The 36th Annual Bataan Memorial Death March returns to White Sands Missile Range on Saturday, March 22, 2025. The base will host about 5,000 marchers, both military and civilian, who will take on one of the most difficult marathons around. Some participate to challenge themselves mentally and physically, while others come as a pilgrimage to remember those — perhaps a family member — who suffered or died on the Philippine peninsula of Bataan during World War II.
Last year, marchers came from all 50 states and 10 foreign countries. About half of those participating are in the military, and some are wounded warriors, pushing through the course on prosthetic legs or with other injuries sustained while serving in the military.
The Bataan Memorial Death March has two routes: the full 26.2-mile marathon and the 14.1-mile honorary course, a bit longer than the standard half-marathon distance. A dreaded part of the course is the sand pit, a long section of loose sand that makes going even harder. One year, a wounded warrior marching through the sand pit on a prosthetic leg replied to a comment about how hard it must be for him by saying, “This is nothing compared to what they went through on Bataan.”
What the American and Philippine soldiers went through on Bataan is hard to imagine. About 75,000 were ordered to surrender to the Japanese after the months-long Battle of Bataan, during which they had minimal food, medical supplies, and ammunition. The soldiers were undernourished, and many were suffering from tropical illnesses like malaria. From the peninsula’s southern point, they were forced to march from 65 to 80 miles in brutal tropical heat and humidity with rare opportunities to have food or water. Many of these prisoners of war were beaten and bayoneted, and those who fell behind were often executed.
After reaching the POW camp, they were forced to work in farm fields or road construction, and many were sent to Japan or Manchuria in “hell ships” to serve as slave labor in factories and mines. About 10,000 men died on the march, on hell ships, in captivity, or soon thereafter.
The 200th and 515th Coast Artillery of the National Guard represented New Mexico at Bataan. Only half of those 1,800 men returned home, and almost everyone in New Mexico knew someone who didn’t. That helps explain why New Mexicans remember Bataan.
Today, the “battling bastards of Bataan” are honored by those who participate in the Bataan Memorial Death March. The New Mexico State University ROTC launched the march in 1989 with about 100 participants. In 1992, White Sands Missile Range and the New Mexico National Guard became sponsors, and the event, once conducted over Baylor Pass, moved to the missile range.
In years past, survivors of the Bataan Death March attended the event at WSMR. They gave inspirational talks about their experiences during World War II, were honored during the opening and closing ceremonies, and congratulated marchers at the start and finish lines. Today, their memories are kept alive through the Faces of Bataan project coordinated by Remember Bataan Foundation of Las Cruces. For $45, which just covers the cost, descendants or other loved ones can purchase banners featuring photographs of those who fought at Bataan.
Participants will march past the banners on the full marathon and honorary courses. They’ll be further divided into multiple categories. Under the main civilian and military divisions, participants compete individually or in teams of five, who march in either heavy or light categories. Going heavy is the ultimate challenge. Heavy marchers carry a rucksack weighing 35 pounds, often bags of beans, rice, or dog food that are donated to a food bank after the race.
Some people run the course, seeking to rank among the earliest finishers, while others plan only to complete the challenge and cross the finish line. The last to finish, sometimes in the dark, are often wounded warriors who persevered despite the difficulty of the terrain combined with the altitude. Since the pandemic, people can also march virtually, selecting a route wherever they live.
Registration for the 2025 Bataan Memorial Death March closed on March 3. Those who missed this year’s opportunity can plan to register early for 2026, with the best registration rates offered between October 1 and November 30.
Packet pickup this year takes place at White Sands Missile Range on Thursday, March 20, and Friday, March 21, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
