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 Ceremony honors World War II vets for 70 years of liberty in Palawan By Christopher L. Ingersoll, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs
 PALAWAN, Philippines - Dignitaries from the Philippines, Australia and the U.S. gathered April 22 in the Province of Palawan to offer respects and pay tribute to those who fought to liberate the island from Japanese occupation during World War II. The event commemorated the 70-year anniversary of the end of WWII and celebrated decades of freedom that were won for the Palawan island by the 41st Infantry Division and Palawan guerilla fighters in 1945. Oregon Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Steven R. Beach, assistant adjutant general for Support, represented the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, the successors of the 41st Infantry Division. At the start, the Philippine Military Academy marched the U.S. and Philippine flags into the infamous Plaza Cuartel to begin the unveiling of new monuments that will honor the 41st Infantry Division and Palawan Guerilla forces. World War II history students recalled that Plaza Cuartel is the location where 139 emaciated U.S. service members were burned alive by the Japanese military on December 14, 1944. The site currently houses a statue in remembrance of that fateful day. The new monuments are being erected to mark the location as a symbol of sacrifice for freedom. "Liberation came at a very high price for those who died to secure it," said Bart Duff, president of the Palawan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "The freedoms it provided needs to be cherished and protected." Following the unveiling of the new monuments, the dignitaries were driven in a parade to the provincial capitol of Palawan for a ceremony featuring a live symphony as the story of the Palawan liberation was told with original music. Oregon Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Steven R. Beach, Assistant Adjutant General for Support, represented the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team - the successors of the 41st Infantry Division - during the event. Beach, of the Oregon Guard, presented awards along with other officials. "[Many] who fought to liberate Palawan were never honored," said Vice Admiral Higinio "Buddy" C. Mendoza Jr. of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary. "Men who risked their lives that just faded away." Col. Mark Burnett, U.S. Army Command Surgeon, Area Support Group Kuwait, attended the event to receive a medal on behalf of his father, George Hilgard Burnett, who served in Palawan and Zamboanga during WWII as a member of the 116th Medical Battalion of the 41st Infantry Division. "My father, like most of his generation, did not speak about his service," Burnett said. "He was a humble man and would not be comfortable being recognized, but I am proud to honor him and his service." As generals, admirals and government officials each gave their remarks at the event, and each touched on the theme of freedom and the heavy price that was paid for it. They also spoke of the enduring friendship established in WWII between the Philippines and the United States as guardians of that hard-won freedom. "We owe a debt of gratitude to those of this earlier generation, who gave their youth, their futures and their lives to return freedom to the Philippines and other parts of the world," said Beach. "We have an opportunity to say thank you in recognition of Filipino and American war efforts that led to the freedom that this island has enjoyed for the last 70 years."
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