The Treacherous Journey
The Bataan Death March began on April, 9 1942 on the main Philippine island of Luzon. The United States surrendered to the Japanese during World War II (1939-45) and were forced to walk 65 miles at the Bataan Peninsula from Mariveles, to San Fernando. They then traveled on cramped train cars from San Fernando to Capas and walked an additional seven miles to Camp O'Donnell. A prison camp.
Before we could grasp what was happening, the black-faced giant had swung his sword. I remember how the sun flashed on it. There was a swish and a kind of chopping thud, like a cleaver going through beef. |
The conditions during the march were egregious. The soldiers had a major lack of food and water and trudged on in extreme heat. The men were put into groups of 100 and each group took around 5 days to make it to Camp O'Donnell. If any man fell behind or fell down from exhaustion, or even to use the bathroom he was bayoneted, shot, or beheaded. Some wounded were even buried alive.
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