Background for “Battling Bastards of Bataan, No Papa, No Mama, No Uncle Sam
In 1940 President Franklin D. Roosevelt mobilized the entire National Guard for one year. All across the country units reported for training. Some reported right away, others reported months later. One of the tunes on the Hit Parade was “Good-Bye Dear I’ll See You In a Year”.
Legend has it that the New Mexico Army National Guard and theArkansas Army National Guard were sent to Camp Robinson outside of Little Rock Arkansas. The night before the units were scheduled to depart the Commanding Generals held a Regimental Banquet. Sometime during the toasts the two Generals tossed a coin to decide where each unit would be deployed too.
No one knows who won the coin toss. We do know the New Mexico Army National Guard was sent to the Philippines and the Arkansas Army National Guard was sent to the Aleutian Islands. Both would be tested beyond anything anyone would have ever thought possible.
Sometime in the Spring of 1940 C Company 194 Tank Battalion 40th Infantry Division was sent from Ft. Lewis, Washington to support the New Mexico Army National Guard in the Philippines. They were the first U.S. Military Unit to fight a pitched the battle against an Axis Powers.
In April 1989 the New Mexico Army National Guard conducted the 1st Annual Bataan Memorial Death March in the New Mexico desert. The 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized) sent over 100 competitors to the 9th Annual Bataan Memorial Death March in 1997.
Included in the marchers was a team from Company C 149th Armor Battalion (the current designation for C Company 194thTank Battalion). At the beginning of the race the First Sergeant “surrendered” C Company’s Guide-on. Later at the 20-mile aide station the Guide-on was returned to the First Sergeant.
This poem was written to commemorate the original Marchers and all those who have ever served and fought for their Country.
Legend has it that the New Mexico Army National Guard and theArkansas Army National Guard were sent to Camp Robinson outside of Little Rock Arkansas. The night before the units were scheduled to depart the Commanding Generals held a Regimental Banquet. Sometime during the toasts the two Generals tossed a coin to decide where each unit would be deployed too.
No one knows who won the coin toss. We do know the New Mexico Army National Guard was sent to the Philippines and the Arkansas Army National Guard was sent to the Aleutian Islands. Both would be tested beyond anything anyone would have ever thought possible.
Sometime in the Spring of 1940 C Company 194 Tank Battalion 40th Infantry Division was sent from Ft. Lewis, Washington to support the New Mexico Army National Guard in the Philippines. They were the first U.S. Military Unit to fight a pitched the battle against an Axis Powers.
In April 1989 the New Mexico Army National Guard conducted the 1st Annual Bataan Memorial Death March in the New Mexico desert. The 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized) sent over 100 competitors to the 9th Annual Bataan Memorial Death March in 1997.
Included in the marchers was a team from Company C 149th Armor Battalion (the current designation for C Company 194thTank Battalion). At the beginning of the race the First Sergeant “surrendered” C Company’s Guide-on. Later at the 20-mile aide station the Guide-on was returned to the First Sergeant.
This poem was written to commemorate the original Marchers and all those who have ever served and fought for their Country.
