March over the desert - commemoration of Bataan Death March.

April 9, 1942-An awesome and fearful silence had descended over Bataan, PI. After five days of continuous artillery and mortar fire, the sudden quiet was overwhelming. The silence was unnerving, and so was a procession viewed Later from a vantage point high atop Malinta Hill. Peering through their binoculars, General Wainwright and his aides saw Long columns walking north from Mariveles. These were the men of Bataan, Americans in their khaki uniforms and Filipinos wearing their blue fatigues. White flags of surrender dotted their lines, Wainwright and other observers did not know it then, but they were witnessing the beginning of the greatest atrocity of World War II in the Pacific, the Bataan Death March.

One of the units marching in that Long Line was New Mexico's 200th Coast Artillery; Anti-Aircraft Artillery, a National Guard unit made up of young men from around the state. The 200th had gone to the Philippines in September 1941 and fought valiantly from December 8, 1941 until their surrender on April 9, 1942. Each year since 1992, to commemorate the role of the New Mexico National Guard in the defense of Bataan and Corregidor, White Sands Missile Range hosts a 25-mile march through the desert honoring those that fought and died there.

A cross between a military maneuver and a sporting event, the Commemorative Bataan Death March requires the involvement of many segments of the military and civilian communities. At White Sands, the event is planned and executed by the Military Police Company and the Community Recreation Division. Both work closely with the Reserve officers Training Corps (ROTC) at nearby New Mexico State University and the New Mexico Army National Guard, headquartered in Santa Fe. The planning process usually starts in August or September of the previous year.

The original targeted participants were active duty and reserve military--members of National Guard and ROTC units, retirees, students from the service academies, and military of our World War II allies. Because of the wide interest, the event is now open to civilians as well. Participants may march as a team or as individuals in one of two divisions--heavy and Light. The Light division requires marchers to carry two full canteens; in the heavy division, marchers must carry a 35-pound U.S. Army rucksack with frame. The teams consist of five to seven members who must cross the finish Line together. The concept is that team members help each other in the same spirit the Bataan Death March soldiers carried their fallen comrades and helped each other to survive.

The march at White Sands, usually held in April, starts and finishes in front of the Community Club. The event begins at dawn with a military ceremony, which is attended by Local dignitaries. The guest speaker is always an original march survivor. In addition, a number of survivors and their families attend the opening ceremonies, making it special for the commemorative marchers and spectators. The ceremony concludes with the playing of Taps

Once the opening ceremony is finished, the marchers are ready for the grueling day. Warned of hazards such as Loose rocks, rattlesnakes, tarantulas, and scorpions, they are off. Marching through the main post area, they soon come to the desert. For the next 20 miles, the route consists mostly of dirt roads, arroyos, soft sand, and rocks. Skirting mesquite trees, cactus and little other vegetation, the marchers startle jack rabbits, deer, wild horses, and African Oryx and send them scurrying off into the distance.

The route is fairly Level at the start, but climbs precipitously as it goes farther into the desert. Historical and archeological sites dot the trait along the way. Marchers pass deserted ranch houses, barns and windmills--the ghostly remains of earlier times.

Because of the rough terrain, heat and often unpredictable weather associated with the New Mexican spring, eight check points on the route provide water and sport drinks. Each is named for a town along the actual Bataan March--Mariveles, Calcaben, Hermosa, San Fernando. Four of the check points also have medical stations that tend to sunburn, blisters and exhaustion.

Event organizers have made a special point of keeping the event's focus international. Letters of invitation are sent to the embassies of Belgium, Mexico, Canada, the Philippines, Australia, the Netherlands, and Britain. Every year teams and individuals come from the British Army and the German Air Force. In addition, teams from ALL over the country--Colorado, Indiana, Massachusetts, and Texas--come to participate.

At the start and finish point, food and beverages are provided by the Community Club and there is entertainment throughout the day for spectators, friends, and families. Even though most Bataan survivors are now in their 70s and 80s, many come each year and spend the day. The New Mexico National Guard Museum displays pictures and artifacts from Bataan.

The event concludes with an awards ceremony where the winning teams and individuals are awarded medals, and all participants receive certificates. A traveling trophy is presented to the top National Guard team each year. The real reward; however, is finishing the course and giving your own personal best.

Although the March is a great competitive sporting event, it is more than that. It is a way for soldiers and civilians at White Sands Missile Range to pay tribute to those who were at Bataan and to all other veterans.