His Chosen Favorites
Op-Ed
His Chosen Favorites
"Courage is a quality God has seen fit to dispense with utmost care. The men of Bataan were His chosen favorites."
Major General Edward P. King, Jr., USA
Commanding General, Luzon Forces, 1942
Earlier this month, I introduced legislation to finally recognize those who participated in the Bataan Death March with a Congressional Gold Medal, the nation's highest civilian award. These brave Americans were the heroes in a story that was central to the broader story of Allied victory in World War II. It is a story too few Americans know.
In early 1942, the U.S. and Japan were in the middle of a race.
Having built a military goliath and mobilized for all-out war, Japan hoped to capture the Pacific all the way to Australia before Allied forces could mount a defense. They had the advantage of size, organization and momentum. We had a small number of units that had been stationed near Manila, in the Phillipines, before the war began.
For months, American troops resisted the Japanese surge. They slowed Japanese forces and allowed Allied troops to eventually reverse Japan's progress. Thanks to the heroism of these troops, America was able to recover from Pearl Harbor and take the fight to the Axis powers in Asia before going on to defeat Hitler.
On April 9, 1942, 12,000 American troops and 67,000 Filipino troops surrendered in the Philippines' Bataan Peninsula. The group included 1,800 members of the New Mexico National Guard. New Mexico's 200th and 515th Coast Artillery units were, according to one general, "the first to fire and the last to lay down their arms." Months of fighting had taken their toll. The forces that were surrendered on April 9 were suffering from a lack of supplies, malnutrition, malaria and starvation with no resources left to continue and no reinforcements able to arrive.
What followed has come to be known as the Bataan Death March, one of the great tragedies of our history. American and Filipino troops were forced to march 65-miles through tropical heat, without food or water, for days on end. Many were summarily executed. Thousands died from mistreatment, malnutrition, sickness and captivity. Those who survived were held as prisoners of war in squalid encampments for almost three years. By the time they were rescued, towards the end of the war, half of New Mexico's 1,800 soldiers had died. Another 300 would die within a year of returning to the U.S. as a result of complications related to their captivity.
Those who survived faced a new set of challenges. Most of the soldiers who fought with the 200th and the 515th were Hispanic. They fought and died in the uniform of a nation that treated them as second class citizens. While in uniform, many reported discrimination against soldiers with Hispanic surnames and soldiers caught speaking Spanish. When they returned home, Hispanic soldiers were unable to enjoy the full privileges of citizenship. In 1945, a Hispanic citizen could fight for his country, but he could not sit on a jury in Texas or attend a "white" school in parts of California. In the general rejoicing over victory in Japan and then in Europe, the sacrifices of the Bataan marchers were too often overlooked.
I am proud to report that my Gold Medal Legislation has strong support from many New Mexicans. The New Mexican Hispanic Cultural Preservation League, led by President Emeritus Conchita Lucero, continues to be the driving force behind this bill. And a distinguished group of New Mexico Generals -- Leo Marquez, Edward Baca, Melvyn Montano, Gene Chavez and Kenny Montoya -- along with Secretary John M. Garcia of the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services are all strong and vocal advocates on behalf of the legislation.
In requesting a Gold Medal for the Bataan marchers, I am aware that nothing I do will add any honor to their actions. Their acts have already brought them more glory than all the medals in the world. But by celebrating our heroes, we inspire ourselves to be a little bit better. The soldiers who marched from Bataan deserve the praise of a thankful nation. By honoring them with a Congressional Gold Medal, we will leave no question that this nation understands their contribution and appreciates their sacrifice.
How to Get Your Rebate
As you may know, Congress's economic stimulus package was signed into law on February 13. Among other things, it provides tax rebates to 131 million Americans. To find out how much you can expect to receive, click here.
Where's the Beef
You have probably heard by now that the USDA recently requested a recall of 143 million pounds of beef. The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Commodity Foods Program had sent 3,000 cases of the questionable beef to New Mexico's Human Services Department to be distributed to school lunch programs. Almost all of the recalled beef has been found, but the episode should remind us that our system for protecting Americans from unsafe meat needs reform. Currently, the USDA cannot force meat companies to recall dangerous products. This leads to time-consuming negotiations between the USDA and the meat companies instead of swift action to protect the public, and it gives meat companies an effective veto on recalls. This situation also undermines America's faith in the safety of the food we eat, which hurts ranchers in New Mexico and across the country. To protect American consumers, restore faith in the meat industry and help our ranchers, I have introduced legislation giving the USDA the power to institute mandatory recalls. No American should be poisoned because the USDA doesn't have the tools it needs to do its job, and I will do all I can to keep Americans safe.
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