Bataan remembrance march

Published April 18, 2014
By Senior Airman Jared Trimarchi
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar -- During World War II, after the three-month Battle of Bataan, thousands of American and Filipino soldiers surrendered to Japanese forces on April 9, 1942. What followed next is known as the Bataan Death March, when Japanese soldiers forced the American and Filipino prisoners of war to march more than 65 miles through the blazing heat of the Philippine jungles with little to eat or drink.

Thousands died at the hands of the Japanese or of dehydration on their way to face the oppression of a prisoner of war camp. More than 1,800 Soldiers from New Mexico's 200th and 515th Coast Artillery were deployed to the Philippines during World War II and only half survived.

More than 200 Airmen, Marines, Sailors, Soldiers and Department of Defense civilians participated in a Bataan Death March remembrance run, walk and ruck event at Al Udied Air Base, Qatar, April 12, 2014.

"The event to me was all about commemorating the people who made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting for our freedoms," said Master Sgt. Jeremy Mitchell, 379th Expeditionary Operation Support Squadron first sergeant who is deployed from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. and hails from Newark, Ohio. "Our 13.1 miles could not equate to the hardships those Soldiers went through, but it's important for us to pay homage to their sacrifices."

The event was put together by the base's Desert Diamonds Council and more than 40 people volunteered to ensure the safety of the participants.

"The event was a tremendous success due to the hard work put out by the first sergeants and all of the volunteers involved," Mitchell said. "Whether you were rucking, walking or running, the importance of the event is remembering that freedom isn't free."

Airman 1st Class Chase Cannon contributed to this story.