The Return of the Bells of Balangiga to the Republic of the Philippines, in Context

The Return of the Bells of Balangiga to the Republic of the Philippines, in Context

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Updated December 11, 2018
The Return of the Bells of Balangiga to the Republic of the
Philippines, in Context
Background on the Balangiga Massacre
Prohibition on the Return of Veterans
On September 28, 1901, during the Philippine-American
Memorial Objects
War (1899-1902), Filipino guerrillas reportedly rang the
Federal law (10 U.S.C. §2572(e)) prohibits the transfer by
bells of the Catholic Church at Balangiga, a small town on
the United States of any “veterans memorial object” to a
the eastern island of Samar, to signal an attack on U.S.
foreign country or entity controlled by a foreign
troops who were occupying the town. The guerillas
government or to any person or entity for the purpose of an
ambushed soldiers of Company C, 9th Infantry Regiment
ultimate transfer to a foreign government or entity. The law
outside the army barracks. An estimated 44-48 American
defines veterans memorial object as any object or physical
soldiers were killed and dozens more were wounded.
structure that
Brigadier General Jacob F. Smith launched a retaliatory
 is located at a national cemetery, war memorial, or
campaign, ordering the 11th Infantry Regiment to burn
military installation in the United States;
Balangiga, to turn Eastern Samar into a “howling
wilderness” and to shoot any Filipino male above 10 years
 is dedicated to or otherwise recognizes the death in
of age. Thousands of Filipinos, including non-combatants,
combat or combat-related duties of members of the
were killed. Smith was court-martialed for his brutality and
armed forces; and
forced to retire. The 11th Infantry seized all three church
bells—some refer to them as “war trophies.” One bell was
 was brought to the United States from abroad before
given to the 9th Infantry. The 11th Infantry took two bells
1907 as a memorial of combat abroad.
and returned with them to Fort D. A. Russell (now F. E.
Warren Air Force Base) in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 1904.
The prohibition on the transfer of veterans memorial objects
In 1967, the two bells from Fort D. A. Russell were placed
expires on September 30, 2022.
in a curved red brick wall constructed as a memorial at
Warren AFB with a bronze plaque between the bells
NDAA Provisions in FY2000, FY2006 and FY2013
recounting the massacre at Balangiga. See Figure 1.
The first moratorium on returning the bells was attached to
the FY2000 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
The bells remained at the fort while the 9th Infantry kept its
(P.L. 106-65, Section 1051) enacted on October 5,
bell and has it on display at the U.S. Army’s Camp Red
1999. This provision was a response to the Clinton
Cloud, Uijeongbu, South Korea.
Administration’s willingness to return one of the bells to
the Philippines, in cooperation with then President of the
Figure 1. Two of the Bells of Balangiga on Display in
Philippines Fidel Ramos’s efforts to obtain the bells during
Wyoming
the 1990s. Ramos proposed a compromise for the United
States and the Philippines to share the two bells in
Wyoming. The bells would be recast and duplicates made
with both the United States and the Philippines receiving an
original and a duplicate bell. The Philippine government
expressed willingness to absorb the costs involved.
However, U.S. veterans groups, including the Veterans of
Foreign Wars, and the Wyoming congressional delegation
opposed the bells return. In the 2000s, then governor of
Wyoming, Dave Freudenthal, also opposed their return.
Opposition in the United States centered on the “dangerous
precedent” of destroying the veterans memorial at Warren
Air Force Base if the bells were removed according to
members of the Wyoming congressional delegation.
Continuing opposition by several veterans groups and

politicians in the United States over the years halted any
Source: Wyoming State Historical Society website at
further discussion. Subsequently, Congress passed the
https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/bells-balangiga
FY2006 NDAA (P.L. 109-163, §1061) on January 6, 2006,

which extended the moratorium through FY2010. This
provision was again extended to September 30, 2017, in the
FY2013 NDAA (P.L. 112-239, §355), enacted on January
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The Return of the Bells of Balangiga to the Republic of the Philippines, in Context
2, 2013. That was the status until the FY2018 provision was
officials rang it on special occasions. The Navy returned the
enacted on December 17, 2017.
500-year-old bell to Japan in a ceremony attended by then
Secretary of the Navy James H. Webb Jr. on July 22, 1987,
FY2018 NDAA Authorization of Return
after years of diplomatic wrangling. The Gokoku-ji Bell
of the Bells of Balangiga
was transported to Okinawa at Japanese expense and
While the memorial wall at Warren AFB, including the
remains on display in the Okinawa Prefectural Museum. A
Bells of Balangiga, meets the definition of veterans
replica was made of the original bell and is on display at the
memorial object, a provision in the NDAA for FY2018
academy.
(P.L. 115-91) specifically authorizes the return of all three
bells to the Republic of the Philippines if certain conditions
Dai Sen Zen-ji Bell at the Virginia Military Institute
are met. Section 2864(c) of the FY2018 NDAA authorizes
During the Battle of Okinawa in June 1945, a 15th-century
the transfer of the Bells of Balangiga to the Republic of the
Buddhist bell, also known as the Daishozen-Ji Bell, was
Philippines if the Secretary of Defense certifies to Congress
seized by the U.S. Sixth Marine Division and presented as a
that such transfer is in the national security interest of the
gift to their commanding officer, Major General Lemuel C.
United States and that
Shepherd Jr., on June 21, 1945. Shepherd later donated the
bell to his alma mater, the Virginia Military Institute (VMI)
appropriate steps have been taken to preserve the
in 1955, where it was displayed next to the college library.
history of the veterans associated with the object,
In September 1990, Oshiro Shinjun, then a member of the
including consultation with associated veterans
Japanese Parliament, wrote to the superintendent at VMI
organizations and government officials in the State
asking for the bell to be returned. VMI agreed. The bell was
of Wyoming, as appropriate.
returned in June 1991.The cost of the bell’s return was paid
by the nongovernmental Shuri Castle Commission, the
The actual transfer of the Bells of Balangiga to the Republic
entity in charge of displaying the bell in front of the ancient
of the Philippines could not take place until at least 90 days
Shuri Castle in Naha, Okinawa.
after this certification to Congress by the Secretary of
Defense. On August 9, 2018, Defense Secretary Mattis
San Pedro Bell at the West Point Catholic Chapel
notified Congress regarding the return of the Bells in a
Similar to the Balangiga Bells, the San Pedro Bell, dating
confidential letter to members of the House and Senate
from 1883, was removed by the U.S. Army from the
Armed Services Committees. “We are aware that the Bells
Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul in Bauang, La Union,
of Balangiga have deep significance for a number of
Philippines, during the Philippine-American War. In 1915,
people, both in the United States and in the Philippines,”
Thomas H. Berry, then superintendent of West Point,
Mattis said in a statement.
obtained the bell for the Holy Trinity Catholic Chapel on
post, but it was stored until 1959.
On November 14, 2018, during a ceremony at F. E. Warren
AFB in Cheyenne, Secretary Mattis announced the return of
During the 1980s, the bell was discovered and placed
the three Bells to the Philippines. Jose Manuel Romualdez,
outside of the chapel. In 2015, retired U.S. Navy rear
the Philippine ambassador to the United States, also
admiral and military historian Dan McKinnon led the effort
attended the ceremony. On December 11, 2018, the Bells
to return the bell. He had served in the Philippines during
were officially turned over to the Republic of the
the Vietnam War and researched the Philippine-American
Philippines at a ceremony in Manila. At this ceremony
War when he uncovered the history of the bell while
Sung Kim, U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, stated that
researching the Balangiga Bells. McKinnon worked with
the return of the Bells “underscores the enduring friendship,
Filipino historians, U.S. veterans, and Reverend Ronald
partnership and alliance between our countries.”
Chan of the Church of St. Peter and Paul to advocate for the
bell’s return. Chan wrote to then West Point Superintendent
Return of Bells Captured in War
Lieutenant General Robert Caslen asking for the San Pedro
The Balangiga Bells are not the only seized bells displayed
Bell to be returned like other cultural relics returned from
by the U.S. military. During times of conflict, some experts
wartime Asia. In January 2016, Caslen agreed as “a gesture
say, church and temple bells were taken not only as war
of goodwill and recognition of America and the
souvenirs but also removed strategically to prevent them
Philippines’ enduring relationship.” The bell was rung for
from being melted down to make weapons. At least three
the last time at West Point on April 29, 2016. It was
other bells were also considered war relics at the time they
shipped to the Philippines and installed in front of St. Peter
were taken and were later displayed at military institutions
and Paul Church on May 23, 2016.
until they were recently returned to their country of origin.
CRS Products
Gokoku-ji Bell at the U.S. Naval Academy
CRS In Focus IF10250, The Philippines, by Thomas Lum and
Commodore Matthew Perry brought this bronze bell dating
Ben Dolven
from 1465 back from Okinawa, Japan, in 1853.
Historically, it is unclear whether Perry’s men took the bell,
then located at the entrance to the harbor, or whether it was

given as a diplomatic gift. Nevertheless, Perry intended for
it to be placed inside the Washington Monument, which
Barbara Salazar Torreon, Senior Research Librarian
was being constructed. However, after Perry’s death in
Scott D. Szymendera, Analyst in Disability Policy
1858, the bell was donated by his widow to the Naval
Academy and placed in front of Bancroft Hall, where
IF10990
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The Return of the Bells of Balangiga to the Republic of the Philippines, in Context

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