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shotgunshooter3
Senior MemberPosts: 5,970 Senior Member
Completed a personal tradition again this weekend: Bataan Memorial Death March
shotgunshooter3
Senior MemberPosts: 5,970 Senior Member
Hey all, some of you may remember that since I was 16 years old I try to annual attend the Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range, NM (www.bataanmarch.com). It's a marathon (26.2 miles) or pseudo half-marathon (15 miles) designed as an event to commemorate those who suffered through the actual Bataan Death March in WWII.
They offer two different styles: Civilian and Military (done in uniform), and two categories: Light and Heavy (No pack, 35lbs pack). I have participated in Military Light, Civilian Light, and Military Heavy.
These past two years since I don't live in NM anymore, it's been more difficult to make it to the event, but both years I've managed to recruit a few people and make the trip. This year I had some reservations about doing it again: Fighting shin splints, plus a busy school schedule had resulted in literally no training to prepare. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, but my overall physical condition is the worst it's been in a few years. However, I still pulled the trigger and signed up for Military Heavy.
Fortunately, I finished, but by the skin of my teeth. However, that's all it takes for this event. I'm as proud as ever to maintain my personal tradition of participation, and to give my small part of showing thanks for the Greatest Generation. This may be my last year for awhile, with Flight School looming near, but I won't forget the event and once I can I will be back. It has always been an event that forced me to crush personal walls and challenged what I really thought was possible.
Enough of tooting my own horn, I just wanted to share.
Myself (the one Aviator AKA pogue) and the two LT's (Infantry and Light Cavalry) that I finished the march with (I'm the chubby one on the right).
They offer two different styles: Civilian and Military (done in uniform), and two categories: Light and Heavy (No pack, 35lbs pack). I have participated in Military Light, Civilian Light, and Military Heavy.
These past two years since I don't live in NM anymore, it's been more difficult to make it to the event, but both years I've managed to recruit a few people and make the trip. This year I had some reservations about doing it again: Fighting shin splints, plus a busy school schedule had resulted in literally no training to prepare. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, but my overall physical condition is the worst it's been in a few years. However, I still pulled the trigger and signed up for Military Heavy.
Fortunately, I finished, but by the skin of my teeth. However, that's all it takes for this event. I'm as proud as ever to maintain my personal tradition of participation, and to give my small part of showing thanks for the Greatest Generation. This may be my last year for awhile, with Flight School looming near, but I won't forget the event and once I can I will be back. It has always been an event that forced me to crush personal walls and challenged what I really thought was possible.
Enough of tooting my own horn, I just wanted to share.
Myself (the one Aviator AKA pogue) and the two LT's (Infantry and Light Cavalry) that I finished the march with (I'm the chubby one on the right).
- I am a rifleman with a poorly chosen screen name. -
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and speed is the economy of motion" - Scott Jedlinski
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and speed is the economy of motion" - Scott Jedlinski
Replies
JAY
If you ever get stationed in Europe, you've gotta to try the Nijmegen March. I did it in 1986 and had a blast meeting our military counter parts that I would not of had the chance to meet otherwise. My feet, lower back and shoulders where tore up from the blisters but it was well worth it.
- Richard Henry Lee
This year was well worth the black toenails, flared up ITBS, and blisters. If I am able to go next year I think I am going to do Military Light and run the course.
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and speed is the economy of motion" - Scott Jedlinski
NRA Endowment Member
Thanks SS3, this means a lot to me. I think I told you that my uncle was on Bataan and was one of the many who surrendered to the Japanese on April 9th, 1942. He survived the death march and Camp O'Donnel, but died in Cabanatuan in October of 42 during a diptheria epidemic. He received the DSC postumously. His wife, my aunt, who is my mother's only sister, is still alive here in town in an assisted living center. She is 94 and other than being legally blind from macular degeneration she's still going strong. She's survived cancer and heart surgery and is still kicking. She lived in the Philippines with him for two years from 1939 after he graduated from West Point, until she had to leave in October, 1941. She was on the last ship out.
I have been there to Bataan all the way down the peninsula to Mariveles where the death march started. We drove from there all the way 60 miles to San Fernando where the prisoners were put in hot rail cars and hauled to Tarlac (Actually we road down to Mariveles on the Death March Trail and didn't know it. There's only one road down and back). Many died in the cars because they were steel and it was very hot. Then they were forced to march the last 6 or 7 miles to Camp O'Donnel. We didn't go there, but next time I'm in the Philippines I want to Hire a car and driver and drive to Tarlac and see Camp O'Donnel. Then I'd love to ride on over to Cabanatuan just to say I've been there. I'm the only member of the family who has been to Bataan. As you probably know, Cabanatuan is the camp where the Japanese sent the whites. They kept the Filipinos in O'Donnel until they freed them in I think 1943 trying to gain the favor of the Filipino people. However over 25,000 Filipinos died in O'Donnel, so the Filipinos were not impressed with any gesture of generosity the Japanese may have shown at that time and it didn't work. The Filipinos faught the Japanese with an underground movement until the Americans came back and swept the Japanese out of Manila and up into the mountains in Northern Luzon where they practically inialated them. In January, 1945, the American 6th Ranger Batallion freed the last 500 prisoners from Cabanatuan. This was what the movie "The Great Raid" was about.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Congrats on making the long haul. It's quite an accomplishment.