Bataan Day

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Bataan Day, sometimes known as Day of Valour (Filipino: Araw ng Kagitingan) is a national observance in the Philippines which commemorates the fall of Bataan during World War II. It falls on 9 April, although in 2009 then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo moved it to 6 April to create a long weekend.

History

At dawn on 9 April 1942, against the orders of Generals Douglas MacArthur and Jonathan Wainwright, the commander of the Luzon Force, Bataan, Major General Edward P. King, Jr. surrendered more than 76,000 starving and disease-ridden soldiers (67,000 Filipinos, 1,000 Chinese Filipinos, and 11,796 Americans) to Japanese troops .

The majority of these prisoners of war had their belongings confiscated before being forced to endure the infamous 140 kilometre (90 mile) Bataan Death March to Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac. En route, thousands died from dehydration, heat prostration, untreated wounds, and wanton execution while walking in deep dust over vehicle-broken Macadam roads, and crammed into rail cars for transport to captivity.

The few who were lucky enough to travel by truck to San Fernando, Pampanga would still have to endure more than 25 additional miles of marching. Prisoners were beaten randomly and often denied promised food and water. Those who fell behind were usually executed or left to die, the sides of the roads becoming littered with dead bodies and those moaning for help.

Only some 54,000 of the 76,000 prisoners reached their destination; the exact death toll is difficult to assess because thousands of captives were able to escape from their guards. Approximately 5,000-10,000 Filipino and 600-650 American prisoners-of-war died before they could reach Camp O'Donnell.

2012 observance

2012 marked the 70th anniversary of the Fall of Bataan, which was commemorated at Mount Samat Shrine in Pilár, Bataan by some of the over 18,000 still-living Filipino veterans.

Incumbent President Benigno S. Aquino III and former President Fidel V. Ramos attended this year's rites. Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Toshina Urabe expressed "deep apology and a deep sense of remorse to the tragedy", while United States Deputy of Mission Leslie Bassett (representing American Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr.) said their Embassy has provided a total of US$220 million (over Ph₱9 billion) to Filipino war veterans.

References

• http://festivalsinthephilippines.com/araw-ng-kagitingan-day-of-valor-1316174.html
• http://www.mb.com.ph/node/251705/2

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