Posted on 03/24/2005 7:48:58 PM PST by Former Military Chick
WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. - One generation of war heroes paid tribute to another March 20 at the 16th annual Bataan Memorial Death March.
After 26 miles through gravel, sand and wind-blown dust, Sgt. 1st Class Michael McNaughton sprinted toward the finish line. He was one of five men, all amputees, sponsored by Walter Reed Army Medical Center, who participated in this year's march.
"I wanted to do this for the Bataan survivors," McNaughton said. "The sacrifices they made were incredible."
McNaughton knows first-hand about the sacrifices Soldiers are called to make during wartime. He was wounded while deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, leaving his right leg amputated above the knee.
More than 3,500 people, most of them military, participated in this year's march. The memorial event began in 1989 to honor the tens of thousands of American and Filipino troops surrendered to the Japanese on April 9, 1942, on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines. Those troops were sent on a forced march that lasted days through the Filipino jungle. Thousands died along the route. Those who survived faced the hardships of prisoner of war camp. Others were wounded or killed when unmarked ships transporting the prisoners to Japan were sunk by U.S. air and naval forces.
Bataan Death March Survivor Ben Steele of Billings, Mont., was in awe of McNaughton's effort.
"It is truly incredible that he wanted to do this for us. I'd say he'd already done enough," Steele said.
McNaughton, who had never before completed a marathon-length competition, said the course was challenging, especially the infamous "sand pit." The pit is about a half a mile of loose, deep sand in an uphill area toward the end of the course.
"That was really tough. My prosthesis acted like a shovel in the sand," McNaughton said. "I kept digging in."
McNaughton said there was another reason it was important for him to participate in the march.
"There is an organization called the Challenged Athletes Foundation. They raise money to buy equipment for disabled people to participate in these events. I wanted to make more people aware of the organization," he said, noting that the group has a site on the Web.
There are more than 250 people in the amputee program, Walter Reed's Lt. Col. Barbara Springer said..
"Some of our guys had participated in other events such as the New York City Marathon," Springer said. "One of our staff who had been stationed in this part of the country knew about Bataan and suggested that we send some of our guys. At first, people said the event would be too hard."
"We sent out questionnaires to see who would be interested, then narrowed it down to 10 people," Springer said. "That was further narrowed to five who met all the training requirements."
While McNaughton elected to go for speed and participate in the light category, Staff Sgt. Brian Neuman, Staff Sgt. Andy McCaffrey, Marine Cpl. Daniel Lasko and Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Jose Ramos participated in the military heavy category, each wearing his uniform and carrying a 40-pound rucksack.
And, long before the last marcher of the day crossed the finish line, each of the five men from the Walter Reed group had completed the mission begun in the predawn hours of Sunday.
I certainly do!
I sure do! This is great!
Nice story thanks!
Sgt. 1st Class Michael McNaughton is the one that ran with President Bush I believe.
BTTT
BTTT
Thanks for the ping!
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