I guess there were an inordinate amount of New Mexicans at Bataan since the NM national guard was stationed there.
The Army moved a lot of green troops there beginning in 1939. In fact, it was acknowledged by many commanders at the time that these troops were ill-equipped and inadequately supplied.
I am a bit rusty on the history of it, but they knew the Japanese would invade, it was just a matter of time.
One factor less known is the effects of Malaria and other diseases combined with lack of proper nutrition on those troops prior to the Japanese invasion.
But they still fought until May 1942.
