Bells of Balangiga.

[Seascamp]

This is a current topic and issue that goes back to 1901 that may be of interest as there is something for everyone. The people of the Philippines are lobbying and requesting that their church bells be returned to them. The two main church bells reside at an Air force base in Wyoming, and the 3rd civic church bell resides with the US 9th Infantry Division.

Here is a condensed version of the story. The Philippine Rebels battled the Spanish Colonial masters for decades seeking their independence and at the onset of the Spanish-American war the US sought their assistance in vanquishing the Spaniards. So far so good, but wait a sec, the battle of Manila Bay was it. Spain?s junky, obsolete and ill- maintained Manila Battle Fleet was no match for the USN Cruisers of 1898 and it was over almost as soon as it began and Spain capitulated across the board.

The subsequent US landing force disallowed the Philippine Rebels from entering Manila and totally shut them out of the Paris Treaty that gave total ownership of the Philippines to the US.

Then guess what, we got the little-known and less talked about Philippine-American war.

Balangiga is in Samar Province on Layte Gulf, right near the place where Mc Author landed during WWII.
At the time of 1901 the 9th ID sent a Co. (about 80 at the time) to Balangiga to guard against Rebel activity in the area. Then one morning, the Rebels charged the US troops whilst they were at breakfast and chopped them up with bolos* and only 28 escaped the massacre by running for their rifles and cutting down rebels as they could. Rebel dead range from 30 to 250, depending on what narrative is believed to be accurate.
The surviving 28 9th ID troops got out of there by commandeered water transport. Their commissioned officers were killed in the first Rebel assault so they had to do some resourceful stuff to get the hell out of Balangiga, and I wouldn?t expect less.

Then the then US President authorized punitive operation against Balangiga and surrounding areas. Bad and brutal stuff, off the charts actually and apparently way out of control. Some accounts have thousands of Pinoy massacred in revenge, again according to the narrative read. But Balangiga was burned to the ground, the church bells taken as trophies of some sort and that is where it stands today.

Personally, I believe the Bells of Balangiga should be returned and I do not believe this would be an affront to the 9th ID or to the memory of those lost. Right now, two statues are in Balangiga, one for the Rebels, and one for the 9th ID troops. Descendents of the lost 9th ID troops want the bells returned and I believe our government should give due consideration to the request. The topic name can be searched and it is all very fascinating.

Scamp

* Bolo = Machete

[covan]

Seascamp,

You have the facts correct. I would agree the bells should be returned.

For several years I have been researching action in Samar in the following years but I get little or no feedback. I have posted several topics seeking information but no response. This is a dead topic.

One topic involves a local Marine who was recommended for a Medal of Honor for his actions.

I am sure that no one is interested in this topic.

[Seascamp]

Perhaps so Covan, perhaps so. But by using an I-net search engine and the topic name there is pages and pages of articles, controversy and sagas. Plus there is some information about a Pinoy tour group going around the US with a stage play about the bells.

The issue is raising the level of awareness and if just a few people here find something new and interesting here that is without some stupid political spin and indigenous fratricidal acrimony, I?ll say I?m good.

These days, I doubt that many would know that the Philippines was a de facto Colony of the US Colonial masters. The US did a hell of a lot better for the Pinoy than the, greedy, corrupt Spaniards, but a Colony, none-the-less.

Alas, the forgotten Colony we tend to snub and marginalize. There abouts, they call me ?Po? or Oobee and I?ll retire there one day in Quezon Province. But first things first I?m an Opa now and damn, talk about ball bearings in the gear box and loving every moment of it. Oh, did I tell anyone I?m an Opa now?

Scamp