The Bataan Battalion.
Under the Morrill Act of 1862 provisions, the Department of Military Science and Tactics was activated at New Mexico State during the 1902-03 school year. The first PMS & T was Professor Alfred S. Frost, Major, U.S. Army, Retired (former Colonel, 1st South Dakota Infantry), who continued in this capacity until the school year 1904-05.
The original Cadet Corps consisted of 36 cadets formed into a battalion of two companies. Cadet Major William Pelphrey was the Battalion Commander, Cadet Captain Earl A. Graham was the lion Adjutant, and Cadet Sergeant Major Bolling Hall was the Battalion Sergeant Major. Drill and Ceremony were conducted four days a week from 11:15 to 12:00. Ten lectures were given yearly on various military subjects.
In 1989, with the concurrence of the Corps of Cadets, the “Desperado Battalion” was renamed the “Bataan Battalion” to pay tribute to the New Mexico veterans and survivors of Bataan. Today, it serves as a living memorial that continues to produce some of the finest leaders the United States Army could ask for. Then, the salute greeting of “Remember Bataan” and reply “Always!” was adopted so the memory of those who died at Bataan would never be forgotten.