Sixty-years ago, after the surrender of Philippine-American forces on Bataan, the surviving service members were forced to march to Camp O’Donnell, over 100 miles away, starving, sick and wounded. This event became known as “The Bataan Death March.” The Bataan survivors were denied food and water, and those who could not keep up were physically abused. Many of those soldiers were members of the New Mexico National Guard.

Today, the Albuquerque Bataan and Corregidor veterans are preserving the memory of those New Mexico soldiers with the Bataan Memorial Park and the unveiling of the new Bataan Memorial Monument. With this memorial, we can all honor those who suffered through and survived Bataan.

Major General Randall E. Horn

The Adjutant General

New Mexico National Guard