Famous World War II Veteran, Author Passed Away

Cebu’s famous World War II Veteran Colonel Manuel Segura, who helped liberate Cebu from the Japanese invaders died Thursday at the age of 95.

Segura was declared dead at 3:30 a.m. at the Asia Hospital in Manila and his attending physicians said the veteran soldier died of cardiogenic shock secondary to acute myocardial secondary to coronary disease.

Segura was still a student of the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman when the clouds of war loomed over the Pacific in the early months of 1941.

The records show that on 28 August 1941, Segura was called to active duty as a 3rd Lieutenant and assigned as Regimental Adjutant of the 82nd Infantry Regiment, 81st Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army.

Incidentally, he was in Cebu when the war broke out and led his men fighting against the invaders in Barangay Tabunan, a hinterland barangay of Cebu City.

Segura wrote a two books that revealed the sacrifices of those guerillas fighting for the liberation of the Philippines against the Japanese soldiers.

He received several awards while serving the military that includes the U.S. Bronze Star Medal for Heroism in Ground Combat, Distinguished Unit Citation with Two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, American Defense Service Medal (for foreign service), and a World War II Victory medal.

According to Segura’s nephew, newspaper columnist Valeriano Avila, “There is no doubt that Cebu lost a favorite son.”

Before he died, Segura heads the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) in Central Visayas.

(Image Credit: xiaochua.net)