The decision to do something for the defenders of Bataan and Corregidor started back in the mid 1950's.  My father had served with the Marines in the Pacific, later was part of a group that chartered a then new VFW Post (South Works Post 3657) Worcester, MA.  On more than a few Saturday afternoons he would take me along to "The Post" for a few hours of he and his buddies reminiscing.  Back then, 40+ years ago, there were still many campaign survivors with fresh memories.  Within my father's little group, Marines of course, there were 2 guys that seemed to be a bit different.  Whenever they would walk in someone would say, "Here come the China Marines."

Not quite the same war for these guys as they were already in Asia (Shanghai) when war broke out, had some hellish experiences, ended up as POW's.  "It could have been worse, you could have been a China Marine", was something I heard on more than one occasion.  A good URL for anyone that would want additional detail, specifically the Corregidor and POW links; http://www.chinamarines.com

Later I ended up in the Philippines and, while I knew there was a lot of Marine history here, I was always too busy to even give it a thought. That all changed quickly, again on a Saturday afternoon.

About the time that Fidel Ramos took over as President we were doing a project at what had been an ESSO (later Exxon) refinery, renamed BRC (Bataan Refining Corp.) when Exxon pulled out now being privatized as Petron Bataan Refinery.  One weekend due to monsoon rains I decided not to make the trip to Manila or Olongapo (to do what we did on weekends), opting to stay close.  Balanga, the capital of Bataan province, was quite close, so off we went.

Balanga is not a metropolis, but we did manage to find a beer hall that was really an oversized nipa hut.  Seated at a table next to us was a group of 6, half of them Filipinos - the other half most definitely Americans, a bit older.  After a few San Miguels a little chit chat between our tables, "What brings you here" my obvious question?  The 3 Filipinos were former Scouts, the Americans "China Marines" all defenders of Bataan and Corregidor.  After the "Semper Fi's' a bit about my father being in the Pacific they asked me how many markers I had visited, embarrassed but true I said none. What I got next I had coming.

One of the Marines, obviously a former SgtMaj. read me up and down.  "You call yourself a Marine you sorry shit, you are here every day and day in day out you walk on hallowed ground, Corregidor  is in plain view and you don't feel in awe."  I was going to ask him if he was related to SgtMaj. R. R. "Red" Ebert but decided to zip the lip.  The next day they educated me by personally taking me on a tour of Corregidor Island, reciting personal experiences along the way.

They were right, I was blind.  From that day on I could never pass along that way without thinking about where I was and what had happened. An article in the Manila Bulletin on 02/11/2001 "Bataan and Corregidor Remembered" highlighted the problem of the markers and pointed me to FAME (FILIPINO-AMERICAN MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT).   One of FAME's current projects is the repair and replacement, where necessary, of the kilometer markers along the route of the Bataan Death March from kilometer 0 at Mariveles and kilometer 0 at Bagac to the junction at Balanga, Bataan, and onwards through San Fernando, Pampanga to Camp O'Donnell at Capas, Tarlac.

Originally I was going to personally sponsor a marker or maybe through my company.  The HMM-364 web site changed that, could not think of a more appropriate Donor Name than: HMM-364 (Vietnam) "The Purple Foxes".  Now your webmaster, Frank Gulledge, has joined with me in the sponsorship, a site has been chosen, the marker has been ordered and photographs will be forthcoming when the marker is dedicated.  I spent a lot of time selecting a good location, don't want this on some Barangay road.  Our marker will be kilometer 74, this is in Lubao, Pampanga.  Reasons for this spot:
    1) It is on a National Road.
    2) It is close to the junction where left would take you to Corregidor, right to Olongapo City and Subic - have to pass it going to either.  Most importantly it is located in front of the Prado Siongco Elementary School, the students civic project will be to maintain the marker; trim the grass, polish, etc.

Honorary Chairman Francis J. Ricciardone US Ambasssador to the Phils. BOARD OF TRUSTEES President Lt. Col Artemio Matibag 1st Vice President Leslie A. Murray 2nd Vie President Robert W. Blume Treasurer Robert M. Sears TRUSTEES Col. Juanito N. Ferrer (Ret.) Robert M. Robbins Beth Day Romulo Corporate Secretary Atty. Jacqueline R. Laurel Asst. Corporate Secretary/ Coordinator Summer Serrano ADVISORY COUNCIL Col. Juanito N. Ferrer (Ret.) Senior Advisor Helena Z. Benitez Edna Binkowski James Black, Jr. Alex h. Keller Edgar Krohn, Jr. Louis A. Pritchett Amb. Juan Jose Rocha Washington SyCip FOUNDERS Helena Z. Benitez Matthew Holiday Alex H. Keller Atty. William H. Quasha * Col. Edwin P. Ramsey Col. Lee A. Telesco* Lt. Cmdr. J. Marsh Thompson * Deceased

Filipino-American Memorial Endowment (FAME), Inc. c/o The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. C.P.O. Box 2562 Makati City, 1299 Philippines Telephone: 818-7911  Fax: (632)811-3081 July 22, 2002 Franklin Gulledge Major, USMC (Ret.) 29 Lakeshore Parkway  Brandenburg, KY 40108 U.S.A. Dear Major Gulledge, On behalf of FAME - Filipino-American Memorial Endowment - we thank you and Pete Brozowski most sincerely for the generous donation of $500 for the sponsorship of one obelisk marker along the Bataan Death March Route in honor of the HMM-364 (Vietnam) "Purple Foxes".  This contribution brings us closer to our goal of replacing all the markers along the route.  So far we have received sponsorship for 39 markers out of the 112 total, with the promise of more to come from organizations still raising money, so we are progressing. As you may be aware, the marker is sited in front of the Prado Siongco Elementary School, in the town of Lubao, Pampanga Province (the hometown of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo).  Lt. Col. Artemio Matibag, our FAME President, with the Maintenance Staff of the Corregidor Foundation (of which he is the Executive Director) has visited the area and is in the process of working out with the school administration a plan n which the school children will assist in the maintenance of the marker - and thereby gain a sense of the significance of the markers and the sacred heritage of our two countries in the historic fight for freedoms now enjoyed by both. The address for the school is simply, Prado Siongco Elementary School, Lubao, Pampanga Province, Philippines.  The contact person there would be Mr. Carlos Andrada the Principal.   The area is currently very badly affected by the flooding from two typhoons, but Pete Brozowski is getting up-to-date photos.  In the meantime, we enclose the attached.  Unfortunately the "flash" washed out the reflectorized depiction of the symbol of the March - the three struggling figures - and the base had yet to be filled in with the so-called "blood-stones" from Corregidor; beige stone with streaks of red, symbolizing the blood shed in battle. For the record, FAME is registered as a tax-exempt corporation in the US, under Internal Revenue Code Section (501)c(3), Tax Identification Number 31-12167856.  We trust the receipt issued and this letter may serve for any applicable tax exemption. Sincerely, /s/Leslie Ann Murray 1st Vice President, FAME cc: Lt. Col. Art Matibag - President, FAME; Exec. Dir., Corregidor Foundation E-Mails: amchamrp@mozcom.com