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Fort Magsaysay, Luzon, Philippines - On a balmy morning in Central Luzon, the thunder of marching boots echoed through the grounds of Fort Magsaysay as Soldiers from both the United States Army and the Philippine Army took part in an 8.3-mile road march to honor the 83rd anniversary of the Bataan Death March. The event served as a powerful tribute to the bravery, resilience, and enduring alliance between the two nations forged during one of the darkest chapters of World War II.
Soldiers wore a weighted rucksack as they traversed the 8.3-mile route, enduring heat and fatigue in solemn remembrance of the suffering endured by the fallen. Units also carried their unit Guidons and flags, proudly representing not only their unit’s history, but also flying the lineage between the two countries fighting men and women.
The road march, held on April 9, brought together troops from the 71st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army and the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment "Gimlets" (1-21) of the U.S. Army. The two units marched side by side, retracing a symbolic portion of the harrowing journey that tens of thousands of Filipino and American soldiers endured in 1942.
The Bataan Death March began after the surrender of more than 75,000 Filipino and American troops to Japanese forces on April 9, 1942, following months of grueling combat on the Bataan Peninsula. The prisoners were forced to walk over 65 miles under the scorching sun, without sufficient food or water, facing brutal treatment from their captors. Thousands died along the way from exhaustion, starvation, disease, or outright execution.
The annual remembrance highlights the deep historical roots of ties between the U.S. and Philippine armed forces. During World War II, Filipino and American soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder against Imperial Japanese Army occupation, forming a brotherhood sealed in the crucible of war. That legacy laid the groundwork for the Mutual Defense Treaty signed in 1951, a pact that continues to guide defense collaboration between the two nations today.
This year's anniversary comes at a time when U.S.-Philippine defense ties are again at the forefront, with both militaries conducting joint exercises across the archipelago to enhance readiness and interoperability amid rising regional tensions. Both units are participating in the Salaknib 25 and Balikatan 25 joint and bilateral exercises being conducted by the U.S. Department of Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). The exercises serve to build trust, tactical competence between units, and continues preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific. This event serves as both a commemoration and a statement of continued solidarity.
Prior to this event, the 71st and 1-21 participated in partnered squad-level live fire exercises and Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs). Completing the partnered squad live fire exercise on Fort Magsaysay, both elements learned critical lessons learned from each other. Both units had a chance to teach and learn during the planning, jungle, urban, sniper, mortar, and Unmanned Aircraft SMEEs. These critical events set the stage for an essential partnership, prepped for growth during the next few weeks as the units prepare for combined arms maneuvers across Northern Luzon and the surrounding islands.
While the road march was not part of Salaknib 25, the Soldiers and leaders of both the 71st and 1-21 walked in remembrance of both their fallen and their enduring partnership. For the soldiers who marched on April 9, the legacy of the Bataan Death March lives on—not only in history books, but in the steps they take. The U.S.-Philippine Alliance lives on, and our Soldiers continue to uphold the decades long commitment to a sovereign Philippine nation and a peaceful, stable region for all. Bore Brother Bore!
| Date Taken: | 04.30.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.30.2025 05:23 |
| Story ID: | 496541 |
| Location: | PH |
| Web Views: | 40 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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