The wall features the names of local residents who served in the armed forces. The wall has a plaque for each war (starting with the Revolutionary War) followed by plaques with alphabetical lists of the names of those from New Mexico who served in that war.
The Bataan Death March is also memorialized at the Park with a larger-than-life bronze statue of two soldiers assisting a third.
More New Mexicans were POWs of the Japanese "per capita" than any other state. The foot prints of 38 soldiers "made from the feet of those who survived" create a path in the cement in front of the monument.
Here is a plaque dedicated to those survivors.
Background on Bataan: On April 9, 1942, American soldiers defending the Philippines were ordered to surrender. The Japanese gathered all POWs and started the infamous 7-day, 65 mile Bataan Death March. Approximately 78,000 men started the march, and 1,000 American and an estimated 15,000 Filipinos died before reaching Camp O'Donnell of disease, hunger, thirst, and abuse. After the march, the POWs were crammed into box cars for a 4-hour rail trip that killed more. Most of the POWs were then shipped to Japan in what were called "Hellships" for forced labor in factories, mines, and docks. Unfortunately, many American soldiers perished when the ships were torpedoed by American submarines that had no idea U.S. soldiers were on board. Inadequate food, water, medical care, along with the brutality of the Japanese, caused many more deaths. Most were not released until WWII ended in 1945.
A Vietnam Memorial is in the planning phases and will be added to the park in the future. There are picnic areas, a large field, and playground for families that want to enjoy the beautiful surroundings here.
All in all, a very somber experience, as all war memorials are.
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