A fellow Mandauehanon by the name of Dr. Bimbo Ceniza, who now lives in the United States and whom I have never personally met but got to know and befriended only through occasional email exchanges, recently wrote to call attention to a news story and a column in The Freeman that dealt with the same subject but which seemed to contradict each other.
The story and column were about an elderly Cebuano resident of Washington state, Leonor Jimenez, who recently earned the distinct honor of being awarded the coveted US Congressional Medal of Honor. Doc Bimbo said Mr. Jimenez could not have been a mere civilian, as the news story alluded, because the Medal of Honor is given only to US military personnel.
The column, written by lawyer Josephus Jimenez, was more accurate, for obvious reasons, he being no less the eldest son of Medal of Honor awardee Leonor Jimenez. According to Attorney Jimenez, his father was actually recruited by the Americans during World War II and served as a regular in what was then called the USAFFE, or the US Armed Forces in the Far East.
Aside from pointing out the conflict between the news report and the column, to which I must say the column will have to prevail, it being written by no less than the son of the subject in both articles, Doc Bimbo also lamented the seeming apathy of Cebuanos to what otherwise was a great story.
I could not agree with Doc Bimbo more. The US Congressional Medal of Honor does not grow on trees. It does not cross the path of everyone every day. It takes only a certain breed of individuals who distinguished themselves in times of armed conflict to merit being bestowed one. It is the Oscar for men in uniform.
In other words, it is a great honor for anyone to receive one. How much more if it is a Cebuano who gets the award? As a Cebuano who served a war of so long ago on America’s behalf, Mr. Leonor Jimenez’s selection as a Medal of Honor awardee was indeed a very long shot and I am indeed happy and proud, for him, for Atty. Jimenez, and for all Cebuanos.
And yet, as Doc Bimbo correctly pointed out, there was hardly a ripple about the development. And that is most certainly sad and regrettable. At a time when it is bad news that dominates our consciousness and trifles with our sensibilities, good and inspiring narratives ought to also have an impact on our lives.
Perhaps such a great story has fallen victim to the realities of the times. With the dominant chunk of the population now below 25 years of age, events as far back in history as Word War II may no longer matter much to the present generations. But we cannot live without the past. Current leaders of society have an obligation to not make the past ever be forgotten.