The Battling Bastards of Bataan

[Niner Alpha]

The 31st Regiment, when it was actually a regiment at the start of WWII, was written off as expendable by the US Government in the Philippines. No support or supply came to them as they fought much larger enemy forces. Toward the end of their defense, when ammo was low and food non existant, they asked for supply and they were offered an extra supply of shoes.

They finally surrendered when all hope was gone and ended up on the Bataan Death March and placed in Jap prisons where they were starved , many died of disease, or were killed by cruel guards. Later some died in ships that tried to transport them to other places in the orient as the unmarked ships were sunk by torpedoes.

Today the memorial in the Philippines is supported by private donations, none from the US Government.

They have a website worth looking at. Thankfully we from the 6/31st never had to endure anything like what they did. No American troops, that I know of, ever had to endure what they did.

http://home.pacbell.net/fbaldie/Battling_Bastards_of_Bataan.html

"We're the Battling Bastards of Bataan,

No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam,

No aunts, no uncles, no cousins, no nieces,

No pills, no planes, no artillery pieces,

And nobody gives a damn!"

by Frank Hewlett, 1942.