Bataan, tomorrow

Bonnie and Gerry Schurtz preparing for theBataan Memorial Death March, photo from the Las Cruces Bulletin.

(Gerry's dad was a Death March Survivor, although he did not make it home from the war. Gerry, Bonnie, their son Chris, and daughter-in-law Holly will be part of the group we are hiking with tomorrow.)

BY TODD G. DICKSON
The Las Cruces Bulletin
On Sunday, March 30, an estimated 4,200 people will walk and even run along either a 26.2-mile route or a 15­mile trail over White Sands Missile Range.

Much of the terrain will be rocky and sandy. And if the wind picks up, as it’s prone to do in March, then it will be dusty. With the warming temperatures of March, it could get hot.

But one will be hard-pressed to find anyone complaining.

It is the annual Bataan Memorial Death March, acknowledging one of the darkest chapters in World War II’s Pacific theater. Tens of thousands of American and Filipino soldiers defend­ing the islands of Luzon, Corregidor and the harbor defense forts of the Philippines were captured by Japanese forces in April 1942. Many were already malnourished and fighting off malaria. The Japanese marched these prisoners...

Las Cruces Sun News also carried an editorial today:

We remember: Bataan Memorial Death March Article Launched: 03/29/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT Those of us who weren't there will never be able to fully appreciate the sacrifice and hardship endured by U.S. and Filipino soldiers surrendered to Japanese troops on April 9, 1942 in the Philippines. But we can ensure that their sacrifice will never be forgotten. The 19th annual Bataan Memorial Death March, which takes place Sunday at White Sands Missile Range, is a unique way to preserve the memory of that tragic event and, at the same time, honor those courageous men who survived the ordeal, as well as those who did not. Events began Friday with a presentation of paintings by Bataan survivor Ben Steele, 90, of Billings, Mont., depicting the horrors he witnessed so long ago. Today, a DVD of Stephen Melillo's "That We Might Live" was to be presented at the Rio Grande Theatre. The presentation combines both old film snippets and still photography. The weekend's events culminate Sunday, when an estimated 4,000-plus marchers are expected to traverse either the 26.2-mile main course, or the shorter 15-miles course at WSMR. The guests of honor will be 23 survivors of the Bataan Death March, who have said they plan to attend. Traditionally the survivors wait at the finish line to greet the marchers as they complete the course. What a terrific inspiration for marchers making their way across the rugged desert terrain. U.S. history books tend to glorify our war victories and gloss over our defeats. Because of that, the story of Bataan and the brave men who fought so valiantly, including members of the 200th Coast Artillery of the New Mexico National Guard, has never been given its due. It was the generals who made the decision to surrender, and the soldiers who paid so dearly. First with the forced march, then with confinement in horrific prisoner-of-war camps and finally with a perilous journey across the Pacific aboard Japanese ships. These men have given as much to their county as any group that has ever served. Sunday's march, and the other events this past week, are a humble attempt to let them know how much they are appreciated.