OT – Remembering the Bataan Death March

[Ysabel Kid]

Lest we forget…

From military.com, http://www.military.com/news/article/ar ... =army-a.nl

Remembering 1942: Bataan Death March
April 09, 2008

Army News Service|by Miriam U. Rodriguez and Drew Hamilton

WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. - Wounded Warriors led an all-time record of more than 4,400 marchers at the start of the 19th annual Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range March 30.
A total of 28 Wounded Warriors who served in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq participated in the annual march, which honors a special group of heroes.

On April 9, 1942, about 75,000 Filipino and U.S. Soldiers were surrendered to the Japanese forces. The Americans were Army, Army Air Corps, Navy and Marines. Among those seized were members of the 200th Coast Artillery, New Mexico National Guard.

The prisoners were forced to march about 100 kilometers north to Nueva Ecija to Camp O'Donnell, a prison camp, in the scorching heat through the Philippine jungles.

Prisoners of war were beaten randomly and denied food and water for several days. Those who fell behind were executed. Thousands died. Those who survived faced the hardships of a prisoner of war camp. Others were wounded or killed when U.S. air and naval forces sank unmarked enemy ships transporting prisoners of war to Japan.

Most of the Wounded Warriors who participated in today's march come from Brooke Army Medical Center and Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
This is the first year Wounded Warriors from the Wounded Warrior Regiment, Marine Casualty Services Branch out of Bethesda Naval Hospital, Md. participated.

Wounded Warriors included warriors with the following injuries: below the knee and above the knee amputations, burns, arm amputations and loss of sight.

Marine Cpl. Ryan Dion, of the Wounded Warrior Battalion East, joined a team of Marines taking part in the desert race as a personal challenge. "I just wanted to see where I was, I used to run the Marine Corps Marathon, and those are on the flat," Dion said. With his team's deployment schedule, the Marines had only a few months to train for the race, but despite the rough terrain, the entire team completed the course. Dion, like many Bataan Memorial Death March participants, used the opportunity to learn about the historic origin of the event. "I didn't even know what Bataan was, so it was good to meet all the old veterans," Dion said.

Though Dion and his team plan to spend some time recuperating from their cross country march, Dion said he has the confidence to train and compete in this year's Marine Corp Marathon, to be held in Washington D.C. this October. While Dion hasn't yet decided if he plans to return for next year's Bataan Memorial Death March, his team is already making plans for a big return. "We will return with a vengeance. Everyone will be wearing a pack next year!" said Staff Sgt. Justin Brown, a member of Dion's team and the director of events and public relations for Marine casualty services, national capital region.

WSMR Commanding General Brig. Gen. Richard McCabe presented participation plaques to Brooke Army Medical Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the Wounded Warrior Regiment, Marine Casualty Services Branch out of Bethesda Naval - Hospital, Md. at a dinner March 29.

The Army ROTC Department at New Mexico State University began sponsoring the memorial march in 1989 to mark a page in history that included so many native sons and affected many families in the state. In 1992, White Sands Missile Range and the New Mexico National Guard joined in the sponsorship, and the event was moved to the missile range.
Since its inception, the memorial march has grown from about 100 to more than 4,000 marchers from across the United States and several foreign countries. While still primarily a military event, many civilians choose to take the challenge.

The 26.2-mile memorial march route starts on the White Sands main post, crosses dusty and hilly desert terrain, circles a small mountain and returns to the main post through sandy desert trails and washes. The elevation ranges from about 4,100 to 5,300 feet.

A 15.2-mile honorary route is also available.

[JerryB]

Thanks, it means alot to know that there is still interest in such important history.

[sore shoulder]

The 1SG told us this last weeknd that we would be able to join that activity next year.

[JReed]

Thats cool I will have to get out there for that some time.

[sore shoulder]

Thats cool I will have to get out there for that some time.

See you there next year. Hollywood or full rattle?

[JReed]

Thats cool I will have to get out there for that some time.

See you there next year. Hollywood or full rattle?

It may be a couple of years I report for recruiting duty on the 28th. There is not a whole lot of free time.

As to gear my ALICE pack and I go every where.

[sore shoulder]

Thats cool I will have to get out there for that some time.

See you there next year. Hollywood or full rattle?

It may be a couple of years I report for recruiting duty on the 28th. There is not a whole lot of free time.

As to gear my ALICE pack and I go every where.

Glad to hear it, I think about everyone from my platoon that was interested in going agreed we would go in full rattle. We are INF after all, gotta keep the standard.

1SG gave us the option to go Hollywood, but I figure that was a test.

[JReed]

Are you going to wear SAPI plates?

[JimT]

Fungus Sam's Father-In-Law was a survivor of that. A tough man. God Bless them all.

[sore shoulder]

Are you going to wear SAPI plates?

If we have em. Thats generally a secured armory item like the rifle, so not sure.

[kimwcook]

An uncle of mine was in the march. It cut his life by 20 years. Really messed with his head. He wouldn't talk about it unless he got more than drunk. Through out the rest of his short life he couldn't be around anyone of Japanese decent.

[Hobie]

My friend MSG (USA, Ret.) D. W. Doyle's father was a survivor. I met a Mr. Dod (IIRC) who was a B-10 (yep, B-10 pilot, story there, too) when captured and survived. I have met a couple of other survivors whose names I have forgotten. Without exception these men appreciated life and their good fortune.

[Blackhawk]

Least we forget...

It's sad to think that many are against such tyranny but will not put forth an effort to stand against it, even when it hits on our own home shores(9/11).

Thank you all for serving.

Johnny

[Jaguarundi]

Yup,unless we forget..AMEN and GODBLESS THEM ALL.

[t.r.]

Rest of the Story:

Gen Masharu Homma was tried for war crimes directly related to this event. He stated that he had no direct involvement and only learned of the atrocities after the War.

Gen Masharu Homma was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. Gen Douglas McArthur intervened and ordered death by firing squad. The Japanese General was executed on April 3, 1946 near Manila, P.I. He was 58 years old.

TR

[OJ]

One of my classmates in med school was a pilot and was there - lost one eye in the Cabanatuan prison camp.

Also, my chief of surgery when I was an intern (1952- county hospital in Detroit area) was the Dr. Musselman. He was on the march at age 26 - meaning he was fresh out of internship - and he took care of sick prisoners and the wounded army surgeon when they were liberated - at risk of his own life. He was the one who inspired me to go into surgery.

When I "re-upped" for the Korean War (transferred to the Air Force), I spent time in Clovis, NM, and the Masonic Lodge Master - Jim Hamilton, was the 1ST SGT of the New Mexico Guard unit that was there and he confirmed Dr Musselman's personal sacrifices such as sharing his meager rations with prisoner's who were sick. He had vitamin deficiency so bad he had to sleep sitting up - otherwise his eyes would be so swollen he couldn't get them open until nearly noon.

It's all documented in the book "GHOST SOLDIERS" but totally ignored in the movie "THE GREAT RAID" which was based on the book mostly.

None of the above men I mentioned above are still living.

[Bigahh]

I have an Uncle (mothers brother) who died in this Historical Event, and she just brought this up to me in tears last week. I will bring my Laptop over to her house tomorrow to show her this post. Thanks for the memories YK , it means a great deal to many people!

[AJMD429]

History was once my least favorite subject; now I realize that next to religious and spiritual growth, knowledge of history may be the most important thing to have in order to help guide our public policy.

Unfortunately the type of 'history' being taught in public schools now is just that George Washington had wooden false teeth, and a laundry list of all the wonderful achievements of every minority imaginable, and the concept that whatever the 'problem' - government is the answer. Oh yeah - and that guns are bad, and the Second Amendment is outdated.

REAL history will always be important though; we just have to see that it is not re-written like it has been in most other nations.

[John in MS]

I was privileged to be friends with one Bataan Death March survivor. He was always ashamed that he had been "captured," even though he had fought as infantry (MOS was airplane mechanic) until the surrender. He didn't let small things bother him -- he KNEW what real hardship was.

I will always remember his saying that when he got to feeling "down," he would cook a large pot of rice, and say to himself, "Look at this -- I have more rice than I can eat... what am I worried about?"

He was a good man.
John

[OJ]

At nearly 82, my memory isn't quite what it used to be - when my wife notices this, I can tell her my serial number when I enlisted in 1943 was 17147374 instantly - now, as to what we had for dinner last night - ???

After I posted this about what a giant among men Dr Musselman was -

Also, my chief of surgery when I was an intern (1952- county hospital in Detroit area) was the Dr. Musselman. He was on the march at age 26 - meaning he was fresh out of internship - and he took care of sick prisoners and the wounded army surgeon when they were liberated - at risk of his own life. He was the one who inspired me to go into surgery.

I remembered one other amazing thing I learned about him from those others who spent those years in Cabanatuan prison camp with him - they were in the army hospital in Manila recovering and some of them felt well enough to go out on the town and celebrate their new freedom. The only problem was - they couldn't find Dr Musselman to join them. After searching high and low - they found him -

HE WAS BUSY HOLDING SICK CALL FOR THE TROOPS !!!

I have always been proud he considered me a friend. He ultimately ended up as the first full time Professor and head of Surgery at the U. of Nebraska. That was in the mid 1950s when med schools were going from all professors being part time practitioners to full time teachers.

[Ray Newman]

In the late 1990's I was over in the Moffitt Field NAS Commissary & struck up a conversation w/ another customer in line who wore a Bataan death march survivor cap.

He enlisted in regular army, infantry, about 1938-39, served in Korea & Vietnam & retired out as a Sergeant Major. Seems to me that had @ least 30 years service & in the infantry all the way. Just by observing, I had the feeling that he was one tough guy & in a fight, I’d want him next to me, not in front of me....

[donw]

i have been on part of the death march route.

i went to the PI for jungle training for VN.

for those of you have not been to the PI, it's said that some there would prefer to go to hell just to get away from the heat.

that being said...i'm amazed that anyone at all survived.

for one factor, the japanese expected our soldiers to make at least 25 miles a day, the same they required of their own soldiers. they had no idea there would be so many captives and had virtually no provisions for them.

read the book "ghost soldiers"...it'll give you some insight of what it was like being a POW of the japanese in the PI.

[bigbore442001]

I remember when in high school I first learned of the Bataan Death March. My teacher had a good grasp of history and its impact on each person in society. I am glad that he was able to convey that message.

It is too bad that history has been watered down with the failed philosophy of political correctness. If you do look at history objectively the rewriting of history is nothing new. One of the great scandals in Japan started in the early 1980's with what was called the textbook debate. It seems that Japanese text books sort of ignored the atrocities committed in the Pacific War.

I bet few Japanese of today's generation has heard little of what happened in Bataan.