At the San Francisco National Cemetery, military officials, law enforcement, and community members gathered to mark the 84th anniversary of the Bataan Death March, honoring the tens of thousands of Filipino and American soldiers forced to march more than 65 miles under brutal conditions after surrendering to the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II.

Among those in attendance were descendants of veterans receiving Congressional Gold Medals, including Toni Bernardo, whose great-grandfather Narciso Viray survived the march only to die in captivity in 1944, and Cecilia Gaerlan, whose father endured both the march and years of imprisonment. Gaerlan recalled asking her father whether he had ever considered taking his own life, and said he never answered with words, only tears.

The ceremony also shone a light on the often-overlooked contributions of World War II nurses in the Philippines, who chose to remain with their patients rather than evacuate as the islands fell. Gaerlan has since launched a coalition pushing for Congressional Gold Medals for those nurses as well. For many families, the event was as much about the future as the past, ensuring that younger generations understand and carry forward the legacy of sacrifice.

Mark Niu reports from California.

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