Bataan Memorial Death March White Sands New Mexico

(I had deleted my previous TH-cam account that contained this video, but figured I’ll upload it for posterity’s sake…)…
The Bataan Death March involved the forced relocation of American and Filipino Soldiers from Saysain Point, Bagac, Bataan and Mariveles to Camp O'Donnell, Capas, Tarlac, via San Fernando, Pampanga. Many of the tens of thousands that participated lost their lives.
The annual memorial event that takes place in White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico is a 26 mile march (In the Desert) that is conducted in remembrance of those Soldiers.
On the night before the march, apparently everyone (a few thousand people) that would be marching the next had the exact same idea… To go to Olive Garden for a nice, big, pasta dish… We quickly ruled that idea out since we were unable to get in.
I don’t remember exactly where we wound up going out to eat, but I do remember that one of our team mates had the idea of just going to sit at the bar and ordering food there since every single place we visited had at least an hour wait, and apparently this idea hadn’t crossed a lot of other people’s minds they were all waiting on tables…. So we go in (finally), get to sit altogether at the bar, got something to eat (I think I did have a pasta-related meal)…. Went back early to rest up….
On the morning of... Every assembled on a soccer field there at White Sands Missile base at somewhere around 0530hrs if I remember correctly, and just waited for it to start.
A paratrooper from one of the ‘Special’ Army parachute teams (the Golden Knights perhaps) parachutes onto the field (right onto a bulls eye - flawless) with “Proud to be an America” playing over the PA system, a few remarks from a senior leader or two, and a prayer is provided by the Chaplain, then…….. we’re off………..
“Team USA” members are also there conducting their entire ruck march in what we Army people call “M.O.P.P. Level 4,” or Mission Oriented Protective Posture Level 4 - clothing (and mask) worn to protect you from a chemical environment (nothing ‘secret’ here since this can all be searched)….
I would’ve never made it…….. I mean, they would have to take their masks off to eat and drink, but still… to have to put it back on before continuing to march would be rough after the first 5-6 miles - let alone…………. 26 (twenty six)………….. That, along with a couple of the participating members having had a limb (one - a leg) amputated………….. Hats off to Ya’s!.... I (We) salute You!..................
This is certainly the longest walk I’ve done in military boots and clothing. ON this march, you are allowed to participate as an individual, or as a group. As a group, you could go as a “Light” group, with your rucksack / backpack weighing less than 35lbs - or you could go, “heavy ‘ weighing at least 35 lbs…. We went light - I had a medium sized camel back filled with water and some snacks - and I was obviously equipped with a video camera - Go Pro attached to my chest…
I made it past the 12 mile mark before a decent sized blister started to form behind my right foot near the bottom, but not on the bottom, which made it a little easier to continue at normal pace. I wasn’t until the last four miles that I needed a little encouragement from my team mates, and I think it was because I was only eating the fruit that was provided at every 3-4 mile stop ran by the many gracious volunteers along the way… Had I eaten just ‘a little’ more protein (beef jerky, etc.), I’d probably had a better experience towards the end - but we all made it…
It was kind of funny going to a restaurant (can’t remember which one) later that evening and being able to tell who else in the community had gone on the march because we were all limping to some degree…
(The music in the background is a simple instrumental recorded some 30+ years ago, recorded on a Tascam Porta 03 4- track cassette recorder)…