Museum Audio Tour 07a: Air Power Gallery: Bataan Death March

DAYTON, OH, UNITED STATES

12.31.1969

Audio by NMUSAF PA 

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

Pearl Harbor was psychologically and militarily devastating, and the Bataan Death March was also a disturbing blow. The march began on April 10, 1942, after the American commander ordered troops to surrender due to a hopeless situation. The Japanese assembled about 78,000 prisoners-of-war – both American and Filipino. They began marching up the east coast of Bataan. Although they didn't know it, their destination was Camp O'Donnell, north of the peninsula. The men, already desperately weakened by hunger and disease, suffered unspeakably during the march. Regardless of their condition, POWs who could not continue or keep up with the pace were executed. Some of the guards made a sport of hurting or killing the prisoners. No one knows how many Americans died during the march, but as many as 11,000 troops perished and another 20,000 died from their wounds, disease, malnutrition and exhaustion. The Bataan Death March exhibit just past the P-35, includes photos and artifacts that illustrate merciless Japanese brutality and the prisoners’ grave situation.

• Date Taken: 12.31.1969
• Date Posted: 09.02.2015 12:15
• Category: Newscasts
• Audio ID: 41889
• Filename: 1509/DOD_102704022.mp3
• Length: 00:01:10
• Album: Museum Audio Tour
• Track #: 07
• Location: DAYTON, OH, US