100-Year-Old Walks Bataan Memorial Death March for 11th Time

[428cj]

WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, New Mexico -- Retired U.S. Army Col. Ben Skardon, 100, a survivor of the Bataan Death March and revered alumnus and professor emeritus of Clemson University,

https://www.military.com/history/ben-sk ... -time.html

[mtptwo]

That is one old tough dude.

[Manitu]

I was stationed at the base where it ended. On memorial day for the march a lot of people participate in a memorial march. Odd thing boy scouts march and people line the streets. Right there in the middle of all the Filipinos are Japanese tourists clicking away. They built subdivisons all over NRTF Capas but Camp Odonelle was take over by p.i. forces. Really a story about great salesmen. Those subdivisions on top of the death camps in a country know not to outright listen carefully to most any ghost story, great sales job.

[What]

Thanks for sharing. Im just more learning about Bataan Death March. Wow. That make sense why my friends grandfathered has lots of hatred toward Jap. Never spoke of the War except few things prior being in war.

On side note. U.S. Army Col. Ben Skardo passed away Nov 2015 2021 at 104.

https://robinsonfuneralhomes.tributes.c ... 095?type=1

[pneuby]

Just FYI for many, since we're so used to hearing it pronounced buh-TAN.
It' s acutally botta-AHN, with the last syllable rhyming with con (as-in pro and con)

[Yugmoto1]

I did the Bataan Memorial Death March years ago when I was stationed in New Mexico. There were survivors there that talked with us and some stationed themselves at places along the route. I swear, you could see the steel in their eyes. It was an honor to shake hands and spend a little bit of time in their presence.

[Az desert rat 1]

Col. Skardon had to be tough to survive the march and a Japanese POW camp in the Philippines. 100 years old and did the march again. He's still tough.