From Land to Sea
We take you to White Sands for an unforgettable story about courage and the human spirit. Then we’re off to the high seas to pay tribute to the powerful U.S. Navy destroyer.
By Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret.

This month we present a study in contrast: We take you from land to sea, from past to present. We’ll begin with our feet on the turf. Our story “Marching to Remember,” page 60, is an account of the infamy known as the Bataan Death March. In 1942, during a forced march under a scorching sun and with little food or water, thousands of U.S. troops succumbed to heat or were abused or murdered by their Japanese captors.

This sad story from the past is mirrored in a modern tale of courage and determination. In 1987, a living memorial to the Bataan heroes was created. This annual event has taken place at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., since 1992. The event is part marathon, part team competition, and totally about recognizing the sacrifice of our troops. In addition to thousands of marchers, this year’s gathering included 17 veterans of the Philippine campaign and five disabled veterans of ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This year, MOAA was a sponsor of the march. To cover the event for Military Officer, we chose our intrepid contributing editor, Col. Ralph Wetterhahn, USAF-Ret. We’ve sent Ralph on assignment to Siberia, Moscow, Georgia (the republic, not the state), and Iraq — among other garden spots. He’s covered topics ranging from POW/MIA mysteries to Soviet MiG pilots who fought against the United States during the Korean War. The Death March was right up Ralph’s alley.
 
Ralph covers the Bataan march in true participatory journalism style. He formed “Team MOAA,” slipped on his backpack, and hit the trail. Along the 26.2-mile route, Ralph reflects on the original march, interviews survivors of Bataan, and chats with veterans of today’s conflicts.
 
Leaving the dusty trails of White Sands, we plunge into the high seas to spotlight another component of our nation’s military heritage. Fast, powerful, and sleek, U.S. Navy destroyers have been called “greyhounds of the sea.” These ships, also called “workhorses,” perform a wide range of duties such as convoy escort, screening force, shore bombardment, troop carrier, antiair warfare, search and rescue, and antisubmarine warfare.

“Greyhounds of the Sea,” page 48, is a tribute to the U.S. Navy destroyer. We present a brief history of the destroyer from the USS Bainbridge (DD-1), launched in 1903, through the DD(X) concept for the next generation. Anticipating your letters, we’ll apologize now for not being able to recognize every outstanding ship of this proud lineage!