For Immediate Release
April 10, 2010

AFA Remembers Bataan Death March

Arlington, VA – The Air Force Association (AFA) today released the following statement remembering the Bataan Death March:

On this day, in 1942, about 78,000 prisoners (12,000 Americans of the U.S. Army Air Forces and 66,000 Filipino allies) were forced to begin a brutal march north to Camp O’Donnell, now known as the Bataan Death March.

The Bataan Peninsula was held by U.S. Army Air Forces, fighting as infantry because they had no airplanes left, until their surrender on April 9, 1942. They were already weakened by disease and malnourishment when the march began. Despite available water, they were not allowed to drink for days at a time. In their weakened condition, they were shot or bayoneted if they fell or attempted to reach water.

As many as 11,000 died of these cruelties on the six-day march, while twice that number died over the next two months at Camp O’Donnell, executed in other POW camps or perished in the “hell ships” that transported them.

In all, only about one in three of those that began the march on April 10 actually survived the war.

Today, we remember the tremendous sacrifice and patriotism of the defenders of Bataan.

Read more about the Bataan Death March in Air Force Magazine: click here and here.

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The AFA is a 501(C)(3), nonprofit organization promoting public understanding of aerospace power and the pivotal role it plays in the security of the nation. AFA has over 200 chapters nationally and internationally representing 120,000 members. Visit AFA www.AFA.org.

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