On April 9, 1942—73 years ago next week—approximately 76,000 American and Filipino soldiers surrendered to Japanese forces after fighting from an untenable position on the island of Luzon in the Philippines.
As prisoners, American troops comprised of Army, Army Air Corps, Navy and Marines and were forced to make a grueling 60-mile march to prisoner-of-war camps. During the march, Japanese butchery, disease, exposure to the blazing sun, and lack of food and water took the lives of approximately 5,200 Americans. When three officers escaped a year later, the world learned of the atrocities suffered along the journey that subsequently became known …read more

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