Skyline College/North San Mateo County Oral History
Archives, Skyline
College Library
Student project for LSCI 110
– Digital Oral Research Project, Skyline College
Elpidio S.
Dorotheo
Click here to read to read the research essay, “Too Little, Too Late.--Elpidio S. Dorotheo, WWII Filipino Veteran”,
by Marijoy D. Angeles
Click on the links below to hear audio segments from an April 2009 interview by Marijoy D.
Angeles with Elpidio S. Dorotheo, who shared the piece of history he
experienced during World War II with fighting alongside the Americans.
Mr. Elpidio S. Dorotheo and family at
their house in Fremont, CA
1.Segment 1: Introduction
2. Segment 2: Fighting With the Americans
3. Segment 3: High
Position In WWII
4. Segment 4:
American Treatment
5. Segment 5:
Reason In Joining the Forces
6. Segment 6:
Dorotheo’s Journey Into Joining the U.S. Armed Forces
8. Segment 8: The Benefits
Dorotheo Received In the War
9. Segment 9:
Specified Duties
10. Segment 10:
Ratio of American Soldiers to Filipino Soldiers In Each Regiment
11. Segment
11: Benefits Americans Received that Filipinos Did Not Receive
12. Segment 12: Reason Why Dorotheo Believes There Is An
Equality Between Veteran Benefits
13. Segment 13: “It Should Be the Same”
14. Segment
14: Did Not Experience Or Hear About the Recission Act of 1946
15. Segment
15: The Importance of Physical Fitness To the Dorotheo’s
16. Segment 16: “Much Delayed And Too, Too Little”
18. Segment 18: Welcome And Support
19. Segment
19: Rightful Benefits
20. Segment
20: Last Messages From Mr. Elpidio S. Dorotheo—Physical Fitness
Segment 1: Introduction (0:00-0:16)
Interviewer, Marijoy D. Angeles, introduces self and interviewee, Elpidio S.
Dorotheo, introduces himself as well.
Segment 2
Segment 2: Fighting with the Americans (0:16-1:00)
Dorotheo tells his stories about fighting alongside the
Segment 3
Segment 3: High position in WWII (1:00-1:17)
Dorotheo talks about his position in WWII, as Deputy
Minister in Youth and Sports.
Segment 4
Segment 4: American treatment (1:21-1:41)
Dorotheo narrates how well the American soldiers treated him and his fellow
soldiers.
Segment
5
Segment 5: Reason in joining U.S.
Forces/War (1:42-2:19)
Dorotheo explains about his reasons in leaving to join the U.S. Forces to
proudly represent the Filipinos.
Segment 6
Segment 6: Elpidio’s journey into
joining the U.S. Armed Forces (2:19-16:19)
Dorotheo narrates about his exciting venture to independently leave to join the U.S. Armed Forces. Although he was under the age of legal
military entry, he was too determined to be part of the war resulting into
having to hide his age.
Segment 7
Segment 7: Obligations (16:20-17:10)
Dorotheo listed the obligations he had for himself and his family, while
serving in the forces.
Segment 8
Segment 8: The benefits Dorotheo
received in the war
(17:11-17:33)
Dorotheo gratefully mention how the most valuable benefit he received for
serving in the war was the education he was given.
Segment 9
Segment 9: Specified Duties (17:34-18:20)
Dorotheo describes specific duties he was assigned to, specifically within the
signal platoon.
Mr. and Mrs. Elpidio S.
Dorotheo practicing their Catholic faith
Segment 10
Segment 10: Ratio of American
soldiers to Filipino soldiers in each regiment (18:21-19:05)
Dorotheo recalled the accurate ratio of American soldiers to Filipino soldiers in
each platoon and regiments.
Segment 11
Segment 11: Benefits Americans
received that Filipinos did not receive (19:08-21:15)
Dorotheo tells his disappointment at how Americans received benefits that most,
if not all, Filipino soldiers received.
“Too late, and too little”—regarding the recent legislation passed for
Filipino WWII Veterans, after 64 years after the war.
Segment 12
Segment 12: Reason why Dorotheo
believes there was an inequality between veteran benefits (21:16-23:27)
Dorotheo shared his thoughts that maybe we would have been treated more equally
if we fought for the enemies, but it seemed as though the enemies were treated
better than the Filipino comrades/soldiers.
Segment 13
Segment 13: “It should be the
same”
(23:28-23:52)
Elpidio Dorotheo talks about the compensation award difference for the Filipino
Veterans; the recent Filipino WWII Veterans compensation legislation has been
passed for those veterans who are still alive.
$15,000 compensation for those that are
Segment 14
Segment 14: Did not experience or
hear about the Recission Act of 1946 (23:53-24:14)
Interviewer, Angeles, asked Dorotheo if he know about the Recission Act of 1946,
where the U.S. Government/Congress went against their promise to give Filipino
soldiers all the same benefits a U.S. soldier was given, along with taking away
their U.S. citizenship.
Segment 15: The importance of
physical fitness to the Dorotheo’s (24:15-26:10)
Since Dorotheo was a young child, he and his family
has always believed that physical fitness is an important factor to living life
stress-free and to the fullest.
Dorotheo, at eighty-one years of age, he feels thirty years younger than
his age.
Segment 16
Segment 16: “Much delayed and
too, too little” (26:11-27:30)
There is a lack of recognition regarding the veteran
compensation. He stresses that the
legislation is “much delayed and too, too little.” He elaborates about his disappointment in the
inequality, mentioning that many Filipino war veterans have already passed on,
that this is an incredible injustice.
Even the compensation amount does not suffice what they should have
received.
Segment 17
Segment 17: No Regrets (27:33-29:01)
Dorotheo had no regrets with joining the forces. Although there were inequalities for the Filipino
Veterans, he did not regret the experience with joining the forces and being
part of the world war; he used to sing the United States National Anthem loud
and proud.
Segment 18
Segment 18: Welcome And Support (29:05-30:48)
Dorotheo’s family, friends, and neighbors welcomed
him back home and supported him through his involvement in the war.
Segment 19
Segment 19: Rightful Benefits (30:49-31:48)
Other benefits that Dorotheo thought Filipino
Veterans should have received that they did not.
Segment 20
Segment 20: Last messages from
Mr. Elpidio S. Dorotheo—Physical Fitness (31:49-35:20)
Mr. Elpidio S. Dorotheo
shared a few wise advice for living life long and stress-free.
Mr. Elpidio S.
Dorotheo celebrating a
birthday with his wife, big family, and friends
El
fin.
*These audio files may
be played with Windows Media Player or Real Player.
To download a free copy of Windows Media Player, click here.
To download a free
copy of Real Player, click here.
last revised: 5-26-09
by
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