The history, heroes and mariachis of the New Mexico National Guard

Even if you’re a history buff, you might be surprised to learn that the U.S. military has an official mariachi band, and that the band belongs to one of the most storied and decorated guard units in the nation: the New Mexico National Guard.

The New Mexico National Guard traces its first troop muster to 1598, when the Spaniard Juan de Onate's colonization expedition crossed what is now called the Rio Grande River near present-day Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. 

Soldiers of the New Mexico National Guard have fought with distinction and bravery in some of the bloodiest and most important conflicts in American history. They helped defeat Confederates during the Civil War, rode with Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders at the legendary charge of San Juan Hill and chased Pancho Villa on the Mexican border. They fought gallantly in World War I at Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne and Meuse-Argonne, and some of their members famously served as Navajo code talkers, providing unbroken coded communications crucial to U.S. success in World War II. 

Perhaps the finest hour for the New Mexico National Guard came in World War II, when the 200th Coast Artillery and its "child," the 515th, better known as "the Brigade," played a heroic role in the fight for the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines.

The 200th Coast Artillery battled nearly nonstop from the first Japanese assault at Pearl Harbor to April 9, 1942, when the 200th Coast Artillery was forced to surrender to the Japanese army. The Japanese forced parts of the unit to march through blistering heat to prison camps over 65 miles away, in what became known as the Bataan Death March. The U.S. soldiers were deprived of water and forced to carry their wounded comrades, with brutality from Japanese soldiers rampant. Stragglers were shot, as were soldiers found with any item the Japanese considered Japanese property. By the time it was over, half of the 200th's 1,800 soldiers had given their lives in battle or in Japanese captivity. The incident was eventually branded a war crime, and many Japanese officers responsible were tried and executed.

Through that torturous march and over three grueling years as prisoners of war, the 900 New Mexican men who survived kept their dignity and morale. In addition to numerous individual medals for bravery, the men of the 200th Coast Artillery brought home three distinguished unit citations and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. In Las Cruces, New Mexico, they are commemorated in the Heroes of Bataan memorial at Veterans Park, which depicts three soldiers assisting each other during the Bataan Death March.

So, where do the mariachis come in? The mariachis are part of the National Guard's 44th Army Band from Albuquerque—the only mariachi band in the U.S. military.

The band performs for the public across New Mexico, including at a number of annual concerts in early July to celebrate Independence Day. The band plays music ranging from the traditional armed forces medley to classic rock songs, as well as songs by Miley Cyrus and from the film “The Incredibles.” And, of course, mariachi classics like “Mujeres Divina” and “Volver.”

Most Independence Day celebrations are canceled for 2020, due to COVID-19. However, if you want to know where and when you can catch the next performance, follow the 44th Army Band on Facebook.

And if you just can't wait to see them perform live, you can find videos of the band playing “Volver” and other favorites at some 2018 performances on YouTube.