[Partner] Celebrating Filipino American History Month and the USS Telesforo Trinidad (DDG-139)

October 3, 2022, Berkeley, CA – In celebration of Filipino American History month, the USS Telesforo Trinidad Campaign (USSTTC) announces the transformation of the organization to work with the Navy, the Trinidad family and all partner organizations in coordinating ship construction and commissioning-related activities befitting of the service of Telesforo Trinidad and the special relationship between the U.S. Navy, the United States of America and the Republic of the Philippines.  USSTTC is pleased to announce that Mr. Victorino G. Mercado, RADM USN(Ret) has accepted the position as Chairman of the Board, and has commenced working with the Executive Committee on the business of forming a new Board of Directors and to re-organize the Campaign for this important long range mission.  Vic Mercado is a 35-year Navy veteran and a distinguished surface warfare officer who rose to be the first Filipino-American to command an aircraft carrier strike group.  Following his naval career, he became the most senior ranking Filipino-American in the Department of Defense as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans and Capabilities.

The USS Telesforo Trinidad Campaign worked successfully in the naming of a Navy warship after Trinidad, the only Filipino sailor who received the Medal of Honor in the U.S. Navy for his heroic deeds on board the USS San Diego in 1915.  Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro named a future Arleigh Burke-class missile guided destroyer (DDG-139) after Trinidad on May 19, 2022.

RADM (Ret) Mercado will deliver the closing remarks during a celebration of Filipino American History month organized by the National Museum of the Navy and the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) in partnership with Bataan Legacy Historical Society at 12 Noon on Wednesday, October 19, at the Navy Museum in Washington, D.C.   Filipinos in the Navy – From Stewards to Flag Officers will feature a panel discussion about generations of Filipinos who served in the Navy since 1901.  One of the panelists, CAPT (Ret) Tem Bugarin, is the first Filipino to command a Navy warship (USS Saginaw).  Philippine Ambassador Jose Romualdez will give opening remarks and Rear Admiral (Ret) Samuel Cox, Director of the NHHC, will moderate the discussion.  In attendance will be several active and retired Filipino American flag officers from the Navy and the Army.

For information about the USS Telesforo Trinidad, please visit www.ussttc.org.  For information about Filipino American History month at the National Museum of the Navy on October 19 in Washington, DC, please visit the Events page of www.history.navy.mil.

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