M18

Hero Flight Mission #18

March 25 – 28, 2011

Passengers: Six wounded veterans and one medical staff member from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio

Purpose: To participate in the 22nd Annual Bataan Memorial Death March (http://www.bataanmarch.com/)

Route: San Antonio, TX – Las Cruces, NM – San Antonio, TX

Pilots: Al Bradley – PIC; David Knight – SIC

VES Staff: Alicia Camp

Background:

This year in memory of the original death march over 6,400 attendees from all 50 states and 4 countries met at the White Sands Missile Range in Las Cruces, NM to commemorate the soldiers who died at the hands of the Japanese and to those who survived this terrible ordeal. In addition to attending the ceremonies, our passengers and co-pilot participated in a 26.2 mile march in the desert to pay homage to the actual Bataan Death March which took place in the Philippines during April, 1942. There were several original Bataan survivors that took part in the opening ceremonies and were present at the starting line. These great American heroes inspired and touched everyone’s spirits with their mere presence.