Photos from the Bataan Memorial Death March

My old neighbor Joseph from Los Angeles, Calif., joined the Army recently and got stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. Joseph joined over 6,000 marchers that participated in this year's Bataan Memorial Death March. It's a 26.2 mile trek through Southern New Mexico's White Sand Missile Range.

The annual Bataan Memorial Death March is held to honor American and Filipino soldiers that surrendered to Japanese forces during World War II. According to the El Paso Times, 11 survivors of the Bataan Death March were present at this year's event.

My friend Joseph completed the Bataan Memorial Death March with 40 pounds of weight inside of his rucksack. Many who participated packed their rucksacks with canned goods that they donated to a local food bank at the end of the race.

My friend Joseph had this to say about the march,

I have to say this is the toughest thing I've ever done. It wore me down physically, mentally, and emotionally I wanted to quit several times, instances when I walked in the sand for a couple of miles in full uniform to getting out of the sand to steep hills that seemed like they didn't end. To for a second feeling some sort of hope when you start walking down hill only to come across more hills in the sand. My shoulders numb from carrying my ruck my feet burning and aching begging me to stop, knees shaking, feeling as if though those mile markers kept getting further and further apart was hell. But when I saw and crossed that finish line. I made it.'