Now Accepting New Members! Amazing Filipino Kali / Arnis / Escrima Classes in Seattle.

A World War II veteran that knew how to use his weapon and will be always remembered as a great man, a humble man, with dignity, love in his heart, a living legend and martial art icon.  On September 24, 1942 he was inducted into the United States Army and attached to the 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiment and later assigned to the famous 978th Signal Group and The Allied Intelligence Bureau.  This was a select group of men that served as secret operatives for General Douglas MacArthur deep in the jungles of the Philippines.  Then Sergeant Leo Giron would be dropped behind enemy lines by submarine nearly one full year before any America soldier would set foot on Philippine soil to lead a group of American and Philippine soldier’s through the most hazardous conditions of Would War II .  Their assignment was to search out the enemy, extend lines of communication, secure vital weather data and obtain military information; and not to be detected by the enemy.  Many encounters are documented in the United States Library of Congress in Washington DC.  Because of his contributions during World War II Sergeant Giron would receive, The Bronze Star Medal, The Philippine Liberation Ribbon, The Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, The American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and a letter of commendation ordered by the President of the United States of America.

After the war Giron would return to Stockton, California to raise a family.

It wasn’t until 1968 that Leo Giron would open his first licensed Bahala Na club in Tracy California primarily because of  a tragic knife attack on the East coast that had killed several nursing students, most of them Filipino women.  He was enraged because if they had only known some self defense they could have at least tried  to subdue this maniac.

In 1970 Grand Master Leo M. Giron and wife Alberta would move to Stockton along with his Bahala Na Club.  And in 1973 the first student to graduate from his system would be Stockton born Dan Inosanto along with martial art greats such as Dentoy Revillar, Richard Bustillo and Ted LucayLucay.   Grand Master Giron’s contributions to the Filipino Martial Arts in general were enormous.  He was known as the Father of Larga Mano in America.

As GM Tony Somera wrote, “He gave us all the Liberty of freedom to learn of life and the arts, Equality in having the necessary ability and strength, Fraternity in which the same beliefs in work along with fellowship and family.  Grand Master Giron left us with a legacy that we must all carry on with all of those that would like to share in his system.”