Bloomfield Native Honors Bataan Death March Heroes at White Sands

Lt. Amber Zufelt, a Bloomfield High School graduate serving as operations officer aboard USS Bataan, joined thousands of marchers at White Sands Missile Range on March 21 for the 37th Annual Bataan Memorial Death March, completing the 15.6-mile honorary route through the high desert terrain of southern New Mexico.

Zufelt graduated from Bloomfield High School in 2004 and has served in the Navy for more than 21 years, currently stationed as operations officer aboard Bataan in Norfolk, Virginia. The cornerstone of her three-day namesake visit was the crew's participation in the 37th Annual march on March 21, with sailors either running or hiking the 15.6-mile honorary route across the challenging terrain. Other events during the visit included stops at local schools and meetings with descendants of Bataan survivors.

"Growing up in a small town, I learned to respect every job because every job matters," Zufelt said. "From the farmer and the owner of the pizza place to the sailor sweeping the passageways and the tactical action officer fighting the ship, they all have their place in mission success."

The 37th Annual Bataan Memorial Death March honored the American and Filipino defenders of the Bataan peninsula during World War II, who surrendered on April 9, 1942, and endured the brutal original Bataan Death March, a forced 65-mile trek under horrific conditions that resulted in thousands of deaths from starvation, disease, and abuse during captivity.

Due to forecasted record-breaking heat in the desert Southwest and reduced medical staffing, organizers made a safety-focused decision announced days earlier: all participants marched only the 15.6-mile "Honorary Distance" route instead of the traditional full marathon course. Col. Andrew "Drew" Morgan, U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range Senior Commander, emphasized that the change prioritized the event's core purpose. "Eighty-four years ago, in the crucible of conflict, a terrible chapter in military history unfolded," Col. Morgan said at the emotional pre-dawn opening ceremony. "A trial of unimaginable suffering. But it was also a testament to the unbreakable spirit of the human will."

Thousands of marchers participated, including active-duty service members, veterans, ROTC and JROTC teams from across the nation, Service Academy cadets, and civilians. Among them was a locally connected team that had trained in Chokecherry Canyon, on Pinon Mesa, and on a preparatory walk from Farmington to Bloomfield. That team crossed the finish line in eight hours and 21 minutes, marching to benefit First Tee Four Corners and PGA Hope, a program that brings golf to veterans.

"It was just really patriotic, and it was just a great honor to be able to do it and participate," said Moffitt, adding that none of the team members had completed a marathon before. Neff, reflecting on the experience, said he felt well-prepared physically but was caught off guard by the unfamiliar course and pebbles in his shoes despite wearing gaiters. He changed socks several times and still finished with a blister on his heel. "I felt great," he said. "You know, it's just so moving seeing all the vets. I guess honored is the best way to describe it, just excitement and elation for our team."

Pacheco White noted the team encountered participants from across the globe, including ROTC groups from Iowa, Wisconsin and Tennessee. Yost, the First Tee Four Corners program director and golf instructor at Riverview Golf Course, offered a blunter verdict: "It was really hard, but I'm glad I did it. But I don't know if I'll ever do it again."

The event was established in 1989 by the Army ROTC department at New Mexico State University to commemorate the "native sons" of New Mexico who served in the 200th and 515th Coast Artillery units. In 1992, the event moved to White Sands Missile Range, where it has been held annually ever since.

Zufelt reflected on what two decades of service have meant to her. "Serving in the Navy has given me a purpose to be someone the team can rely on when the pressure is on," she said. "Most of all, serving is knowing you are a part of the team that mentors, overcomes adversity, and stands the watch to contribute to protecting and strengthening our nation." For a Bloomfield native whose ship bears the name of the peninsula where American and Filipino soldiers made their last stand 84 years ago, the march at White Sands carried a weight that went well beyond the miles.