INTRODUCED APRIL 1, 2002
CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, FIFTEENTH COUNCIL
SPONSORED BY: ERIC GRIEGO
COUNCIL BILL NO. F/S M-02-11
MEMORIAL
Confirming the Permanent Dedication of Bataan Park
Located at Lomas and Tulane, NE to the New Mexican
Prisoners of War and the Missing in Action who
Served During WWII (E. Griego)
Confirming The Permanent Dedication Of Bataan
Memorial Park Located At The Intersection Of Lomas
Boulevard And Tulane Drive, N.E. To The New Mexican
Prisoners Of War And The Missing In Action Who
Served With The 200th And 515th Coast Artillery (AA)
Regiments In The Philippines During WWII.
WHEREAS, Bataan Memorial Park at the Northeast
corner of Tulane Avenue and Lomas Boulevard in
Albuquerque, New Mexico, was originally dedicated on
March 2, 1943 to the Brave men of the 200th Coast
Artillery (Anti-Aircraft) of the New Mexico Army
National Guard by the Albuquerque City Commission;
and
WHEREAS, Bataan Memorial Park has stood for 59 years
as a Living Monument to the brave deeds of the 200th
Coast Artillery and the unit formed from its ranks,
the 515th Coast Artillery, who saw action defending
the Philippines at the start of World War II and who
held off two Japanese armies for over 4 months with
antiquated weapons to buy time with their lives so
that American forces could regroup in the South
Pacific and fight on to eventual victory; and
WHEREAS, Bataan Memorial Park was one of the first
monuments in the world dedicated to military units
that fought at Bataan; and
WHEREAS, Bataan Memorial Park, owing to its historic
significance, was added to the State Register of
Cultural Properties by the Historic Preservation
Division of the State of New Mexico on July 16,
1999; and
WHEREAS, the 200th and 515th Coast Artillery
Regiments were among the most decorated units in
World War II; and
WHEREAS, members of the 200th and 515th Coast
Artillery endured being surrendered 60 years ago on
Bataan on April 9, 1942 or on the island of
Corregidor on May 6, 1942, and also endured the
Bataan Death March, internment in Japanese
prisoner-of-war camps, transport in the holds of
deadly hell ships where they were torpedoed by
friendly fire, and endured over three years of
forced labor in places like Manchuria, Korea, and
Japan; and
WHEREAS, the State of New Mexico had more prisoners
of war per capita and lost more men per capita than
any other state in the United States during World
War II so that no family in the State of New Mexico
was not touched in some way by the events
surrounding the defense of the Philippines; and
WHEREAS, a memorial to Bataan Veterans was placed in
Bataan Memorial Park in May, 1960 by the Bataan
Club, composed of wives and close relatives of
Bataan Veterans; and
WHEREAS, the City of Albuquerque, in humble tribute
to the brave men and heroic deeds of the 200th and
515th Coast Artillery (Anti-Aircraft) of the New
Mexico Army National Guard formally dedicated a new
memorial to these men on April 7, 2002 with their
names engraved in granite for all time.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF
THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
Section 1. That the intent of the original
dedication of Bataan Memorial Park be reaffirmed,
that the elm trees planted in Bataan Memorial Park
shall be given official memorial status, that the
built memorials in Bataan Memorial Park shall
forever remain in the Park, and that the memorial
trees and built memorials shall be preserved and
protected for all time.
Section 2. That Bataan Memorial Park shall forever
remain a place to contemplate the heroism of our
brave citizen soldiers; the ready willingness of our
citizenry to go into combat to defend our rights and
freedoms; the terrible price these men paid for the
freedoms and liberty we have enjoyed these last 60
years; the capacity of humans to endure with
fortitude and hope under the greatest of duress, and
finally; of the inhumanity of war.
Passed 9 to 0 - April 15, 2002
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