Never Again Having read this article it brought tears to my eyes, one cannot start to imagine what these brave men went through.
I will visit this area when I next return to the Philippines.
God bless them all.
I walked 43 km of the death march for my 70th birthday My name is Art Curry, US Army Infantry veteran 1965-67 Berlin Brigade, RA11447985. The proudest thing I ever did in my life
On December 8-11, 2010 I walked 43 Km's of the Bataan Death March. My 70 Birthday was December 9th, the second day I walked, jogged and trotted to my own airborne cadence. I did this to honor the Bataan Death March sufferers.
Funny thing is two of the days I marched were my 70th birthday. Because when I marched on Dec 10th in Bataan, my wife told me it was Dec 9th in CA where she was.
I started at KM 0 Mirabeles and was disappointed at the lack of a major memorial. The big memorial is on Mt Sarat.
I met witnesses to the death march, I was given Japanese and US Army forks and spoon with writing on them to identify them, relics from the battle ground. I met a young Filipino wearing a US Army dog tag around his neck It had the name and serial no on it. Very sad, I tried to buy it, but he was holding out to get money from the family. I told him that was not right. Maybe me wanting it was not right either. Many Bataan residents have thousands of relic.
I met a Mrs Bautista. Her house is at KM 13 and overlooks Corregidor. She has four giant coastal artillery shells in her yard. She gave me the knives and forks and a stone she said was from Corregidor and had blood on it. It is red in places.
I also met a 94 year old woman witness to the Death march. She said they would sneak in at night to give food and water to the troops, mostly Filipinos come to find out. I met a man whos father jumped into a creek and escaped. Her husband a lt in recon was killed in 1944. Body never found.
I also collected a few rocks and dirt on the mountainous part of the march km 2-10 or so. The rest is flat and slightly rolling . I have pictures all along the way, of Mirables memorials, the diffent km milestones and the terrain. I walked in the day and in the dark, with and without a flashlight.
You could get in touch with the march outside of the towns especially the first 10 km. After that current life has obliterated any signs or senses. Only the KM posts are a reminder.
I have audio tapes of my musings as well as cadence to myself and the shuffling of my feet. Also a little of the current goings on in the towns.
Remember I am 70 years old and am in good shape. Never forgot my muscle memory from Infantry 45 years go. Funny.
Will anyone read this I don't know, but let it be known a 70 year old ex-infantryman marched 43 km's. I stopped at a point where a 20 year old Filpino lieutenant was excuted for reconnoitering. I "died" there with him. Family circumstances back home prevented me from finishing the march which I really wanted to do. I think after a few more miles north of where I stopped, the setting was going to turn bland and be like an interstate.
Anyway I did what I could and didn't quit.
Sincrely and truthfully,
Art Cury
Boston, Ma 1940-65
US Army Ft Gordon, Ft Benning, Andrews Barracks Berlin Brigade 1965-68. I lived in Berlin working for the Army for a year after I got discharged
El Paso Tx 1968-88
Auburn Ca 1988-2003
Lummi Island WA 2003-09
Forest Hill and Sacrmento area 2009-11.
my father john lewis hinkle my father was a prisoner of war and on the bataan death march he was only 17 years old when captured and he was considered dead by the army when his mother recieved a note from the jap gov. he was a prisoner for 48 months and came home. he was a wonderful father and business and died in 2002 but he never got anything for what he did nor did we i feel like the united states owes us for what my father did he was in the plant working when it was bombed the convention says he wasnt suppose to be used as a war time worker but he was. i have all kind of information on the march and from him i would like someone to contact me thank you judy hinkle mitchell
Your grandfather John T Lynch John T Lynch / Master Sargeant / Serial # 6886261 / Imprisoned by the Japanese at Clark Field, Philippines / Sent to Japan on the Hellship Hokusen Maru on October 1, 1944 / Returned to the United States 10/18/1945 on the Storm King, landing in San Francisco.
God bless him
Robert L Hudson / Researcher / Blogger
Notes from a soldier Hello, I have just found in some old boxes what is Notes from My grandafther, who was a pow of the Bataan Death march. They are written on japaniese paper, and he was a survivor of this.
Atrocities There are a couuple of points I think would be good to elucidate conderning the death march. I am sure you must have been to the Museum at Mount Samat. I was there in July this year 2009. I want too see if there wrere any records of the atrocities that by the Japaneese. I was astounded not to find any such records. I could not find the end of the death march there was no monument that i could see. There was no record that I could see where the infirmed soldiers were loaded onto the train like cattle for the trip to camp McDonald. I don't know where they how many surivied the train ride to the camp. Did Philippinos take any pictures of the dead soldiers. I think that was very strange for me. Thanks for reading my comments.
walking and camping i was there in 68 i never fogot sleeping out there at night and to wake to the most beauatul place in the world we set ambushed on that trail and wait for them to come we wernt allowed to walk on the trail because it was booby trapped so we had hack are way that jungle
Take another trip to Philippines! I am a retired broadcaster and advertising executive in Manila. After retirement, I decided to return to "whence we came from." Meaning in a small piece of the earth I now call home. The small piece of the earth turned out to be a paradise of treasures - treasures of WWII relics from .45 caliber and Garand bullets, live grenades, insignias of U.S. military officers, camping tent button eyelets, glass bial which used to contain, maybe, Morphine, sound detectors, you name it. I later learned that "my earth" was part of the "secret road" built by the combined forces of US Army and Navyenlisted personnel. I am still keeping all these, with the hope that, someday when the youth camp, I am initiating and trying to develop, all these may be displayed in a small museum here.
thank you i recently was given a picture of my grandmother's brother, who, i was told, died on "the hike." it was very inspiring to read your blog. thanks.
GOOD STUFF I STUMBLED UPON YOUR PAGE BY ACCIDENT SEARCHING ABOUT SPIDERS AT WORK YEAH...FUN LIFE IN RAINY ENGLAND ANYWAYS THOUGHT ID LET YOU KNOW ENTERTAINED ME GOOD STUFF LOVE TO READ MORE :D
the good brothers 2 uncles died on my fathers side 2 cousins 1 died and one was liberated on my mothers side the story was for some reason never told, today i search for any info . uncles tommy bueno reyes and james bueno reyes the good bros the 2brothers simon parra and valentine dallago any info will be welcomed,they were from the 200rd company d gallup nmthank you.
wow I was just browsing for the history project of my niece when i stumbled upon yuor blog... im a filipino... you have no idea how truly amazed i was with your passion over the soldiers who died in the war... actually what really made me continue reading was the same feeling we have for our grandfather, you see he was also a POW, and that I was proud of him...
hey!! hey guys! just wanted to say your blog is wicked! really made me laugh and such a cool way to see the country!! i ve been here for a month now and i love it its such a beautiful country!! have fun!! x
Paradise Hope you'll find your little paradise in the Philippines on your return, just as your grandfather did when he first set foot on these lovely islands. All the best!
John...I'm eternally envious of your crazy trip. I can't believe you haven't run out of funding yet.....that credit card bill is going to be huge.
I certainly hope you hooked up with Yenni by now.
oh the memories of Las Ramlas John - Are you coming home soon? I'm praying the next thing I read is not that you have turned into one of these spanish freaks!
Thanks. It looks like a fun place to be and very colorful. Was glad to read about your time in Ireland. It looks like it is a beautiful country. And I jsut want to say thank you for showing me pictures of Carolyn smiling! That smile is something that her father and I do not see very often! In fact, I hopet o be seeing alot of the smile that she had when she was helping you celebrate her birthday!!! Take care and be careful.
Thanks Thanks so much for sending me pictures of my daughter and she is even smiling! I hope that when she gets home her father and I see a smile as big as the one taken with you on your birthday! Ireland looks beautiful and it was so great that you and Carolyn were able to see it together. Have a safe rest of your trip and be careful!
I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WERE THROWN OUT OF A MUSEUM AND SENT TO A BAR. THE TASTING ROOM PORTION OF THE TOUR WAS ALWAYS MY FAVORITE. I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY HAD A MUSEUM WHEN WE WERE THERE. THE HORSE, HOWEVER, WAS THERE AND HE CAN CARRY ON A VERY INTELLIGENT CONVERSATION AND IS WELL VERSED ON CURRENT AFFAIRS.
vivek dubey
non-member comment
holi hai
bura na mano holi hai