MEDIA CONTEST: The eternal march - Whiteman troops go extra mile in Bataan memorial Published Dec. 28, 2006 Outstanding New Writer Entry 4C ACC MEDIA CONTEST -- A marathon in the desert. Six to eight hours of running or walking in desert camouflaged uniforms and combat boots over a course nearly a mile high in elevation. All in the name of honor. Six members of the 509th Civil Engineer Squadron participated March 26 in the 17th Annual Bataan Memorial Death March. The members traversed the rugged terrain at White Sands Missile Range near Las Cruces, N.M. The troops finished the 26.2-mile course to pay homage to tens of thousands American and Filipino World War II heroes who were subjected to war crimes by Japanese forces at Bataan, a province of the Philippines, April 10, 1942. A few Bataan survivors attend the marathon each year to motivate and cheer on competitors at the start of the march. "Before the race began, we shook the hands of the surviving Bataan veterans," said 1st Lt. Allen Branco, 509th CES readiness flight commander. "As I shook one veteran's hand, he looked up and said, 'You honor us today.' "That's what the event was all about -- to honor our brothers-in-arms for what they endured at Bataan in 1942," he added. The march gave each troop something to remember. "I won't forget the kids that finished the march -- there were kids out there that must have been under 10 years of age," said Staff Sgt. Alejandro Rodriguez 509th CES explosive ordnance disposal operations. "I thought it was great to see some youth out there honoring the veterans, letting them know that their sacrifices will be remembered." Time, however, continues to take its toll on the survivors. "At opening ceremonies, they did a roll call for the surviving Bataan members present at the event and those that have passed away since last year's event. Only three soldiers said, 'here,'" said Capt. William Frost, 509th CES EOD flight commander,who along with Sergeant Rodriguez, participated in the 2004 U.S. Air Force Marathon. The course also allowed each participant to draw on motivation from different sources. "What drove me was when I saw a group of three soldiers, said Airman 1st Class Jason Ostberg, 509th CES EOD. "Two were missing arms, a third was missing half of his left leg, which was prosthetic and the right calf was missing. "That really made me realize how much heart and dedication they had," he added. "So I pressed on with even more poise than before, and finished proudly." Senior Airman James Faria, 509th CES readiness flight, found his will to march on by drawing from survivors of the current war. "Seeing the team of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom veterans, who were amputees, really put things into perspective and made it a lot easier mentally regardless of how we felt physically at that point," he said. The inhumane treatment of Bataan POWs, who took one week to reach their destination, has endured for more than 64 years. The soldiers who were originally forced to take part in the Bataan journey were randomly beaten, bayoneted when they fell or died from malnutrition. Today, they are revered in a marathon march by many willing to emulate the same sacrifice of mind and body. "It was special for all of us to be part of this event," said Captain Frost. "We were all happy to finish as this was a very tough event both physically and mentally. "The two of us who had competed in a previous marathon both said that it was so much more challenging than a marathon due to the conditions," he added. "The terrain, the boots, the sand; they were all adding to the pain." Tech. Sgt. Randal Halstead, 509th CES operations flight, also competed in the march.