[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Pages 4438-4439]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH

  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to call attention to a very 
special anniversary that many in my home state of New Mexico will take 
time to remember this weekend. Saturday, April 13th will mark the 
sixty-year anniversary of the Bataan Death March. Some eighteen-hundred 
men from the 200th Coast Anti-Artillery Aircraft and the 515th Coast 
Anti-Artillery, Aircraft, New Mexico National Guard Units were involved 
in that infamous march.
  I do not think words can fully describe the bravery of these veterans 
and the horrific conditions they endured. In all, more than seventy 
thousand American and Filipino prisoners of war were captured in April 
1942 and force-marched to a Japanese work camp. Suffering from 
starvation and physical abuse, more than seven thousand died and only 
about fifty-six thousand reached the camp. Thousands later died from 
malnutrition and disease. Of those eighteen-hundred from

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the New Mexico Brigade, fewer than nine-hundred returned.
  On Saturday, in Las Cruces, New Mexico, we will dedicate the Bataan 
Death March Memorial in memory and in honor of these men. And because 
New Mexicans made up such a large proportion of those prisoners 
involved in the march, this anniversary and dedication ceremony have 
stirred many emotions throughout my state. For those survivors and 
their families, there is a great sense of pride. Of course, there is 
much lingering pain, as well. But by establishing a memorial in their 
honor, we build a bridge to that emotion--a bridge that will allow all 
generations of Americans to imagine the suffering these men endured, 
and to remember, forever, their true valor.
  For all Americans who are unable to travel to the Southwest to see 
the beautiful bronze statue portraying an American soldier and a 
Filipino soldier comforting an injured American comrade during the 
midst of that seven-day march, I would encourage you to take the time 
to learn about the horrors these men suffered--to learn their story. It 
is both sobering and inspiring, and I pay tribute to their heroism 
today.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from Georgia is recognized.
  Mr. CLELAND. I thank the Chair.
  (The remarks of Mr. Cleland pertaining to the introduction of S. 2115 
are printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills 
and Joint Resolutions.'')
  Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Clinton). The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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