Manolo Natividad Diamante

West Point, 1968

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Brig. Gen. RM Ong (Ret) on May 25, 2016:

Memorial Day 2016 is a special time to remember an Army colleague, Colonel Manolo N. Diamante. Manolo and I always had a special relationship. I was 5 years ahead of him at West Point, so we never met there, but his life and mine had many parallels. He and I went to the same High School, the prestigious Ateneo de Manila, a famous institution run by Jesuit priests. We were also members of the Ateneo Band, and trained by Lt. Col. Jose Campana. I played the trumpet, while Manolo played the saxophone. For college, he and I went to the same State University, the prestigious University of the Philippines. There we also joined the U.P. ROTC Band under Major Eliseo Clamor, also a Music Professor at the UP Conservatory of Music. Joining the UP Band meant a free academic scholarship, AND freedom from military training with requirements like polishing shoes and brass, drilling for hours under the hot sun and listening to countless lectures on how to be patriotic reservist soldiers for the Citizen Army. Indeed, we Band Members were often teased as "evaders" -- those who were able to evade the normal ROTC training expected of all male college students. So Manolo and I may well be the first "evaders" who wound up at West Point and continued onward to 30+ years as career Officers of the Philippine Army! LTC Campana and Maj. Clamor were justifiably proud that the first students of both schools to enter West Point were members of their Bands. Indeed, when other UP students inquired from the U.P. ROTC Commandant's Office about the requirements to enter West Point, Maj. Clamor was always there to brag, "If you want to go to West Point -- first, you must join the U.P. Band!" Manolo and I finally met each other as Associate Professors at the Philippine Military Academy. He taught Natural Science subjects while I taught Engineering subjects. We also had our stints with the Intelligence Community and ended with our assignments as Military Attaches at the Philippine Embassies -- he in Australia, while I went to South Korea. After our retirements, we met each other a lot more often, as we both were active members of the West Point Society of the Philippines. I was surprised to learn that he passed away all of a sudden. Mrs. Ong and I were in the USA visiting our children, and we were unable to pay our last respects to an old, dear friend. I hope to see Mrs. Tess Diamante attend our WPSP socials as often as she can. Well done, Manolo. Be thou at peace. And now, my final salute to a special friend, a fellow musician and kindred spirit! Brigadier General Ramon M. Ong (Retired) Armed Forces of the Philippines USMA 1963

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