[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 55 (Wednesday, April 1, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S4179]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. UDALL, of New Mexico (for himself, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Bond, 
        Mr. Inouye, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Levin, Mr. Udall of Colorado and Ms. 
        Landrieu):
  S. 768. A bill to grant the Congressional Gold Medal to the soldiers 
from the United States who were prisoners of war at Bataan during World 
War II; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce 
legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to some of the 
bravest soldiers ever to wear this country's uniform--the prisoners of 
war from the Bataan Death March.
  For the thousands of soldiers who were surrendered to enemy forces on 
April 9, 1942, the years that have passed since have been filled with 
memories of what occurred that day and in the hundreds of days that 
followed: starvation, torture, forced work, captivity and death.
  But in the 66 years since, the events at Bataan have conjured other 
ideas for the rest of us: bravery, sacrifice, and an unbreakable 
demonstration of courage.
  ``The Battling Bastards of Bataan,'' they were christened by Frank 
Hewlett, one of the last journalists to report on the troops before 
they were surrendered. For 4 months they fought, battling daily against 
the enemy, against illness, and against time. And when there was no 
fight left, when the time for surrender was upon them, they were alone. 
Neither planes in the skies nor boats in the sea appeared, ready to 
give the boost of firepower that would turn the tides. Instead, the men 
at Bataan laid down their weapons and walked into a hell that would 
last over 3 years.
  Many survivors never recovered from their experience. Half died 
within a few years of returning home. Others lived on in physical and 
mental pain for the rest of their lives--a daily reminder of the 
experience they had endured.
  But the story of Bataan is not just about surrender or the suffering 
that followed. By holding off enemy fighters longer than expected, the 
Bataan forces gave the Allies time to regroup after Pearl Harbor. Their 
sacrifice allowed Allied commanders to take the fight to the enemy. And 
they made a future victory possible.
  The soldiers of Bataan also gave America something we needed as much 
as guns or tanks. They gave us an example. Their story inspired 
American soldiers to fight and committed American commanders to 
retaking the Pacific. Just as an earlier generation of Americans had 
remembered the Alamo, our soldiers in World War II remembered Bataan. 
We should remember it today as a place where America's fighting spirit 
showed itself to the world.
  For those of us from New Mexico, the events at Bataan strike home 
particularly hard. Eighteen hundred men from New Mexico's 200th and 
515th regiments left their homes to fight; half returned. These 
soldiers earned the honor of being the ``first to fire'' on the enemy 
on December 8, 1941--the day after Pearl Harbor. They and their 
families have spread the story of Bataan to their New Mexico neighbors. 
We feel the suffering they saw. And we take pride in their heroism.
  For six decades, the Western world has enjoyed the freedom that the 
Bataan veterans helped to win. For six decades, our world has been more 
peaceful because of the sacrifices they made. And for six decades, 
those men have not received the honor that is their due.
  This failure of memory hits particularly hard because so many of the 
men who suffered at Bataan were Hispanic. They fought and died in the 
uniform of a nation that treated them as second class citizens. While 
in uniform, many faced discrimination if they had Hispanic surnames or 
were caught speaking Spanish. This legislation will honor American 
heroes, including those who were asked to sacrifice and then forgotten 
when the fighting was over.
  We must always remember the sacrifice of our soldiers, particularly 
during times of war. The men and women who risk their lives today must 
know that America never forgets those who sacrifice in her name. By 
recognizing the heroes of Bataan, we show our commitment to the heroes 
of Kabul and Baghdad--and to the heroes of the future.
  I thank Senator Bond for joining me as the lead cosponsor of this 
legislation. His home State of Missouri had hundreds of soldiers at 
Bataan, including one, John Playter, who passed away recently this year 
but never stopped telling his story. I also want to thank Senators 
Bingaman, Inouye, Landrieu, Levin, Kerry, and Udall for being original 
cosponsors. I also thank the VFW and AMVETS for their support of this 
legislation.
  I hope you will join them--and so many others--in supporting this 
legislation.
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