Bataan Rescue

In 1941, tens of thousands of Filipino and American soldiers fought a battle to defend the Bataan peninsula in the Philippines from the Japanese. After they lost, they were marched to prison camps through the blazing hot, mosquito infested, greasy jungle with little or no water. Thousands died along the way. The Bataan peninsula forms  the western side of Melina Bay, this became known as the site of the Outnumbered American and Filipino forces retreat after Japanese attack in December 1941. Four months into their resistance, desperate American and Filipino forces were merely out of food, water, ammunition, medicine, and other supplies. MacArthur had been evacuated from the Philippines. Hunger and disease were getting to be extremely common within the population of the soldiers. The cruelty among the determined Japanese soldiers was unpredictable. Over 72,000 people were marched to prison camps. For some the trek could take up to three years. BY the end of the war, 37% of all POWs in the Pacific theatre would be dead. A monument was put up on top of of a 4,500 ft. mountain on the southern part of Bataan to honor the people who suffered and died there during the war.
 On April 3rd, 1042, Japan launched its final offensive on Bataan. April 9th, General Edward surrenders Bataan.