National Former POW Recognition Day
Please join us on April 9 in the RMR Auditorium
When:
Tue. Apr 9, 2024, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm MT
Where:
Auditorium
1700 North Wheeling Street
Aurora, CO
Cost:
Free
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System will honor former POWs across eastern Colorado on April 9 at 11 a.m. in the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center auditorium as part of a nation-wide effort for National Former POW Recognition Day.
April 9 was chosen as National Former POW Recognition Day as this was the date in 1942 when U.S. Army Major Gen. Edward P. King Jr. surrendered 78,000 troops (66,000 Filipino soldiers and 12 U.S. troops) and control of the Bataan Peninsula to the Japanese during World War II, according to the official VA website. To this day, it remains the single largest contingent of U.S. soldiers to ever surrender at one time.
It also commemorates the start of the 85-mile Bataan Death March, the forced march from the tip of Bataan (for most), and the thousands of American and Filipino troops who died during the march, in a hellacious box car train trip followed by another forced march to a makeshift POW camp at Camp O’Donnell in the Philippines that had only one spigot for water and poor conditions for many of the POWs.
Several POWs from the VA ECHCS area will be recognized by leadership for their courage, determination and survival during their time as POWs on April 9 in RMR auditorium. Come out, celebrate and thank these veterans for their service and sacrifice.