Romeo O. Vales is Filipino-American that grew up in the United States and is now retired and living in his hometown of Kawit-Noveleta, Cavite, Philippines. The "Panahon ng Hapon" or Japanese occupation in the Philippines was a brief history lesson given to him by his mother when he was at a young age. Since moving back to the Philippines he had immersed himself in America's colonial period. His focus is on the History of WW2 in the Philippines. Vales' father was with the U.S. Navy Insular Force that survived the three-month Siege of Bataan including the death march and prison camp.