The historic American Legion Manuel L. Quezon Post 603 installed its newly elected officers on Aug. 21. Commander Robert Asercion thanked all the Legionnaires for their volunteer efforts to make a difference for our veterans and our community.
Chartered on March 31, 1945, Post 603 has honored since 2011 over 1,700 World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War and Cold War veterans, Montford Point Marines and Purple Heart Medal recipients with certificates of appreciation and/or medals from the U.S. president, Congress, Secretary of Defense, California State Legislature, Solano County Board of Supervisors, city mayors of Vallejo, Fairfield, Vacaville and Benicia, and/or the Consul Generals of Korea and the Philippines.
Post 603 also raised funds to install “Purple Heart Trail” signs on Interstate 80, and spearheaded the “Purple Heart” designations for the City of Vallejo, Vallejo City Unified School District, Greater Vallejo Recreation District, Touro University California, California State University Maritime Academy and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.
Post 603 also submitted several proclamations/resolutions for Patriot Day, Filipino American History Month, Veterans Day, National Education Week, Education Support Professionals Day, Day of the Special Educator, Martin Luther King Day, Women’s Military History Week, Montford Point Marines, Operation Recognition, Bataan Death March, Caring for our Heroes and Seniors Week, Asian American Pacific Islander Month, National Peace Officers Week, Memorial Day, Veterans Creed, LGBT Pride Week, Juneteenth, WWII Veterans, Korean War Veterans, Vietnam War Veterans, and Purple Heart Medal recipients.
Post 603’s ongoing projects include assisting www.FilVetREP.org to honor World War II veterans who fought in the Philippine Theater of Operations with U.S. Congressional Gold Medals, returning the Bells of Balangiga, working on legislation with State Sen. Bill Dodd and Assemblyman Tim Grayson in renaming the Interstate 80 rest area to “Purple Heart Trail Safety Roadside Rest Area,” designating Interstate 780 as “Women’s Purple Heart Trail,” designating the I-780 and Interstate 80 highway interchange as “Filipino World War II Veterans Congressional Gold Medal Memorial Interchange,” working with Rep. Mike Thompson and Sen. Dianne Feinstein to pass H.R.5588 / S.2881 to transfer the Mare Island Naval Cemetery to Veterans Affairs, and partnering with various organizations to positively make a difference for our veterans and our community.
Author: Nestor Aliga
Nestor Aliga was born in the Philippines and migrated to Vallejo, CA in 1967. He was in the US Marine Corps from 1974 to 1976 then in the US Army from 1976 to 2008. He is a life-member of the Big-Three, www.CALEGION.org, www.VFWCA.org, and www.DAVCAL.org.