For twenty-nine years, the Minnesota National Guard's Brainerd-based 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 194th Armor Regiment, has hosted an annual Bataan Memorial March at Camp Ripley to honor the Soldiers of Brainerd's 34th Tank Company, later redesignated as part of the 194th Tank Battalion, who endured the Bataan Death March.
During World War II, 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war were forced to march across 60 miles of rough, muddy roads. With little food or water to sustain them in the jungle heat and harsh treatment, this forced march became known as the Bataan Death March. 59 survivors belonged to the 34th Tank Regiment.
The Bataan Memorial March reminds us of the importance of relying on one another,” said Sgt. 1st Class Sarah Larson. “Soldiers relied on each other for support, sharing their strengths to survive.”
For participants, the significance of the march became real as the miles added up. U. S. Army Sgt. Abigail Blaskowski, intelligence analyst, assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, strove mentally and physically to push through the soreness she felt.
“I kept thinking about everything that those prisoners endured on the march, and the things I was struggling with were only a small fraction of what the prisoners experienced,” said Blaskowski. “I know I can accomplish hard things, so I prayed for strength and pushed through the pain to complete the memorial march.”
Blaskowski endured several knee and foot injuries to complete the ruck march. She credited the support of her fellow service members, who cheered her on during the final miles, with helping her reach the finish line. Despite the physical toll, she said finishing the march alongside her unit made the sacrifice worthwhile.