Honoring service and sacrifice: 6,100 march in Bataan Memorial

WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, NM, UNITED STATES

03.22.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. DeAndre Curtiss 

3d Audiovisual Squadron

The Bataan Memorial Death March honors the 75,000 U.S. and Filipino troops who surrendered to the Japanese while defending the islands of Luzon, Corregidor and the harbor defense forts of the Philippines and then marched more than 60 miles through the Philippine jungle.

To honor their sacrifices, over 6,100 people participated in this year's marathon. Also in attendance were 11 survivors from the original march who were on hand to greet participants at the start and end of the race.

"It's one thing to read about the survivors of Bataan in history books," said Col. Brian Michelson, WSMR Garrison commander. "But when you get to shake someone's hand and you can see the scars going up their arms, it makes you realize the story's true and not just something people embellished. It's something that really happened."

The POWs were forced to march without food or water resulting in the deaths of thousands due to disease, dehydration and starvation. The troops who could not keep with the rest of the marchers were executed on the spot by the Japanese soldiers.

"What they went through was unbelievable," said Chris Middleton, Ruidoso, N.M. resident. "This is a great event that gives us the opportunity to honor the survivors. Seeing them out here supporting us makes me feel very humbled."

The memorial march offered two different courses -- a 26.2 mile trek and a 15 mile course -- that sprawls out over the high-elevation desert terrain of the missile range. Along the way, more than 750 volunteers distributed thousands of gallons of water and Gatorade, treated participants' blisters and provided the courses' support and security.

Although the participants of the march didn't encounter any of the obstacles that those in the actual death march encountered, the Bataan survivors said they truly appreciate the efforts of those that navigated through the desert terrain the race offered.

"I get a real inspiration from all of the marchers," said William Eldridge, a former machine gunner in Company M, 31st Infantry Regiment. "I appreciate that they came out to the event to help get the word out about the Bataan Death March because so many people don't know anything about it."

According to event organizers, each year the memorial march has gained more participants. Last year's march drew a crowd of 5,600 with this year's topping that mark with more than 6,100 registrants -- a far cry from the 100 participants of the first memorial march in 1989.

The march offered many different personnel categories for participants to register in and was also broken down into different age groups. Military members and civilians could choose from the light category -- no weight, or the heavy category -- ruck equaling at least 35 pounds.

Choice was a luxury the 11,796 'Battlin' Bastards of Bataan' didn't have, explained Colonel Michelson.

"They had to deal with it, they had no choice," he said. "People coming here to commemorate them have a choice and I applaud them for it. I have respect for what the survivors went through and I am thankful that they provide an example for all of the military here -- Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve -- and also for the civilians here who really aren't around military that much and really don't know what it's like to do something like this."

With many of the Bataan survivors in their 90s, WSMR commanding general, Brig. Gen. Timothy R. Coffin, explained the importance of honoring those survivors in attendance and those who are no longer with us.

"As time marches relentlessly forward, it is important that we take every opportunity to honor these heroes while we can," he said. "Please reflect on the events of the actual Bataan Death March and the enormous obstacles faced by the survivors. Think about the ultimate price paid by those who did not make it home."

The 28th annual Bataan Memorial Death March is tentatively scheduled for March 19, 2017. For more information, contact WSMR Public Affairs at 575-678-1134.

• Date Taken: 03.22.2016
• Date Posted: 04.21.2016 00:13
• Story ID: 196005
• Location: WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, NM, US