SURRENDER SITE MARKER

Here’s another must visit attraction in Bataan. The Bataan World War II Museum is one of the country’s finest historical
museums. It features interesting collection of artifacts and it presents the real story behind the famous Fall of Bataan! The
museum is small in size but well presented and it is easily accessible from the town plaza.

t is located inside Balanga Elementary School Grounds in Balanga City, this site was used as a command post by
Lt. Gen. Homma at the time of Bataan’s Surrender wherein Major Gen. King and his party signed the documents for
the surrender of the USAFFE forces in the Phlippines under a mango tree on April 9, 1942.

200 meters from the Philippine-Japanese Friendship Tower in Bagac, the first of the 138
Death March markers can be found. From here, this historic event took place in April
1942. After losing a ferocious battle against the Japanese, some 76.000 of Filipino and
American soldiers were forced at gunpoint to walk more than 65 miles through the blistering
heat. The ultimate destination would be Camp'O Donnell which turned out to be one of the
most hellish of WWII's concentration camps. More than 10.000 prisoners of war died along
the way, while many kind hearted locals risked their lives to sneakily deliver the struggling
soldiers some water or food.

The Death March started from two points in Bataan: on April 10 from Mariveles, and on April 11 from Bagac. The
Filipino and American troops were marched day and night, under blistering sun or cold night sky, staggering
through Cabcaben, Limay, Orion, Pilar, and Balanga, where they were given a brief rest and some water.
From Balanga, the POWs were organized into groups of 100 to 200 under guard marched on
through Abucay, Samal, and Orani, where the Americans were segregated from the Filipinos. The march continued
northward through Hermosa, to Layac Junction, thence eastward into Pampanga through Lubao, Guagua, where the
POWs were rested and given little food at the National Development Company compound, Bacolor, and
San Fernando.
Already suffering from battle fatigue, the Filipino and American troops were strained to utter exhaustion by this long
march on foot many were ill, most were feverish, but none might rest, for the enemy was brutal with those who
lagged behind, thousand fell along the way, townspeople on the roadside risked their lives by slipping food and drink
to the death marchers as they stumbled by.

Related Posts:
1. Bataan Death March: A Journey Through Pictures
2. Mount Samat: The Shrine of Valour (Part 2)
3. Provincial Capitol: Bataan
4. Battle of the Pockets: In Remembrance To Heroism
5. Photo Duel: Fil-Jap-Am Amity Memorial Shrine vs Fil-Jap Friendship Tower
6. Bataan Has Fallen But Philippines, Be Not Afraid
7. The Flaming Sword Monument in Pilar, Bataan
8. Battle of Layac Junction: The First Line of Defense
9. Mount Samat: The Shrine of Valour (Part 1)
10. The Battle of Trail 2 Capot Hill Memorial Site in Pilar, Bataan