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The march of all marches: The
Bataan
Memorial Death March
Story and photos by Spc. William E. Henry,
Indiana
Army National Guard
Posted: April 16, 2008
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Heavy division Soldiers from Long Range Surveillance Troop
C, 2nd Battalion, 152nd Cavalry Squadron approach checkpoint
#3 during the Bataan Memorial Death March hosted at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.,
March 30. Photo by Spc. William E. Henry, Indiana
National Guard
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The sun beamed down as winds whipped sand and dust in the faces of
marchers while they trudged through the 80-85 degree heat of the
mountainous, desert terrain of southwest New Mexico, March 30.
The Bataan Memorial Death March is an annual event that takes place
at White Sands Missile
Range, honoring those who fought to
protect the Philippines
on the Bataan peninsula, and were
captured by Japanese forces during World War II.
American and Filipino forces were surrendered by their commander on
April 9, 1942, after 20 days of fierce ground fighting with Japanese
forces on half or quarter rations, and were made prisoners of war.
The Bataan Death March lasted six days and over 62 miles.
On foot, the starving, injured and severely dehydrated American and
Filipino troops marched over 62 miles to Camp
O’Donnell, a Philippine Army camp
converted to a temporary POW compound, where they were held.
Thousands of American and Filipino troops succumbed to thirst,
starvation, disease and infection from wounds sustained from
fighting along the route, and many others were killed by the
Japanese as a result of falling out of the group.
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Ben Steele, a
World War II Bataan Death March survivor, gives a gripping
seminar as he recounts the horror and suffering through his
stories and displayed artwork at Rio Grande Theater in Las
Cruse, NM, March 28. The picture displayed, “Rice and men,”
is Steele’s depiction of the Tayabas Road
building detail southeast of
Manila.
It portrays the attempt to get every man fed with dry rice
issued by the Japanese overlords. The men had to prepare the
rice themselves in the rainy season with no utensils while
stricken with malaria. There were 350 men on the detail, 60
men survived the ordeal.
Photo by Spc.
William E. Henry, Indiana Army
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Pre-race ceremonies honored the sacrifices and bravery of remaining
survivors that attended the festivities and the ones no longer with
us.
This was the 19th year of the 26.2 mile march. Since its beginning
in 1989, it has grown with a new record of over 4,400 participants
this year from all over the world.
Teams from the U.S.,
Germany, Great Britain, Australia and many other countries’
military men and women, as well as civilians, were on hand to take
part in the appreciation and sport of the event.
The Indiana Army National Guard had four teams, three heavy teams
and one light team, and a few individuals that participated in the
event.
Pvt. Benjamin Grimes, a 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team initial
entry training Soldier who is training to be an intelligence analyst
at Fort Huachuca,
Ariz., said he was proud to take
part in this type of event.
“I enjoy backpacking and the challenge of something like this; plus
we get the chance to honor the POWs for their sacrifices, and
challenge ourselves at the same time,” said Grimes.
Military category participants in the event must wear their uniforms
during the march and heavy teams must carry a minimum of 35 lbs.,
light teams must have a load bearing vest with at least one canteen,
or in place of the LBV, a hydration pack worn on the back.
“When I heard about it, it sounded like a good thing and the
historical piece to it, I love it,” said Maj. Cris Fink, executive
officer for the Indiana Army National Guard recruiting and
retention, who participated in the military individual heavy
division.
“I think the experience of meeting the survivors was great. It’s
another experience and accomplishment to be able to say that I did
it,” added Fink.
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Capt. Shawn Eaken, Indiana Army National Guard, operations
officer with the 219th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade,
runs toward a checkpoint at about the 16 mile mark of the
26.2 mile portion of the Bataan Memorial Death March held at
White Sands Missile Range,
N.M., March 30.
Photo by Spc. William E. Henry, Indiana Army
National Guard
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To a participant in the National Guard light division, Capt. Shawn Eaken, an operations officer with the 219th Battlefield Surveillance
Brigade, this is his 8th year participating and knows that the
elements can affect the outcome of the finish.
“Every year the time is a little bit different. It depends on the
wind and the heat.
We’ve won it with a 4:20:00; we’ve won it with a 5:30:00. We just
run hard and enjoy the day and we’ll see where it goes. There are
times on a bad day six hours can win our category, and on a good day
maybe four hours,” said Eaken.
All the teams sent from Indiana placed in the top five of their
categories.
Teams included the Small Arms Readiness Group from
Camp Atterbury Joint
Maneuver
Training
Center, which placed 2nd
in the National Guard heavy team division. Just behind was the Long
Range Surveillance Troop C, 2nd Battalion, 152nd Cavalry Squadron,
headquartered in Seymour, Ind.,
which placed 3rd in the National Guard heavy team division. The
Indiana Military Academy Officer Candidates CAJMTC, placed 5th in
the military coed heavy team division, and the Long Range
Surveillance C Troop, 2nd Battalion, 152nd Cavalry Squadron, also
headquartered in Seymour Ind.,
placed 3rd in the National Guard light team division.
Officer Candidates Laura Sizemore and Daniel Taylor both agreed that
training up for something like this is difficult to do, especially
in Indiana.
“It’s difficult to mimic the terrain,” said Taylor.
“It’s a little harder than we thought it would be,” said
Sizemore, who also said she’ll be returning next year to compete in
the military female heavy team division.
To find out how you can sign up for the next marathon or to inquire
about more information on the Bataan Memorial Death March, please
visit:
www.bataanmarch.com <http://www.bataanmarch.com/>
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Thumbnail caption, home page: Spc. Richard Codd, Indiana
Army National Guard, Small Arms Readiness Group,
Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center,
Ind.,
treks along a mountainous desert route of the 26.2 mile Bataan
Memorial Death March held at White Sands Missile Range,
N.M.,
March 30.
For additional photos, visit the Photo Essay on the home page.
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