Sons of big guns

Title

Sons of big guns

Creator

Tutay, Filemon V.

Language

English

Year

1937

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

6 GUARD December, 1937 Sons of Big Guns By FIEEMOTN V. I L I AY If the Philippine national defense forces are ever called out to repel an invading army, the ‘‘tittle man” will not find himsetf alone to bear the brunt of the fighting. Side by side with him will fight sons of some Big Shots as well, for in the ranks of the Philippine army are to be found the scions of not a few wealthy families and sons or relatives of men high in the councils of the commonwealth government. Needless to say, these young men are making financi <1 sacrifices by devoting their time to a military career, when they could hold down important positions in private concerns or in the government. A few such cases might be mentioned: Lt. Isidro Parades, son of Resident Commissioner Quintín Parades, spurned the idea of getting a soft job through the influence of his father and joined the army early last year. With degrees in mechanical engineering and in business administration from reputable schools in the United States young Paredes could easily have landed a job more remunerative and less exacting than a lieutenancy in the Philippine army, Instead, he got a commission as third lieutenant in the aviation arm of the service, and is now attending an army aviation school in the United States. Another son of a Big Gun who is doing his in the army is Lt. Sensen Gabaldon, only son of Don Isauro Gabaldon, ex resident commissioner and erstwhile Big Bertha of the opposition in Philippine politics. Lt. Gabaldon is cadre commander of the third Tarlac cadre in San Miguel, Tarlac. His mother septuagenarian and his father well along in years, young Gabaldon faced the responsibility of looking after his family’s landholdings in Nueva Ecija. But this did not stop him from doing his bit in building a citizen army for the Philip pines. Lt. Gabaldon, who is 34 years old but looks much younger, applied for enrolment in the Baguio Reserve Offi cers school, in which a college education is a primary require ment. He' was commissioned first lieutenant upon his graduation last December and immediately detailed cadre commander. Lt. Gabaldon is also a lawyer, having passed the bar in 1927. He obtained bis college education in the United States. Then there is the case of Lt. Jesus A. Villamor, son of late Associate Justice Ignacio Villamor of the Philippine supreme court. His father had planned a business career for him but the young man had his own ideas about his future. Shortly after the death of his father four years ago he took up the flying with the Philippine aerial taxi company. But his flying training did not take a serious turn until he went to Dallas, Texas, about the middle of 1934. He enrolled at the Dallas Aviation school and air college, where he was graduated after three months with the high price of faculty. In a letter of introduction given to Villamor, the head of the school wrote, among other things: “...he is one of the best transport student pilots that we have ever had at this school.” After getting his transport pilot’s license young Villamor returned to Manila and for some time taught at the Valeriano school of aviation and then at the American Far Eastern school of aeronautics. On (Continued on p^Qe 10} TO OUR CUSTOMERS and PATRONIZERS: We have different kinds of “DRY GOODS” For Sale Especially During cmh ea'r— We have also “HEALTH 8HOE” with reasonable prices— Make Your Style Smart. It’s Philippine Product. Please Shop at— Taisho Bazar MANILA CEBU ILOILO P. O. Box 107 P. O. Box 256 Tel. 556 P. O. Box 318 December, 1937 GUARD 15 Sons of... (Continued from page 6) April 12, last year, he was commissi onecí third lieutenant in the air corps of the Philippine army. He had a few hours training at the Camp Murphy airfield before being sent to Kelly Field in Texas. Following his advance training at Kelly Field Lt. Villamor was assigned to temporary duty at Selfridge Field in Michigan. Standing orders direct him to report early next month to the commanding officer at Chanute Field in Illinois where he is to pursue an officer’s course in aerial photography. Lt, Villamor will be 23 years old this coming November. Lt. Antonio Quirino does not boast of a famous father but his older brother happens to be debonair Secretary of the Interior Elpidio Quirino, who might have helped him to a soft and well-paying job in or outside the government service. But the younger Quirino would not have it that way. Lt. Quirino got his first taste of military life while he was a student in the University of the Philippines, where he became a colonel in the state university’s cadet corps. After passing the bar in ly34, he went into private practice “just for exoftfence” and then was a law* clerk in the bureau of justice. After serving as an assistant technical adviser to the last independence mission, he acted for a time as a provincial fiscal of Bataan and later of Zambales. Then he thought of the army. He figured that with his early training, he would do well in some particular branch of the national defense forces. So he applied for enrolment in the Baguio Reserve Officers school and was admitted. After three months’ training he was commissioned first lieutenant. He is at present assigned to the intelligence division of the army. Last but not least is the case of Lt. Angel M. “Bobby” Tuason, member of Manila’s “400,” sportsman and businessman, born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. Always a natty dresser, Bobby looks nifty and “very fit” in his uniform. But he did not join the army because he likes to wear an officer’s uniform and receive salutes. He joined the army for several reasons, among them his desire to debunk the oft-repeated assertion that “the rich are indifferent to the national defense preg ram”—a thrust which gets under his skin—and that “the rich guys always buy their way out” of certain responsiaibilities. In showing some people where they are wrong, Lt. Tuason is making a great sacrifice considering his extensive interests which demand all his personal attention. Unlike most young men who have lately joined the llrmy Lt. Tuason is not a greenhorn in the ways of military life. From 1918, he was a cadet in the Northwestern military aud naval academy at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. After his graduation he enlisted iq the United States army as a buck private with the intention of eventually going over to France to help “safe for democracy.” But the farthest point he got to was a training camp. He was acting sergeant when the armistice was signed. Lt. Tuason is also a graduate of the Baguio Reserve Officers school where he finished training last March. He was commissioned first lieutenant upon his graduation and detailed at Camp Murphy as adjutnot of the third battalion, First Regular division, assistant mess officer and junior officer of company “1.” He is on an extended tour of duty. EU6ENIAN0 0. PEREZ ATTOKNEY-AT LAW Tel. 787 Corner Mártires & Manalili Streets. CEBU, CEBU, PHILIPPINES Bombay Trading Co. H. HA.SSAMAL WHOLESALE & RETAIL DIRECT IMPORTERS OK INDIAN, CHINESE, JAPANESE, EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN FANCY ART GOODS P. O. Box 476 Telephone 247 TELEGRAM-HASSAMAL 175—181 MAGALLANES Sl'REET CEBU CITY, P. I.

Media