BACKGROUND: The US and the Philippines have maintained uninterrupted economic, cultural and military ties since 1901 when President McKinley signed an Executive order allowing Filipinos to serve as part of the Insular Force of the War Department.  Approximately 500 Filipinos were recruited into the U.S. Navy and 6,000 Filipinos into the U.S. Army.  Thousands more were recruited through the interwar years and during WWII Filipinos served in the U.S. Army Forces in the Far East and the U.S. 16th Naval District.  After the Philippines obtained its independence from the United States in 1946, over 35,000 Filipinos were recruited into the US.. Navy from 1952 to 1992 under a provision of the Republic of the Philippines-United States Military Bases Agreement. In addition, thousands of Americans of Filipino descent enlisted during this same 40-year period, and continue to do so until today.

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