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WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M., May 11, 1998 – Some 1,900 marchers honored the heroism of a special group of World War II veterans while testing their own endurance April 19 during the 1998 Bataan Death March Memorial.
In its 10th year, the annual event memorializes the thousands of American and Filipino soldiers forced by their Japanese captors in April 1942 to march six days through the sweltering Philippine jungle. Several survivors of the grueling march participated in opening ceremonies for this year's memorial march. Teams and individuals from across the United States and from Great Britain, Spain and Germany marched the punishing 25-mile event. Competitors in the 20 categories included active duty military, reserve, National Guard and cadet units as well as many nonmilitary marchers. Those participating in "heavy" categories were required to carry 35-pound rucksacks throughout the march. All military unit particpants also had to carry two full canteens. The course wound over desert foothills reaching nearly 5,000 feet above sea level and included steep grades and difficult passages through sandy arroyos. Spiny cacti awaited anyone venturing off the trail. The top three winners in each category were: Male Runner Civilian Light:
1. Juergen Klinger, German air force, 2:59.43
2. Andrew Parsons, Marblehead, Mass., 3:06.25
3. Wade Ginter, Sergeants Major Academy, Fort Bliss, Texas, 3:11.21
Male Military Light
1. Trent Sinnett, Indiana National Guard, 3:28.22
2. Curt Carey, Indiana National Guard, 3:30.41
3. David Staffel, ROTC, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas, 3:39.10
Male Military Heavy
1. Jon Moench, I Corps, Fort Lewis, Wash., 4:01.29
2. John Truesdell, Seal Delivery Vehicle Team 2, Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, Virginia Beach, Va., 4:37.20
3. Darren McMahon, Fort Bliss, Texas, 4:47.22
Male Over 40 Runner Civilian Light
1. Michael Barnes, 10th Special Forces Group, Fort Carson, Colo., 3:17.23
2. Manuel Estrada, Fort Bliss, Texas, 3:40.33
3. Rudy Holm, U.S. Coast Guard, Joint Task Force 6, Fort Bliss, Texas, 3:43.21
Female Runner Civilian Light
1. Amber Perry, Dental Clinic 3, Fort Bliss, Texas, 4:05.58
2. Kate Ward, 545th Military Police Company, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, 4:07.57
3. Mary Wells, Las Cruces, N.M., 4:20.58
Female Military Light
1. Bernadette Salazar, Headquarters, New Mexico National Guard Recruiting, 5:29.32
2. Tarifah Coaxum, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Fort Bliss, Texas, 6:05.15
3. Daphne Caulk, El Paso, Texas, 6:33.19
Female Military Heavy
1. Coleen Kremin, 401st Military Police Company, Fort Hood, Texas, 5:40.16
2. Brandy Waters, 64th Military Police Company, Fort Hood, Texas, 5:45.28
3. (Tie) Olivette Hooks, Joint Task Force 6, Fort Bliss, Texas, and Judith Ackerman, Sergeants Major Academy, Fort Bliss, Texas, 7:39.16
Female Over 40 Runner Civilian Light
1. Guillerma Contrevas, El Paso, Texas, 3:51.33
2. Mary Newkirk, El Paso, Texas, 4:59.36
3. Joyce Stophel, El Paso, Texas, 5:23.57
Team Male Civilian Light
1. Bronco Cadre, New Mexico Military Institute, Roswell, N.M., 5:27.21
2. EOD Defuziliers, White Sands Missile Range Explosive Ordnance Disposal, 6:22.30
3. Sturgis Team Two, Marine Corps Junior ROTC, Sturgis Brown High School, S.D., 6:24.41
Team Male Military Light
1. British Bulldogs III, 47th Royal Artillery Regiment, Great Britain, 4:14.51
2. GOE II Santa Fe, 2nd Special Forces, Spanish Army, 5:09.31
3. E Company, 2nd Battalion, 43rd Regiment, Air Defense Artillery, Fort Bliss, Texas, 5:21.12
Team Male Military Heavy
1. The Luv Lacees, Joint Task Force 6, Fort Bliss, Texas, 5:07.31
2. One Too Many Officers, Naval ROTC, University of Colorado, 5:09.42
3. British Bulldogs 1, 47th Royal Artillery Regiment, Great Britain, 5:20.32
Team Female Civilian Light
1. Sturgis Team One, Marine Corps Junior ROTC, Sturgis Brown High School, S.D., 6:24.40
2. Hissing Gilas, Medical Activity, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., 8:04.11
3. Fort Goodfellow Team 1, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, 9:08.23
Team Female Military Light
1. The Lionesses, 40th Infantry Division Mechanized, California National Guard, 6:23.57
2. Packhorse, Supply and Transportation Troop, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, Colo., 6:59.26
3. B Company, 344th Military Intelligence Battalion, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, 8:50.47
Team Female Military Heavy
1. Bubba's Babes, Sergeants Major Academy, Fort Bliss, Texas, 9:29.35
Team Coed Military Light
1. British Bulldogs IV, 47th Royal Artillery Regiment, Great Britain, 5:02.10
2. Missouri Bears, Missouri National Guard, 5:14.34
3. Road Kill II, 41Oth Military Police Company, Fort Hood, Texas, 5:15.26
Team Coed Military Heavy
1. National Guard Bureau, Washington, 6:19.03
2. Charlie, 2nd Battalion, 43rd Regiment, Air Defense Artillery, Fort Bliss, Texas, 6:36.46
3. Army ROTC Team A, Santa Clara University, Calif., 7:01.55
Team ROTC Light
1. Bronco One, New Mexico Military Institute, Roswell, N.M., 4:40.34
2. Bronco Two, New Mexico Military Institute, Roswell, N.M., 5:16.12
3. Cougars, Army ROTC, University of Houston, Texas, 5:54.20
Team ROTC Heavy
1. Bronco Heavy One, New Mexico Military Institute, Roswell, N.M., 6:50.15
2. The Bobcats, Army ROTC, San Marcos, Texas, 7:08.03
3. Bataan Battalion, Army ROTC, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, N.M., 7:09.38
Team National Guard Light
1. The Roadrunners, New Mexico National Guard, 4:23.19
2. 151st Infantry Detachment (LRS), Indiana National Guard, 4:35.21
3. Missouri Mules, Headquarters, Missouri National Guard, 5:01.05
National Guard Heavy
1. 3rd Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division, California National Guard, 7:07.02
2. Team Armor, 1635 Armor, Kansas National Guard, 7:07.34
3. The Minutemen, 108th Regiment, Mississippi National Guard, 7:22.30.
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