To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Bataan prisoners of war and to support the 36th annual Bataan Memorial Death March that honors victims and survivors, the Friends of the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum (NMFRHM) and the Historical Society of New Mexico (HSNM) welcome Brig. Gen. Jack Fox (USA, ret.) as the Friends Culture Series speaker on Thursday, March 13, at 7 p.m.

In his presentation “New Mexico and the Bataan Death March,” Fox will discuss the experiences of members of the 200th Coast Artillery, composed largely of New Mexicans, during World War II. More than 900 of the 1.800 New Mexican soldiers in the 200th died in combat, during the Death March and in more than three years as prisoners in Japanese POW camps.

Fox, who served in the New Mexico Army National Guard and as Secretary of Veterans Services under Gov. Susana Martinez, has done extensive research, interviewing veterans and exploring archives as he gathered stories about what is regarded as one of the worst examples of treatment of military prisoners in modern history.

The Friends Culture Series is a monthly presentation organized by the Friends of the NMFRHM. It looks at New Mexico culture, society and history as part of its mission to support the educational activities of the Farm and Ranch Museum. This month’s event is supported by the Historical Society of New Mexico’s Speakers Bureau Program.

The event will take place in the Museum Auditorium. Admission is free. For more information, contact friends.nmfrhm@gmail.com.