Remembering April 9, 1942

April 9 is a little recognized American commemoration to recognize members of the U.S. Armed Forces who became POWs. It was created in the 1980s primarily to honor the American fighting men and women on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines who were surrendered on April 9, 1942. The infamous Bataan Death March up the peninsula to a squalid, unfinished POW Camp began by the end of the day. Thousands died en route, thousands more died in the camp. 

By law, the President issues a proclamation remembering the sacrifice of all Americans who became POWs. Look for it.

So take a moment on Thursday to remember a sweltering day in the tropics marked by an earthquake when thousands of starving, sick, and dispirited American and Filipino troops were surrendered by their commanding generals to the merciless invading Japanese forces. 

Here are some ceremonies to join:

83RD ANNIVERSARY WREATH LAYING CEREMONY MEMORIALIZING THE FALL OF BATAAN. Thursday, April 9, 2026, 10:00am (CDT), IN PERSON ONLY, Brainerd National Guard Armory, 1115 Wright Street Brainerd, MN. Sponsor: 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 194th Armor Regiment, Minnesota National Guard. To: Remember Company A of the 194th Tank Battalion that bravely fought the invading Japanese in the Philippines at the beginning of World War II in the Battle of Bataan. American and Filipino soldiers were surrendered on April 9, 1942 after running out of ammunition, food and medical supplies. The surrender was followed by the infamous Bataan Death March to Camp O’Donnell. Thousands died. It is believed that of the 64 National Guardsmen who left Brainerd and served on Bataan, three were killed in action and 29 died as POWs with only 32 surviving to return home.Those who survived endured over three years of brutal captivity and slave labor. Keynote Speaker: John Erickson, historian of POWs of Japan. https://www.brainerdvfw.org/bataan.html 

DAY OF VALOR [ARAW NG KAGITINGAN] CEREMONY. Thursday, April 9, 2026, 11:00am-Noon (EDT), Military Women's Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. Sponsor: Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP). Remembers the valor and suffering of the thousands of American and Filipino troops and civilians who were on the Bataan Peninsula when it was surrendered to invading Japanese forces on April 9, 1942. https://filvetrep.org/ 

COMMEMORATION OF THE 84TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FALL OF BATAAN. Thursday, April 9, 2026, 11:00am-Noon (MDT), Bataan Memorial Building, 407 Galisteo Street, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Reception to follow at The New Mexico Military Museum, 1050 Old Pecos Trail​, Santa Fe, NM. Sponsor: Adjutant General of the State of New Mexico. The ceremony is also followed by the opening of Last of the 200th: Valdemar DeHerrera that honors his life and legacy. https://eanmng.org/2026/03/29/nm-national-guards-84th-anniversary-fall-of-bataan-ceremony/​ 

BATAAN DEATH MARCH 84TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION. SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2026, 9:45am to 12:20pm (PDT). Sponsor: Bataan Legacy Historical Society.  SAN FRANCISCO NATIONAL CEMETERY, One Lincoln Blvd., San Francisco, California. With special honors to the WWII Nurses and the quest for their Congressional Gold Medal. AGENDA  

2026 BATAAN MEMORIAL DEATH MARCH ON THE POTOMAC. Saturday, April 12, 2026, 10:00am (EDT), Start and end at Fort Hunt Park, Virginia, Pavilion 1 along the Potomac River near Washington, DC. Sponsor: Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP). Marchers can choose to do 3, 6, or 14 miles. It is not a race, it is a commemoration honoring those who suffered the infamous 100 mile march and train trip up the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines to the death camp O’Donnell. The March began shortly after General King surrendered the American and Filipino troops on April 9, 1042 to General Homma and the invading Imperial Japanese forces. Race Registration closes April 10, 2026. 

*BOOK TALK: DAUNTLESS: THE 1ST & 2ND FILIPINO INFANTRY REGIMENTS, UNITED STATES ARMY (2023). 4/16, 6:30pm (EDT), IN PERSON ONLY. Quezon Hall, Annex Chancery Building, 1617 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. Speaker: author Marie Vallejo. https://philippineembassy-dc.org/special-book-presentation-dauntless-by-marie-vallejo/  

PURCHASE BOOK: https://amzn.to/4bSh8mz 

15th ANNUAL CHESAPEAKE BATAAN DEATH MARCH MEMORIAL WALK. 4/18, Registration begins at 6:00am (EDT), Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, Chesapeake, VA. Closing Ceremony at Noon. Sponsor: SSG Jonathan Kilian Dozier Memorial VFW Post 2894

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064849921506&ref=embed_page# 

WEBSITE: https://walkchesapeake.wixsite.com/chesapeakebataan

Remembering the Last Survior of the USS Houston (CA-30)

After a few false starts, Minnesota Congressman Pete Stauber (R-MN) inserted in the July 15, 2025, Congressional Record a memorial to Bob Hanley, the last survivor of the sinking of the USS Houston (CA-30) off the coast of Java in the Sunda Strait on February 29, 1942 (a leap year). Seaman Hanley became a POW of Japan for over three years and survived the infamous Thai-Burma Death Railway.

The Congressman's staffer, unfamiliar with the history and geography, misinterpreted my suggestion that the statement be issued on April 9 in conjunction with National Former POW Recognition Day and the anniversary of the fall of Bataan. I told him that the soldiers of Company A of the 194th Provisional Tank Battalion who fought on the Bataan Peninsula and who also became POWs of Japan were from Brainerd, which is in his boss's district. 

It turned out that the staffer put aside the statement for months and did not have me review the draft. The result was an insertion for the Congressional Record on July 10 that had Seaman Hanley surviving both the sinking of the USS Houston and the Bataan Death March a month later, 2,000 miles away. As you cannot delete a insertion for the record, a new, corrected statement was issued on July 15, 2025. It is below.

This account is not to embarrass either the congressman or the staffer. It is only to illustrate how much isnow forgotten. With the U.S. military returning to the Pacific, often to many of the places the U.S. fought and built temporary bases, it is even more important to remember this history and these places on the map. To honor the American POWs and the veterans of the Pacific War is to learn the lesson of the men left behind on the Philippines, Wake, Guam, and the Sunda Strait. We need to be prepared.

[Extensions of Remarks]

[Page E672]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


        HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF ROBERT L. "BOB" HANLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PETE STAUBER

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 15, 2025

  Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary 
life of Seaman Second Class Robert L. ``Bob'' Hanley, the last living 
survivor of the sinking of the USS Houston (CA-30) in the Sunda Strait 
off the coast of Java on February 29, 1942, ending the storied U.S. 
Asiatic Fleet.

  As one of only 368 of the ship's complement of 1,060 to survive this 
sea battle, he showcased American grit, tenacity, and commitment in the 
fight against fascism and tyranny. He endured multiple POW camps, 
``hell ships'' to Singapore and Burma, and slave labor on the infamous 
Thai-Burma Death Railway.

  His nearly four years of as a POW of Japan were marked by starvation, 
torture, and beatings. As a POW medical orderly, he labored without 
medicines and supplies to save the lives of his fellow brutalized POWs. 
He, himself, survived bouts of dysentery, malaria, and pellagra. At 
liberation in August 1945, he was among just 291 remaining USS Houston 
(CA-30) survivors.

  Bob's resilience never wavered, and his service did not end with his 
Navy discharge in 1947. He continued serving his country by enlisting 
in the U.S. Army for 15 years. After his military career, he worked in 
security at 3M for another 15 years, retiring in 1978 due to medical 
issues caused by his wartime imprisonment.

  Throughout his life, Bob's deep faith as a devout member of the 
Catholic Church of Saint Peter in Forest Lake, Minnesota, guided him 
through the darkest times and brightest moments, serving as a 
cornerstone of his strength. On September 12, 2024, Seaman Second Class 
Robert L. Hanley passed away at 102 years old. May he rest in peace.

BATAAN DEATH MARCH 75TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIONS

Over the next few days, numerous ceremonies will be held to honor the fallen and survivors of the Bataan Death March on its 75th anniversary and National Former POW Recognition Day, April 9th. 

WASHINGTON, DC

75TH COMMEMORATION OF ARAW NG KAGITINGAN [BATAAN AND CORREGIDOR DAY]. 4/7, 3:15-4:30 PM, Washington, DC. Sponsor: Embassy of the Philippines. A wreath laying ceremony at the WWII Memorial at the National Mall. 5:30-7:30pm Commemoration Program at the Romulo Hall of the Embassy of the Philippines. Location: Embassy of the Philippines, 1600 Massachusetts Avenue, NW. Contact: http://www.philippineembassy-usa.org/news/5507/589/75th-Commemoration-of-Araw-ng-Kagitingan-on-07-April-2017/d,phildet/  Information: veterans@philippinesveteransaffairs.org  

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

75^TH COMMEMORATION OF ARAW NG KAGITINGAN (DAY OF VALOR). 4/8, 9:00 AM, Chicago, Illinois. Wreath laying ceremony (weather permitting) at the Bataan-Corregidor Memorial Bridge at the corner of State Street and Wacker Drive, Chicago to pay tribute to thousands of Filipino and American soldiers who displayed extraordinary gallantry and courage beyond the call of duty in defending Bataan and Corregidor in 1941-1942. After the wreath laying ceremony, a short program will be held around 10:00-11:30 AM at the Kalayaan Hall of the Consulate General of the Philippines, 122 S. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1600, Chicago, Illinois 60603. Contact: http://www.chicagopcg.com/; chicagopcg@att.net and http://www.chicagopcg.com/pr16-17.pdf

CALIFORNIA

BATAAN DEATH MARCH 75TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION. 4/8, 9:00am-Noon, The Presidio, San Francisco, California. 9:00AM Laying of Wreaths at the ABMC WWII West Coast Memorial at Kobbe & Washington Aves. 10:00AM Commemorative Program At Pershing Square/ Presidio Officers Club. Contact: www.bataanlegacy.org; Program http://zif7.r.ah.d.sendibm4.com/zmo9s9vonf.htmland http://usa.inquirer.net/1829/bataan-death-march-75th-year-rites-set-sf-presidio-april-8     

NEW YORK

75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH COMMEMORATION. 4/8, 1:00-4:00 PM. Bataan Road, Orangeburg, New York. Ceremony, concert, presentations. Contact: Jerome Kleiman, https://www.facebook.com/events/1168848923170955/

VIRGINIA

75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH AND UNVEILING THE BEN STEELE COLLECTION. 4/9, 2:00-4:00 PM, Norfolk, VA. Sponsor: MacArthur Memorial. As part of the unveiling, the Memorial will screen the documentary film Survival Through Art. Produced by American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Memorial Society President and professional filmmaker Jan Thompson and narrated by Alec Baldwin,Survival Through Art tells the story of Ben Steele's remarkable life. Location: MacArthur Memorial Visitors Center, 198 Bank Street, Norfolk, VA 23510. Contact: http://www.macarthurmemorial.org/Calendar.aspx?EID=62&month=1&year=2017&day=12&calType=0 or

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ben-steele-collection-unveiling-tickets-31132965538

6^TH ANNUAL BATAAN DEATH MARCH MEMORIAL WALK/RUN.  4/22, 6:00AM-2:00PM, Chesapeake, VA. Sponsored by the SSG Jonathan Killian Dozier Memorial VFW Post 2894 and FilVetRep. Location: Dismal Swamp Canal Trail North Parking Lot, 1113 George Washington Highway South, Chesapeake, VA 23323 Contact: https://www.virginia.org/listings/Events/BataanDeathMarchMemorialWalk/

https://www.facebook.com/Chesapeake-Bataan-Death-March-464188050284397/

MINNESOTA

BATAAN MEMORIAL WREATH LAYING CEREMONY. 4/9 10:00 AM, Brained National Guard Training and Community Center, 1115 Wright Street, Brainerd, MN  56401. Mr. Walter Straka, the last surviving member of the Brainerd 34th Tank Company as it began, and A Company 194th Tank Battalion after federalization, will lay the wreath while Taps is played. The names of those who were killed in combat or captivity will be read as their dog tags are hung on the barrel of the M3 Stuart tank. Contact: Captain Chris Bingham (651) 268-8117,http://www.brainerdbataan.com/wreath-laying-ceremony.html ;

20TH ANNUAL BATAAN MEMORIAL MARCH, 9/9, Brainerd, Minnesota.  http://www.brainerdbataan.com/

NEW MEXICO

COMMEMORATIVE CEREMONY HONORING 75TH ANNIVERSARY. 4/9, 4:00-6:00 PM, Las Cruces, NM. Sponsor: The Remember Bataan Foundation of Las Cruces. Location: Veteran’s Memorial Park, 2651 Roadrunner Parkway, Las Cruces.

http://www.bataanmuseum.com/event/commemorative-ceremony-honoring-75th-anniversary/

BATAAN MEMORIAL CEREMONY. 4/8, 1:00 PM, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sponsor: Bataan-Corregidor Memorial Foundation of New Mexico. Location: Bataan Memorial Park, 748 Tulane Drive, NE, Albuquerque. Contact: MAJ Richard A. Luena, USAF-R (Ret.), https://www.facebook.com/events/1763311350552957/

BATAAN MEMORIAL CEREMONY. 4/9, 10:00 AM-2:00 PM, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Sponsor: New Mexico National Guard. Location: 200th CAC marker on the southeast side of the Bataan Memorial Building, 407 Galisteo Street, Santa Fe. http://www.bataanmuseum.com/event/nmng-honors-world-war-ii-bataan-veterans-on-75th-anniversary/