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Pinay WWII hero honored in San Francisco

Rommel Conclara, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors bestowed a posthumous certificate of honor to Magdalena Leones for her contributions during World War II.This recognition is one of the last US honors Leones received before her body was sent home to the Philippines.Friends and family were also able to honor her during a vigil in Daly City.&quot;She&#x27;s a national heroine because you look at the citation that accompanied her Silver Star. It said she materially contributed to the early liberation of the Philippines,&quot; said Rudy Asercion of the Veterans Education Center.Leones&#x27; daughter Alijadra Maytas said, &quot;With that kind of intelligence given to the US then you have to make the decision. Otherwise, I&#x27;m pretty sure General Douglas MacArthur will not return without the data that my mom provided to her group in the United States Army.The Silver Star medal is the third highest honor for valor awarded to members of the US Armed Forces.According to the citation, Leones was recognized as an intelligence operative in the Philippines who, in 1944, &quot;repeatedly risked her life to carry important intelligence data, vital radio parts and medical supplies through heavily garrisoned enemy-held territory.&quot;Maytas, Leones&#x27; only daughter, said that her mother rarely talked about her actions in World War II and was humble for her contribution after moving to California and working as a clerk at Pacific Bell in 1969.&quot;Because the way she saw it, it&#x27;s just one of those things each one of us had to do. It&#x27;s her part. She&#x27;s just doing what&#x27;s expected her to do,&quot; Maytas said.Leones was captured and managed to escape three times. She credited it to her strong faith which she continued to maintain throughout the rest of her life.Maytas said that her mother&#x27;s bravery should be remembered and it should reside in all Filipinos today.&quot;It&#x27;s very important to continue to have integrity and to be honest and to think of the entire country and not just herself. And that&#x27;s my mom,&quot; she said.Arrangements are being made to have Leones buried in the hero&#x27;s cemetery with full military honors.Leones passed away at the age of 95, and is survived by her four sons, one daughter, 13 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.Read more on <a href="http://www.balitangamerica.tv">Balitang America</a>.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors bestowed a posthumous certificate of honor to Magdalena Leones for her contributions during World War II.

Pinay WWII hero honored in San Francisco

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Pinay WWII hero honored in San Francisco

Rommel Conclara,

ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

Published Jul 02, 2016 05:02 PM PHT

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Magdalena Leones

World War II

war veteran

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