shaping up to be a battle between celebrity
with gravitas (Hillary) and a decorated Vietnam War hero and media darling (McCain).
Unless Republican Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, younger brother of current President
George W. Bush, listens to his dad and changes his mind.
Top Philippine star Cesar Montano will join Benjamin Bratt of the “Law and
Order” TV fame and Julia Robert’s ex-boyfriend, at the Hollywood-style,
red carpet premiere of “The Great Raid.” Other stars are Joseph Fiennes,
star of “Shakespeare in Love” and “Spiderman” co-star
James Franco.
The 7 p.m. premiere is sponsored by Miramax Film and Eastman Kodak at Loews Uptown
theater on Connecticut Avenue. The movie opens nationwide on Aug. 12.
Montano plays the role of Capt. Juan Pajota of the U.S. Army Forces in the Far
East (USAFFE). Pajota led Filipino guerrillas who helped the U.S. Sixth Ranger
Battalion carry out one of the most daring and successful missions in American
history. The battalion was under the command of Lt.Col. Henry Mucci, played by
Bratt.
Pfc. Vernon Abbott, was a member of the Sixth Rangers battalion which rescued over five hundred American POW's in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines.
The January 1945 mission rescued over 500 American and other Allied Prisoners
of War (POWs) from a camp in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, located north of Manila.
Earlier on July 24, the community held a successful veterans’ benefit screening
at the George Washington University, which drew over 200, including some who came
from Baltimore. The event sponsors were: The National Capital Region of the National
Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), the American Coalition
for Filipino Veterans, the Philippine American Foundation for Charities, Inc,
and the Philippine Cultural Society at GWU.
Aside from the actual rescue, Filipino guerrillas acted as spies and runners (intelligence
couriers). They provided crucial information on camp lay-out and Japanese positions,
and also Japanese troop movements in the area before the raid.
Retired U.S. Army Col. Melvin H. Rosen was an able-bodied camp “slave labor”
POW moved to Inchon, Korea before the raid. He said, “The rescue would not
have been successful without the Filipinos.”
Rosen and retired Private 1st Class Vernon Abbott, 82, were guests at a special
screening here July 24. Abbott showed a photo of himself carrying sickly POW Charles
Mortimer in the book “The Ghost Soldiers.” POWs too sick to walk were
put on waiting carabao sleds after the raid. Many brought copies to the event,
including history buff Froilan Tiglao, who asked him to autograph the page.
“I don’t consider myself a hero,” Abbott said in an interview.
“They told us the mission was to rescue the POWs, and that’s what
we did.” Abbott, then age 21, was near the camp’s front gate, shooting
at the searchlights. Daughter Beverly came from North Carolina to accompany him.
Event patron Mel Odilao told Abbott: “You’re a hero, let’s give
credit where credit is due.”
Bronze Star recipient Lorenzo Hipolito, who was part of the guerrilla roadblock
team during the raid, was not present. A former Maryland resident, he’s
now in the Philippines. Retired Sgt. First Class Guillermo O. Rumingan, Philippine
Scouts, of Virginia, was vacationing in the Philippines. Rumingan was a trusted
Pajota intelligence courier during the planning of the raid.
Other guests honored at the program veterans from this area and from New Jersey.
They were: Retired US Air Force Maj. Jesse Baltazar, Celestino Almeda, Alberto
Bacani, all from Virginia, and Tomas Culanag and Joaquin Tejada of this capital.
From New Jersey: Jose Genito, Alfredo Diaz, Ananias Dapa, Vic Martin and Nick
Casino. The following week, they went to lobby in Congress.
PAFC board member Maurese O. Owens interviewed Rosen and Abbott at a post-screening
program. NaFFAA National Region Chair Bing Branigin enlisted patrons to the event.
Former PAFC board member Mitzi Pickard announced the list of patrons and sponsors.
PCS president Christine de la Rosa was honored to join the fundraising for the
lobbying efforts of the veterans. ACFV Executive Director Eric Lachica thanked
Miramax “for generously providing a copy of the film for the screening.”
By Jennie L. Ilustre
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