Scouts!

This is coolbert:

From the wiki entry dedicated to Douglas Mac Arthur this specific item stimulated my interest:

"His next assignment was in the Philippines, where in 1924 he was instrumental in quelling the Philippine Scout Mutiny."

Philippine Scouts! In those years just prior to American entry into World War Two [WW2], the Philippine Scouts probably that one U.S. Army unit most prepared and able to engage in combat!!

The Scouts a military unit consisting of Filipino nationals [enlisted] commanded by white American officers! American combat ready unit the bulk of the troops NOT American citizens!

At one point year earlier the Scouts having mutinied in protest against what they perceived a ill-treatment [probably was ill treatment!].

"The Philippine Scout Mutiny was a mutiny by the Philippine Scouts of the Philippine Division which occurred in July 1924 . . . they [Scouts]were not given the same benefits as their American soldier counterparts. With growing discontent, a mutiny was staged on July 7, 1924 at Fort William McKinley but was quickly quelled."

The Scouts again a very combat ready unit, THAT ORGANIC CAVALRY REGIMENT WHEN IN THE FIELD ALWAYS CARRYING  A FULL COMPLEMENT OF LIVE AMMO!

"The Philippine Scouts was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 until the end of World War II. Made up of native Filipinos assigned to the United States Army Philippine Department, these troops were generally enlisted and under the command of American officers"

That status of the Filipinos enlisted as Scouts unique in American military history:

"the ethnically Filipino Philippine Scouts held a unique status in U.S. military history: they were soldiers in the regular U.S. Army, but . . . were citizens of a foreign country."

Scouts trained to a high level of proficiency and with the exception of that mutiny generally speaking having a high esprit.

INDEED, perhaps the only man to have been awarded the Medal of Honor [MoH] NOT being an American citizen a Scout, Jose Calugas. For actions during the earliest days after American entry into WW2, Calugas acting with great valor at Bataan!

"Jose Cabalfin Calugas . . . was a member of the Philippine Scouts during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Battle of Bataan."

I have searched the Congressional Medal of Honor web site to no avail, attempting to discern if Calugas is the ONE and ONLY non-American to have earned the MoH, honorific awarding of the medal notwithstanding. A devoted reader to the blog knows better?

coolbert.