This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: marcenath Surnames: Pelayo, Gardner Classification: military Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newmexico.counties.donaana/5152/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Members of the 200th and 515th New Mexico National Guard Coastal Artillery endured three years of hell at the hands of their Japanese captors during World War II. To remember the perseverance and bravery of those men captured and forced to march 65 miles -- all while being beaten, tortured and killed -- families of the Guardsmen have joined to erect a new memorial at Deming's Veterans' Park. "A bunch of us associated with the Bataan veterans have wanted, even when we did the memorial at the Bataan school, we wanted to put all the New Mexico boys that were in the Bataan March on something," Thelma Pelayo said. Pelayo's husband, Lee Pelayo, served in the NG from 1940 through 1946, she said, along with his brother, Lee Jay Gardner. "They were in a prison camp for three-and-a-half years," she said. The forced Bataan Death March took place in the Philippines in 1942. Japanese soldiers brutally forced approximately 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war to march to a prison camp. Among those seized were members of the Army, Army Air Corps, Navy, Marine Corps and the National Guard, whom, according to bataanmarch.com, were subjected to malaria-infested conditions, half or quarter rations and outdated equipment as they fought the three-month long Battle for Bataan before being captured. Those who survived the march through the blistering heat of the Philippine jungles were imprisoned and subjected to inhumane treatment at the hands of their Japanese captors, who believed the prisoners were subhuman. Pelayo did not have a date for the memorial's completion. City administrator Richard McInturff said the last monument at Veterans' Park was erected in 2003 and was dedicated to WWII veterans. Las Cruces Sun News 21 Jan 2011 Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.