[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1800]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION TO AWARD THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 7, 2008

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Madam Speaker, I rise today to proudly 
introduce legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to some of 
the most valiant and courageous soldiers who have ever fought for our 
Nation--the troops who battled and were prisoners of war at Bataan 
during World War II.
  Nearly seven decades ago, the United States responded to the attacks 
on Pearl Harbor by declaring war--and more than 5,000 miles away in the 
Philippines, thousands of American soldiers, many of whom were from my 
State of New Mexico, found themselves on the frontline of this global 
fight. For 4 months, in the face of overwhelming odds and without ready 
supplies or reinforcements, these troop fought and died for their 
Nation. Their efforts not only provided the U.S. with much needed 
stories of heroism during a dire, dark time of the war, their sacrifice 
also substantively provided much needed time for U.S. and Allied 
commanders to regroup, plan, and prepare for the Pacific battle. 
Without these troops delaying the momentum of the enemy, the U.S. might 
not have fully recovered from the Pearl Harbor attack until much later.
  After months of fighting and with his men starving and sick, on April 
9, 1942, the commander of the troops at Bataan reluctantly surrendered. 
Shortly thereafter, nearly 12,000 American troops and 67,000 Filipino 
troops were forced to march through tropical heat and without food or 
water for days on end in what became known as the Bataan Death March. 
Many died during this time, and those who survived were subject to 
three years of mistreatment, malnutrition, sickness and captivity 
before being rescued and released near the end of the war.
  For the State of New Mexico, this chapter of World War II is 
particularly near to our hearts. New Mexico's 200th and 515th Coast 
Artillery units served with significant honor during the battle of 
Bataan, earning the distinction of being the ``first to fire'' on the 
enemy on December 8, 1941. Many of the Americans captured and held as 
prisoners of war were from New Mexico, and of the 1,800 who left home 
to fight, half did not return. Further, nearly a third of those did 
return home after their tortuous 3 years of captivity died within a 
year, most often due to complications from health issues directly 
attributed to their time in the POW camps.
  The 200th and 515th also are notable because they largely consisted 
of Hispanic soldiers, a group that at the time was often subject to 
discrimination in the military due simply to their ethnicity. Despite 
these barriers, they fought without hesitation, noting that they were 
as American as any other soldier who wore the uniform. They came from 
every corner of the State, from Farmington to Alamogordo, from Deming 
to Raton, and from Clovis to Gallup.
  Many years ago, my father Stewart Udall wrote a book called Majestic 
Journey chronicling the early explorations of North America in the 
sixteenth century. He described the vision, the individualism, and the 
pioneering spirit of early Hispanic explorers, and I believe that like 
these explorers, the actions of the Bataan prisoners of war ``resonate 
through the annals of our history, and the imprint they left on our 
culture is both permanent and profound. They will add a special luster 
to our national story.''
  Every year, thousands of people participate in the Bataan Memorial 
Death March at White Sand Missile Range in southern New Mexico. The 
26.2 mile march not only marks the historical significance of the 
event, but reminds us of how many in New Mexico underwent the ordeals 
at Bataan. In AIbuquerque, stone columns rise from the ground at the 
Bataan Memorial Park, each of them bearing both the names of those who 
returned from Bataan and those who did not. In Santa Fe, the Military 
Museum bears the name of Bataan, reminding all who enter of the costs 
of war and the sacrifice made by our soldiers. And all across the 
country are similar memorials, keeping alive the memory of those who 
went through years of suffering at Bataan.
  I want to thank the New Mexico Hispanic Cultural Preservation League 
for their help on this legislation. Also, General Leo Marquez, General 
Edward Baca, General Melvyn Montano, General Gene Chavez, General Kenny 
Montoya, and New Mexico Department of Veterans Services Secretary John 
Garcia for their continued insistence that we honor the Bataan 
veterans.
  Madam Speaker, we must never forget the sacrifice of our soldiers, 
particularly during times of war. We are reminded daily of the 
hardships and danger faced by the men and women currently fighting in 
Afghanistan and Iraq. Like the soldiers of Bataan, these brave troops 
fight for patriotism, for duty, and for country. I hope my colleagues 
will join me to honor the sacrifice of the soldiers at Bataan by 
awarding them the Congressional Gold Medal.

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