Special appreciation to Ms. Peggy Fowler for the ancestry.com research.

Familial History:

Arthuro “Arthur” Constantine was born in New Mexico in 1920. He enlisted in Albuquerque, New Mexico with the National Guard on 6 January 1941 and his service number was 20842977. His occupation was listed as semiskilled in production of bakery products.

During the Imperial Japanese invasion of the Philippines, he was taken prisoner along with his brother Pascual. He had been assigned to the US Army 200th Coast Artillery Cavalry Regiment. He survived the Bataan Death March and was a Prisoner of War interned within Camp O’Donnell, Tarlac Province, Central Luzon, Philippines. About 20,000 Filipinos and 1,500 American soldiers died during their captivity at the camp.

He succumbed to dysentery on 26 May 1942, buried outside of camp, and was reinterned in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District National Capital Region, Philippines. The Plot was F, Row 14, Grave 10 and the Memorial # 56788266.

His father Contantino was born in Spain during 1885. He immigrated to the United States in 1903. The 1920 Census has his home listed in Vaughn, New Mexico and his occupation as a Sheep Herder, Stockman. On 25 January 1922, he is on record of securing Section 19 and Section 20 in Torrance County, New Mexico probably for sheep grazing. In 1936, a trial was held in Las Cruces, New Mexico for the slaying of Constantino Garde by Haden Gilbert.

Francisca “Francis, Aunt Francis or Aunt Meanie” Baca Garde (Gards, or Sarde) was born on 18 August 1896 in Santa Fe, Guadalupe County, New Mexico to Nester and Maria Rita Crespin. She passed away on 20 November 1972 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. She was interned in the Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, Los Angeles County, California and her Memorial # 16264145.

Her 10 children were born in New Mexico. Documentation noted that she was registered to vote in 1952 while living on South Globe Avenue in Los Angeles. In 1956, she had moved to 3605 Kelton Ave which was several miles away.

The oldest of the children was Pascual born 29 December 1914 in Vaughn, Guadalupe County, New Mexico. In 1939, he was featured in the Albuquerque Journal Newspaper concerning his boxing skills. He enlisted in the US Army on 14 March 1941 (Service # 38011761). While assigned to the Philippines, the Imperial Japanese invaded and he was taken as a Prisoner of War on 9 April 1942. He died on 24 October 1944 when his “Hell Ship” Arisan Maru was torpedoed by the USS Shark (SS-314) or USS Snook (SS-279), both were American submarines. He was memorialized in the Manilla American Cemetery and Memorial, Manilla Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines, Table of Missing. The Memorial # 55923305.

Sebastian was the second oldest. He was born in East Vaughn, Guadalupe County, New Mexico 23 August 1916 to Contantino and Francisca Baca. He was killed on Betio, Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, Kiribati on 20 November 1943. He was interned in the Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii Courts of the Missing, Memorial 3 99613926.

Mariano was born 22 May 1918 in Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico and died on 28 January 2000 in Simi Valley, Ventura County, California. He registered for the service on 16 October 1940 in Lancaster, Los Angeles, California. He was employed by Auspicio Zamboran. He enlisted on 12 March 1942 in Los Angeles and his service number was 39154644. He was assigned to the 6th US Army Ranger Battalion. He took part in the 30 January 1945 daring raid on Cabanatuan Prison Camp to rescue 511 POWs that were in danger of being executed. A group of over 100 Rangers and 200 Philippine guerrillas traveled 30 miles behind the Japanese lines to reach the camp. Under the cover of darkness, they surprised the prison guards. Hundreds of Japanese soldiers were killed in the raid and the American suffered minimal casualties. A memorial has been erected at the site of the old prison to commemorate the action. Raid at Cabanatuan - Wikipedia

Maximiliano was born on 15 November 1923 in Vaughn, New Mexico. He passed away on 21 December 1991 in San Francisco, California. He registered for the service on 30 June 1942 in Albuquerque. He also was featured in the Albuquerque Journal featuring his boxing skills.

Isabel Laura was born on 8 February 1925 in Encino, Torrance County, New Mexico and passed away on 6 April 2006. She married Henry Murtaugh on 21 August 1946 and the site was not recorded. He was born on 25 February 1898 in Menasha, Wisconsin. He was employed at the US Navy Yard in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Social Security Administration listed her by following names; Isabel Laura Garde (June 1943); Isabel Laura Murtaugh (June 1951); Isabel L. Paulson (April 1966): and Isabel L. Bindner (02 May 2006).

Michael Alfonso “Uncle Al” was born on 21 April 1928 in Willard, Torrance County, New Mexico and died on 26 July 1998 in Tustin, Orange County, California. He was remembered by his family as a poet and writer. He was interned in the Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, Orange, Orange County, California. The plot location Sec-M Tier-6 Gr-140 U/L and the Memorial # 60433157. The Tustin News mentioned his wife Encanacion Garde, children Victoria Alamarre, Mercedes Garde, Michelle Garde, and Sabrina Garde. The article listed his siblings as Mariana Garde, Dolores (Centanni) Cenntanni, and Isabel Bindner.

Constantino was born about 1930 in New Mexico

Willie was born about 1933 In New Mexico

Dolores (Dalares) Joanne was born on 2 November 1935 in New Mexico. On 27 February 1954 she entered into marriage with Robert T. Butler in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. Her residence was listed in 1952 as 7891 Willow Lane, Buena Park.

Service History:

Arthur enlisted on 6 January 1941 in Albuquerque, New Mexico and his service number was 20842977. His residence was listed as Bernalillo, New Mexico and he enlisted as a private in the US Army Cavalry.

He enlisted into the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment (also known as the “New Mexico Brigade”) under the command of Colonel Charles G. Sage. Their nickname was simply “The Regiment” and was inducted into service on 6 January 1941. The orders indicated it would be for only one year of active duty training. The 1,816 soldiers were all from New Mexico. The eight Batteries were created from the following towns in New Mexico:

Battery’s A and B were from Albuquerque,

Battery C from Santa Fe,

Battery D from Gallup,

HQ and HQ Battery, 2nd BN Clovis,

Battery E from Clovis,

Battery F from Carlsbad,

Battery G from Silver City, and

Battery H from Taos.

Their military training was conducted at Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas. By August, they had received notice of being assigned overseas in the Philippines. This decision was made due to the fact almost all spoke fluent Spanish. On 26 September 1941 they arrived at Fort Stotsenberg, located 75 miles north of Manila and the site of Clark Field was their new base. On 23 November, all Batteries were placed into protection of Fort Stotsenberg.

The records indicate that the regiment had not fired a live round until the Japanese Imperial Air Force attacked the Philippines. After the Battle of Luzon, Arthur was assigned to the 515th Coast Artillery Regiment (Anti-Aircraft), B Battery. There are conflicting official reports concerning whether he was assigned to the 200th or to the 515th Regiment. The two regiments were credited with firing the first shot in the defense of the Islands. They also fought off the attempts by the Japanese Air Force to bomb the bridges which allowed the North and South Luzon Forces to enter Bataan.

The Japanese 11th Air Force based in Formosa, attacked at 12:20 on 8 December 1941 inflicting heavy damage to the bases and Island defenses. Much of the ammunition did not detonate due to the age of the ordinance. The World War I style powder train fuses also limited the effectiveness to 20,000 feet which was significantly lower than the Japanese bomber formations. Even with the limitations, seven of the 300 planes were shot down that afternoon.

86 aircraft was destroyed by the 200th and 515th Coastal Artillery units during the offensive. When including the lack of live fire training, World War I ammunition, the rates for duds and to support the Northern and Southern Luzon Forces retreat toward Corregidor, the 80 3-inch rounds and 151 37-mm antiaircraft rounds per kill was accurate in comparison to the efficiency during the later stages of the war. Microsoft Word - WORLD WAR II FROM A NEW MEXICAN PERSPECTIVE_Final.doc (cabq.gov)

During the battles of Luzon and Corregidor, when a Japanese plane was shot down, an unmistakable congratulatory yell would be heard all over Bataan. The mystery remains as to who started the yell but it was consistent until General Wainwright surrendered on 9 April 1942. The last two cohesive military forces that remained in action defending the Islands were the 200th and 515th Batteries.

Between 10,000 and 16,950 American and Filipino solders were bayoneted, beheaded, clubbed or beaten to death in the march. Arthur was taken to Camp O’Donnell, Tarlac Province, Central Luzon, Philippines where he succumbed to dysentery on 26 May 1942. The official Headstone and Interment Records reported Arthur’s rank as Corporal where the POW record listed he was a Private First Class. Only half of the original 1,816 New Mexico volunteers survived the war and about one-third died due to various issues under confinement. Another 30% of the POWs would die due to complications within the first year of freedom.

Records indicate that burial details from each of the camps were responsible for interning those that died during captivity. After the war, a major effort was initiated to remove the bodies from the camp graves and intern them within official American Cemeteries or Memorials. Arthur was interned at Fort McKinley, Manila, Philippine Islands, Plot f, Row 14, and Grave 10. The Memorial Number 56788266.

Commendations:

The official documents from the State of New Mexico indicates that the Units earned the following commendations:

Two Distinguished Service Medals

Four Presidential Unit Citations

The Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one silver and one bronze battle star

Philippine Defense Medal with one bronze star

American Defense Campaign Medal with one bronze battle star

Microsoft Word - WORLD WAR II FROM A NEW MEXICAN PERSPECTIVE_Final.doc (cabq.gov)

Resources:

Microsoft Word - WORLD WAR II FROM A NEW MEXICAN PERSPECTIVE_Final.doc (cabq.gov)

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56788266/arthur-constantine-garde

U.S., World War II American and Allied Prisoners of War, 1941-1946 - AncestryInstitution.com

U.S., World War II Prisoners of the Japanese, 1941-1945 - AncestryInstitution.com

U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949 - AncestryInstitution.com

U.S., Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945 - AncestryInstitution.com

I received the following story from the Bataan Memorial Military Museum (iretonfamily.com)

200th Infantry Regiment (United States) | Military Wiki | Fandom (wikia.org)

TCHS Photo Gallery (taoscountyhistoricalsociety.org)

Camp O'Donnell - Wikipedia

First to Fire! - 200th Coast Artillery (Anti-aircraft) (angelfire.com)

Arthur C Garde