Juan was the sixth child of John and Angelita Casaus of Cuba Sandoval County New Mexico. He attended elementary school through the 7th grade and then worked as a farm hand in Sandoval County near Jemez Springs. He was not married and had no dependents.
He enlisted in the army on 21 March 1941 and like many of his fellow New Mexicans was assigned to the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment which was formed in January 1941 from the New Mexico Cavalry. The Regiment underwent extensive anti-aircraft training at Ft. Bliss. In August 1941 they were notified of an important overseas assignment. By September 1941 the Regiment was in the Philippines and stationed at Fort Stotsenberg. There was not enough ammunition for training, so the first shots fired were in combat against the Japanese air force on 8 December 1941, one day after Pearl Harbor.
Japanese landings forced the American and Philippine forces to retreat into the Bataan Peninsula. The 200th was assigned to cover the retreat and they were successful in protecting the bridges so the forces could move easily. In late December 1941 the situation deteriorated from bad to worse. Food supply became a problem and malaria, and dysentery were rampant among the troops. Soon the medicine was exhausted, and hunger and fever reduced the soldiers to a state of apathy.
Juan Casaus was admitted to a field hospital in May of 1942 and diagnosed with dysentery. He did not survive the disease but is certainly one of the heroes and a brother of "The Battling Bastards of Bataan." In 1949 The Cuba New Mexico Memorial Health Center was dedicated to Juan and three other war dead from the area.
Contributor: Ron Overley (46830383)
He enlisted in the army on 21 March 1941 and like many of his fellow New Mexicans was assigned to the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment which was formed in January 1941 from the New Mexico Cavalry. The Regiment underwent extensive anti-aircraft training at Ft. Bliss. In August 1941 they were notified of an important overseas assignment. By September 1941 the Regiment was in the Philippines and stationed at Fort Stotsenberg. There was not enough ammunition for training, so the first shots fired were in combat against the Japanese air force on 8 December 1941, one day after Pearl Harbor.
Japanese landings forced the American and Philippine forces to retreat into the Bataan Peninsula. The 200th was assigned to cover the retreat and they were successful in protecting the bridges so the forces could move easily. In late December 1941 the situation deteriorated from bad to worse. Food supply became a problem and malaria, and dysentery were rampant among the troops. Soon the medicine was exhausted, and hunger and fever reduced the soldiers to a state of apathy.
Juan Casaus was admitted to a field hospital in May of 1942 and diagnosed with dysentery. He did not survive the disease but is certainly one of the heroes and a brother of "The Battling Bastards of Bataan." In 1949 The Cuba New Mexico Memorial Health Center was dedicated to Juan and three other war dead from the area.
Contributor: Ron Overley (46830383)
Juan was the sixth child of John and Angelita Casaus of Cuba Sandoval County New Mexico. He attended elementary school through the 7th grade and then worked as a farm hand in Sandoval County near Jemez Springs. He was not married and had no dependents.
He enlisted in the army on 21 March 1941 and like many of his fellow New Mexicans was assigned to the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment which was formed in January 1941 from the New Mexico Cavalry. The Regiment underwent extensive anti-aircraft training at Ft. Bliss. In August 1941 they were notified of an important overseas assignment. By September 1941 the Regiment was in the Philippines and stationed at Fort Stotsenberg. There was not enough ammunition for training, so the first shots fired were in combat against the Japanese air force on 8 December 1941, one day after Pearl Harbor.
Japanese landings forced the American and Philippine forces to retreat into the Bataan Peninsula. The 200th was assigned to cover the retreat and they were successful in protecting the bridges so the forces could move easily. In late December 1941 the situation deteriorated from bad to worse. Food supply became a problem and malaria, and dysentery were rampant among the troops. Soon the medicine was exhausted, and hunger and fever reduced the soldiers to a state of apathy.
Juan Casaus was admitted to a field hospital in May of 1942 and diagnosed with dysentery. He did not survive the disease but is certainly one of the heroes and a brother of "The Battling Bastards of Bataan." In 1949 The Cuba New Mexico Memorial Health Center was dedicated to Juan and three other war dead from the area.
Contributor: Ron Overley (46830383)
He enlisted in the army on 21 March 1941 and like many of his fellow New Mexicans was assigned to the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment which was formed in January 1941 from the New Mexico Cavalry. The Regiment underwent extensive anti-aircraft training at Ft. Bliss. In August 1941 they were notified of an important overseas assignment. By September 1941 the Regiment was in the Philippines and stationed at Fort Stotsenberg. There was not enough ammunition for training, so the first shots fired were in combat against the Japanese air force on 8 December 1941, one day after Pearl Harbor.
Japanese landings forced the American and Philippine forces to retreat into the Bataan Peninsula. The 200th was assigned to cover the retreat and they were successful in protecting the bridges so the forces could move easily. In late December 1941 the situation deteriorated from bad to worse. Food supply became a problem and malaria, and dysentery were rampant among the troops. Soon the medicine was exhausted, and hunger and fever reduced the soldiers to a state of apathy.
Juan Casaus was admitted to a field hospital in May of 1942 and diagnosed with dysentery. He did not survive the disease but is certainly one of the heroes and a brother of "The Battling Bastards of Bataan." In 1949 The Cuba New Mexico Memorial Health Center was dedicated to Juan and three other war dead from the area.
Contributor: Ron Overley (46830383)
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from New Mexico.
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