Memories are made of this

Several years ago my very good friend the late Rocky Chirchiglia, famous area orchestral leader, introduced me to a long time member of his band, Dr. Rogelio Marcial from the Philippines, now living in Ravenna, Ohio.

Dr. Marcial came to the USA in 1953, after graduating from Santo Tomaso University in Manila. I was 20 years old when the USA invaded Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippines, on Jan. 9, 1945, and the doctor was about the same age.

An incident that remains firmly embedded in my mind are hundreds of Filipinos streaming out of the woods as our ship the U.S.S. LST 582 unloaded troops of the 37th Infantry Division (Ohio National Guard) on the beach head. The Filipinos were waving white pieces of cloth, so our troops would not shoot them. There were happy to be liberated.

The doctor said that the Japanese had used Santo Tomaso University as one of their American prisoner of war camps. Our ship had spent about a year in the Philippines including Manila, which had been devastated.

War stories

As a couple of octogenarians, who survived World War II, we are lucky to be able to share these stories.

Now for a serendipitous tie-in to them. On Friday, July 20, 2012, I met a young Filipino lady working at a garage sale in Boardman. She said she was from Iloilo, Panay, in the Philippines. As usual I was wearing my U.S.S. LST 582 U.S. Navy WWII baseball cap and pointed to the date 1-9-45 D-Day Luzon on it.

The next day Saturday, July 21, 2012 The Vindicator published my article “The day that changed the world forever.” A quote from the article: “Our ship the U.S.S. LST 582 a large amphibious landing craft was on maneuvers in Iloilo, Panay in the Philippine Islands preparing for the invasion of the Japanese homeland.”

How about that for a chance happening? I had never met a person of Filipino Extraction in the USA, until the doctor in about 2009 and now the young lady in 2012.

My shipmate Al Carkin from Massachusetts just called and I told him about this story. Al is mentioned in my Vindicator article. He said “Mike, you won’t believe this, but I recently sold a car to a young Filipino woman, from guess where? Iloilo. How about that!”

Michael J. Lacivita is a Youngstown retiree and a member of Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame and Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.