WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. -- Nearly 7,000 military personnel, retirees and civilians gathered here March 25 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Bataan Death March and participate in the 23rd Annual Bataan Memorial Death March, a 26.2-mile marathon.
The event honors the American and Filipino servicemembers force-marched by the Japanese on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines during World War II.
After three months of fighting, Maj. Gen. Edward King surrendered the military troops of the Bataan to Japanese forces April 9, 1942. Between 70,000 and 100,000 Filipino and American servicemembers, suffering from malnutrition and disease, were forced to march to the nearest prison camp.
Nearly 11,000 Soldiers died during the nine-day, 80-mile march.
This was the second year 1st Sgt. David Shindel, Headquarters and Headquarters Company "Hammer," 5th Armored Brigade, Division West, has marched at White Sands in honor of the heroes of Bataan.
"I'm healthy, and I couldn't imagine being on half rations for three months, then doing this march," Shindel said. "For me, the most rewarding part of the event is getting to meet and thank the survivors."
According to historians and personal accounts of survivors, many of whom were New Mexico National Guardsmen, Soldiers were shot or bayoneted by their captors if they tried to get a drink of water, relieve themselves, or fell behind.
For Shindel, the most challenging part of the 26.2 mile trek is the "sand pit" -- the final six miles where dirt roads become steep-banked arroyos and ankle-deep sand on the way to the finish line.
"Some marchers believe the easiest way to get through the sand pit is to put your feet in the footsteps of the Soldiers who have passed before you," Shindel said.
This year's event was attended by 16 of the remaining survivors of the World War II death march, including Oscar Leonard, Bill Eldridge and John Mims, who tirelessly shook hands with marchers as they began their day.
"It's great to see everybody show such an interest in what we went through," Leonard said.
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