This year I am taking part in a team event called The Bataan Memorial Death March.
The Bataan Death March honors a special group of World War II heroes who were responsible for the defense of the islands of Luzon, Corregidor and the harbor defense forts of the Philippines. The conditions they encountered and the aftermath of the battle were unique.
They fought in a malaria-infested region, surviving on half or quarter rations with little or no medical help and they fought with outdated equipment and virtually no air power.
On April 9, 1942, tens of thousands of American and Filipino soldiers were forced to surrender to Japanese forces.
The Americans were Army, Army Air Corps, Navy and Marines.
They were marched for days in the scorching heat through the Philippine jungles. Thousands died. Those who survived faced the hardships of a prisoner of war camp while others were wounded or killed when unmarked enemy ships transporting prisoners of war to Japan were sunk by U.S. air and naval forces.
The Bataan Memorial March began in 1989 and has grown from about 100 to some 4,000 marchers from across the United States and several foreign countries. While still primarily a military event, many civilians choose to take the challenge.
You can learn more about the march here: http://www.bataanmarch.com/index.htm
Marchers come to this memorial event for many reasons — personal challenge, the spirit of competition or to foster esprit de corps in their unit. Some march in honor of a family member or a particular veteran who was in the Bataan Death March or was taken a prisoner of war by the Japanese in the Philippines.
I will be a part of a five person team that will trek across 26.2 miles of deasert on the White Sands Missle Range in New Mexico.
In the true Death March, the surrendered had no options. They helped each other through the ordeal just to stay alive.
In the memorial event, marchers are encouraged to remember this spirit. People working together from start to finish will gain much more personal reward.
I highly enjoy being a part of a team that trains and executes a mission through to success.
Leave me your comments and I will keep you posted,
Mark Edward Brown / Warrior Leader
Welcome to Mark Edward Brown's Blog! I'm a Leader ~ Success $trategist ~ and Militant Marketer. Interact with me and join the Adventure: Ask me a question below, Leave me a comment and Add me to your social network!
