Las Vegas resident, other Filipino-Americans honored for WWII service

Regalado Baldonado, 90, with sister, Charmaine, and Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., at Congressional Gold Medal ceremony at the U.S. Capitol to recognize WWII Filipino-American veterans. (Courtesy of U.S. Senate)

WASHINGTON — Las Vegas resident Regalado Baldonado was honored at a congressional ceremony this week along with other Filipino and Filipino-Americans for their service in World War II.

Baldonado, 90, is one of four recognized Filipino-American World War II veterans who reside in Nevada. Only Baldonado was able to attend the Washington event.

But all Filipino and Filipino-American WWII veterans were honored at the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.

Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., who with Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, co-sponsored the Filipino Veterans of World War II Gold Medal Act, singled out Baldonado, who joined the Fil-American Army in 1942 at age 15.

“I’m incredibly humbled to be here as Nevada’s own Sergeant Regalado Baldonado and the entire Filipino veteran community receive the Congressional Gold Medal for answering America’s call to service,” said Heller, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Baldonado traveled with his sister, Charmaine, to Washington to take part in the Gold Medal Ceremony.

Heller said the bill he co-sponsored recognizes the strategic role of Filipinos in the U.S. and Allied victory over Japan in World War II.

There are 138,000 Filipino-Americans living in Las Vegas.

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.