Commemorating the 70th anniversaries of the defense of the Philippines,
the Bataan Death March, and the fall of Corregidor

The 70th Anniversary of the Bataan Death March is April 9th and the surrender of Corregidor is May 6th. Veterans of the Battle of Bataan, the Bataan Death March and the capture of Corregidor will be in Washington, DC from April 24 to April 26 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Philippines.

All became POWs of Imperial Japan. The history of these survivors of jungle warfare, torture, abuse, starvation, and slave labor and of their success in reconciling with the Japanese is a timeless inspiration.

Veterans Participating

                                                          
                 Dr.  Lester Tenney, 92                  Mr. Joseph Alexander, 85                   Mr. Ben Steele, 94   

                                                          
                                              Mr. Don Versaw, 90                 Mr. Roland K. Towery. 89


Programs being planned:

1.  Reception on Capitol Hill hosted by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and others.
2.  Roundtable discussion hosted by members of the House of Representatives on the 
     Bataan Death March and the success of the two POW visitation programs to Japan.
3.  Wreath laying at the WWII memorial Bataan/Corregidor site.
4.  Lunch with contemporary veterans to share their experience with PTSD, other war-
     related disabilities, and reintegration into society.
5.  Dinner with Commemoration donors and the American and Japanese officials who
     encouraged the Government of Japan to establish a program of reconciliation.
6.  Visit with Mr. Ichiro Fujisaki, the Ambassador of Japan to the US.
7.  Meeting with Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell

                                                                    Painting by Ben Steele

Host Committee

Mrs. Annette Lantos, Chairman, Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice
Mr. Robert  Dole, former United State Senator
LtGen. Wallace (Chip) Gregson, Jr., USMC (Ret.)  Former Commander, U.S. Marine Forces Pacific、Former Assistant Secretary of Defense
Major General Antonio Taguba, US Army (Ret.). The author of the Taguba Reort
Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean, Simon Wiesenthal Center
Ms. Linda Goetz Holmes, Author/historian, Unjust enrichment, Guests of the Emperor,  Advisor to US government’s IWG (The Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group)
Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld,  Ohev Shalom Synagogue, Washington, DC
Mr. John Patterson, Co-founder and President Emeritus, Philippine Scouts Heritage Society
Ms. Kinue Tokudome, Founder/Executive Director, US-Japan Dialogue on POWs
Dr. Thomas Childers, Sheldon and Lucy Hackney Professor of History, U of Pennsylvania
ADBC Museum, Wellsburg, West Virginia
John A. Glusman, Author, Conduct Under Fire: Four American Doctors and their Fight for Life as Prisoners of the Japanese, 1941-45
Timothy Ruse, Author, We Volunteered. A Biography of Carl Robert Ruse: Survivor of the Bataan Death March and Prisoner of the Japanese, 1942-1945
Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress
National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS)
American Legion
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
The Heritage Foundation

Honorary Host Committee

Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-CA)          Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY)
Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN)            Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)
Rep. Bob Filner, (D-CA)             Rep. Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY)    Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA)
Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI)          Rep. Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)
Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI)               Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY)
Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL)                Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM)
Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-NY)  Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX)
Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA)       Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)  Senator James Inhofe (R-OK)
Senator John McCain (R-AZ)     Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Senator Tom Udall (D-NM)

Special support from Ms. Laura Hillenbrand, the author of Unbroken.

 "I am delighted to hear of the commemoration of such a landmark event in the Second World War, and join you in honoring the former prisoners of the Japanese, whose suffering has so long been overlooked in our history."



Japanese company wishes POWs and their families a memorable event
Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd. (ISK)

List of Donors
 

* Also visit Facebook page “Commemorating Bataan and Corregidor.”

* This is a project of Asia Policy Point, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization in Washington DC. Donations to these 70th anniversary commemoration events are tax-deductible and can be made to Asia Policy Point.  Click on “Donate” on their site, American POWs of Japan.

* For more information contact Asia Policy Point: (202) 822-6040.