GORUCK Light: Bataan Death March Memorial

“Once the march started, everything just sort of froze in my mind. I was pretty numb the whole time. I didn’t think and I didn’t feel. I was like a robot and just kept moving. Other than daylight or dark, I lost all track of time. I had to blank everything out and focus straight ahead. I lived from day to day, in fact, hour by hour. The only thing I thought about was the moment and, ‘The good Lord willing, I’ll get through the day.’
– Staff Sgt. Alf Larson, Bataan Death March Survivor

This event honors the men and women of one of the biggest atrocities of WWII, the Bataan Death March. The Bataan Death March occurred in the Philippines in April 1942 when 60,000-80,000 US and Filipino soldiers were captured and forced by the Japanese to march more than 70 miles while being brutalized by their captors. During this memorial Challenge, you and your team will learn about the historical significance of the Bataan Death March as you experience an event where “No one left behind” is your team’s priority. Participants are requested to be prepared to brief the class on an individual or story from the Bataan Death March during the event. Participants who finish this event will receive the unique Bataan Death March Memorial patch which is always earned and never sold.