SAN FRANCISCO – Four World War II and four Korean War Veterans will be honored on Saturday, April 5, during the Bataan Death March Commemoration organized by The Bataan Legacy Historical Society, in partnership with the American Legion Post 510, VFW Post 4618 and the Marine Corps League General J.C. Breckenridge Detachment 10. The event will start at 9:45 a.m. at the San Francisco National Cemetery in the Presidio.
This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII, 75th anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War and 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. Vietnam veterans from VFW 4618 (SF Chinatown post) and 7265 (Livermore) will participate in the procession.
WWII veterans include SFC Floyd Payne, USA (Aleutian Islands), Pharmacist Mate Anthony Malin, USN (Normandy, Iwo Jima and Okinawa), CPL Luther Hendricks, USMC (Montford Point Marine) and SSG Pedro Pineda, USA (WWII Philippines and Korea). Korean war veterans include CPL Robert Meyer, USA (First Cavalry), PO3 Frank Deering, USN (USS McDermott DD677), CPL Gil Aldrete, USA (5th Regiment) and CPL Joseph Mickelsen, USA (45th Infantry Division).
Eighty-three years ago, on April 9, 1942, approximately 75,000 Filipino and American troops of the U.S. Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) were forced to surrender to the Imperial Japanese Army after fighting in the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines for 99 days. Despite suffering from massive disease, starvation and fighting without any air support, the USAFFE troops were able to delay Japan’s 50-day timetable to occupy the Philippines.
After the Fall of Bataan they were forced to march to their prison camp about 65 miles away under extreme tropical conditions with no provisions for food, water, shelter or medicine. Those who could no longer go on were beaten, bayoneted, shot and some were even beheaded. Thousands died during this march, which became infamously known as the Bataan Death March. It became a rallying cry in the United States as thousands enlisted to join the war.
This year’s commemoration will bring together members of the U.S. Armed Forces, Bay Area law enforcement, firefighters, safety officers, transportation, parks and recreation, ROTC and JROTC cadets, veterans and students from civic and youth organizations.
American Legion Corregidor Post 510 will award the WWII Filipino Congressional Gold Medal to several Filipino families whose ancestors fought in the Philippines. There will be several Flag officers and senior Law Enforcement Officers participating in the event, led by VADM Andrew Tiongson, USCG, Commander of the Pacific Area and Defense Force West, LTG (Ret) Antonio Aguto, USA, former Commanding General of the Security Assistance Group – Ukraine and San Francisco City & County Sheriff Paul Miyamoto.
Invocation will be made by Rev. Jayson Landeza, Chaplain for several law enforcement offices in the Bay Area.
Several flyover tributes to the missing man will be made by a helicopter squadron from the Oakland Police Department and the East Bay Regional Parks during the procession, another tribute by the San Francisco Sheriff’s Aerial Squadron after the Tolling of the Bells and lastly by the Memorial Squadron during the finale while Taps is being played.
