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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Trinidad Martinez, one of the last living survivors |
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of the Bataan Death March, was honored at a ceremony hosted by the |
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Bataan-Corregidor Memorial Foundation of New Mexico on April 8 and |
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9, 2017, in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of that horrific |
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event; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Mercedes on December 24, 1917, Trinidad |
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Martinez answered his nation's call to duty by enlisting in the |
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United States Army in April 1941; that December, just hours after |
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the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese attacked U.S. military |
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bases in the Philippines, where Mr. Martinez was stationed; ground |
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forces invaded two weeks later and drove American and Filipino |
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troops from Manila to the Bataan Peninsula, where they fought |
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desperately in the mountainous jungles; cut off from supply lines, |
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the Americans and Filipinos ran out of food and ammunition, and |
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their ranks were decimated by hunger and disease; and |
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WHEREAS, U.S. General Edward King surrendered Bataan on April |
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9, 1942; soon after, Mr. Martinez and some 76,000 other Americans |
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and Filipinos were forced to begin marching to a prisoner-of-war |
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camp more than 60 miles away; the POWs were driven forward under the |
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broiling sun with little food and almost no water; soldiers who |
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paused or fell were summarily executed, along with anyone who tried |
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to help them, and thousands died en route from thirst, starvation, |
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disease, and brutality; eventually, the American prisoners were |
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transported to slave labor camps in Asia or interned in the camp at |
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Cabanatuan, where Mr. Martinez was forced to make weapons and |
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machinery for the Japanese; he was among the fewer than 1,000 |
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survivors who were finally liberated three years later by an elite |
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Ranger battalion and the Philippine resistance; and |
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WHEREAS, After returning stateside, Mr. Martinez was |
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accorded 15 medals, including the World War II Victory Medal, the |
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Prisoner of War Medal, and the Bronze Star Medal, and he was |
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honorably discharged in November 1945 with the rank of corporal; |
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today, he lives in San Antonio with his daughter, Rosie Dorado, and |
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his grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, Demonstrating the highest degree of patriotism, |
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Trinidad Martinez fought courageously for his country and |
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steadfastly endured unimaginable hardships during his captivity, |
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and the exemplary service he rendered in behalf of this nation is |
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deserving of the deepest gratitude of every American; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Trinidad Martinez for his valiant military |
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service during World War II and extend to him sincere best wishes |
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for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Martinez as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |