Regional
60 mile Bataan Death March Tribute and "SURVIVOR" book release
Author: Francisco L. Lovato, Nevada City
Published on May 8, 2008 - 8:00:46 AM

NEVADA CITY May 8, 2008 - Francisco L. Lovato(60), son of Msgt. Frank N. Lovato ret.(87), will walk from Penn Valley CA to the Vietnam Memorial in Sacramento CA, a distance of 60 miles, to commemorate the infamous Bataan Death March that began April 10, 1942.The Death March occurred following the surrender of over 75,000 American and Philippine military forces to the Imperial Japanese Invasion Force. This was, and still is, the largest capitulation of American troops in history. Over 1,000 of the twelve thousand Americans troops who where forced to walk in the blistering heat with scarcely any food and clean water, died or were killed before reaching the notorious Imperial Japanese prisoner of war camp known as Camp O'Donnel.

In their recently published book "SURVIVOR," Lovato wrote his Father's personal accounts of heroic battles, his deep depression of being surrendered, abject fear, and long repressed memories of his prisoner of war experiences during WWII in the Philippines and Japan. Although the younger Lovato visited the Philippines to research the book, he vowed to one day walk to honor the almost forgotten men of the Bataan Death March and POW camps.

WHEN:
Friday May 9, 10, 11, 2008

WHERE:
Lovato will begin his three day trek from downtown Penn Valley on the shoulder of small roads, through the old Camp Beale WWII bombing range that is now private property, through the Spenceville Wildlife Refuge then along the back roads and bikeways to the Capital ending at the Vietnam Memorial in downtown Sacramento. His actual route can be viewed on the map or satellite

WHY:
To honor his Father and pay tribute and respect to all the American and Filipino men who died, and to those who survived but were indelibly wounded for life yet came home to build a better and stronger country for us all.

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