Day of Valor

Background

Main article: Battle of Bataan

At dawn on April 9, 1942, against the orders of Generals Douglas MacArthur and Jonathan Wainwright, the commander of the Luzon Force, Bataan, Major General Edward P. King, Jr., surrendered more than 76,000 starving and disease-ridden soldiers (64,000 Filipinos and 12,000 Americans) to Japanese troops.

The majority of these prisoners of war had their belongings confiscated before being forced to endure the infamous 140 km Bataan Death March to Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac. En route, thousands died from dehydration, heat prostration, untreated wounds, and wanton execution while walking in deep dust over vehicle-broken Macadam roads, and crammed into rail cars for transport to captivity.

The few who were lucky enough to travel by truck to San Fernando, Pampanga would still have to endure more than 25 mi of additional marching. Prisoners were beaten randomly and often denied promised food and water. Those who fell behind were usually executed or left to die, with the sides of the roads becoming littered with dead bodies and those moaning for help.

Only 54,000 of the 76,000 prisoners (66,000 Filipinos and 10,000 Americans) reached their destination; the exact death toll is difficult to assess because thousands of captives were able to escape from their guards. Approximately 3,000 prisoners may have died during the march, and 25–30,000 more while in captivity.

History

Philippines

In April 1961, Philippine President Carlos P. Garcia signed Republic Act No. 3022 into law, declaring April 9 of every year as "Bataan Day".

In June 1987, Executive Order No. 203 revised all national holidays in the Philippines, referring to the April 9 holiday as "Araw ng Kagitingan (Bataan and Corregidor Day)". Less than a month later, another executive order (No. 292) revised the holidays anew, again referring to the April 9 holiday as "Araw ng Kagitingan (Bataan and Corregidor Day)".

In 2007, Congress passed Republic Act No. 9492, putting into law the "Holiday Economics" policy of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo; this put the observance of each holiday, with the exception of New Year's Day and Christmas, to the Monday nearest it. The order referred to the holiday celebrated on the Monday nearest April 9 as "Araw ng Kagitingan (Bataan and Corregidor Day)". Starting in 2008, the holiday was called simply as "Araw ng Kagitingan", and was celebrated on the nearest Monday. This practice was repeated in 2009. In 2010, the holiday was still named as such, but was celebrated on April 9.

Starting with the administration of President Benigno Aquino III, celebrations of the holiday have been observed on April 9, instead of being moved to the nearest Monday, and the holiday has been called simply "Araw ng Kagitingan" since 2011.

In 2023, April 10 was declared a special non-working holiday instead of April 9, which coincided with Easter Sunday, by virtue of Proclamation No. 90. The holiday was included in the "holiday economics", adjusting the observance of the holiday to the nearest Monday for a longer weekend.

United States

The United States Congress passed a joint resolution on April 8, 1954, declaring the next day, April 9, 1954, the 12th anniversary of the fall of Bataan, as "Bataan Day". The joint resolution also mentioned that Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay had earlier declared it to be such.

On April 8, 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan, by virtue of Senate Joint Resolution 47 declared April 9, 1987, as "National Former POW Recognition Day". President Joe Biden continued the tradition, declaring April 9, 2021, as such.

Observance

Philippines

The observance usually is centered on Mount Samat National Shrine in Pilar, Bataan. It is usually attended by the President of the Philippines, the Governor of Bataan, the ambassadors of the United States and Japan, and surviving veterans groups.

The holiday is covered within and serves as the central focus of the Philippine Veterans Week, by virtue of Proclamation No. 466 signed by President Corazon Aquino in 1987. The week-long commemoration honors Filipino war veterans who fought during World War II and those who rendered honorable military service in times of war and peace.

In 1994, due to the unresolved 1993 Bataan gubernatorial recall election, the observance excluded the Bataan governor Tet Garcia from participating in the event, with local officials who are supporters of his opponent, Ding Roman, in the recall election, staying at the foot of Mount Samat. President Fidel V. Ramos acknowledged "provincial officials of Bataan", and Teddy Pizarro, the mayor of Pilar, the host town.

By 2021, there were only 2,952 defenders of Bataan who are still alive.

2012

In 2012, the 70th anniversary of the Fall of Bataan was commemorated at Mount Samat Shrine in Pilar, Bataan by some of the over 18,000 still-living Filipino veterans.

Then-incumbent President Benigno S. Aquino III and former President Fidel V. Ramos attended the rites. Japanese ambassador to the Philippines Toshina Urabe expressed "deep apology and a deep sense of remorse to the tragedy", while the United States Deputy Chief of Mission Leslie A. Bassett (representing U.S. ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr.) said that their embassy has provided a total of (over ) to Filipino war veterans.

2022

In 2022, the 80th anniversary, President Rodrigo Duterte was represented by Menardo Guevarra, the Secretary of Justice, and was attended by Japanese ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko and United States chargé d’Affaires ad interim Heather Variava.

United States

In Maywood, Illinois, the second Sunday in September is remembered as Bataan Day. Maywood provided Illinois National Guard soldiers of the 192nd Tank Battalion who served on Bataan.

In Honolulu, Hawaii there is an annual commemoration at the National Cemetery of the Pacific.

References

References

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