The
Mt.Mestas
Memorial
Monument |
|
The
Mt.Mestas
Memorial
Monument
was erected
of Colorado
rose granite
from Mt.Mestas
and engraved
with the
names of
63 men of
Huerfano
County,
Colorado
who died
in World
War II.
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Felix
Belois
Mestas,
Jr.
Private
First
Class
350th
Infantry
Regiment
Company
G
88th
Infantry
Division
Blue
Devils
Born
Aug
23,
1921
La
Veta,
Colorado
Died
in
Battle
Monte
Battaglia
Italy
Sept
29,
1944
|
Junior
was
postumously
awarded
the
Silver
Star.
|
During
the
early
1940s,
before
World
War
II
from
Pueblo
to
Trinidad,
Colorado,
anytime
anybody
mentioned
"Junior"
they
were
talking
about
Felix
B.
Mestas,
Jr.
Junior,
son
to
Felix
and
Sadie
Mestas
of
La
Veta,
Colorado,
brother
to
Waldo,
Arabella,
Olivia,
Grayce,
Stella
and
Malinda
Mestas,
died
a
hero's
death,
on
an
Italian
battle
front,
in
one
of
the
bloodiest
battles
of
the
war
on
September
29,
1944,
just
a
month
after
his
23rd
birthday.
His
bravery
that
day
was
reported
but
for
a
while
his
identity
remained
a
mystery,
lending
him
the
title
of
"The
Unknown
Hero
of
Battle
Mountain".
Soon
after,
the
complete
story
came
out.
Reported
in
newspapers
and
magazines
everywhere,
the
nation
read
accounts
of
how
PFC
Felix
B.
Mestas'
unit,
Army's
350th
Infantry
Regiment
-
88th
Infantry
Division,
after
sustaining
three
days
of
seige
from
oncoming
Nazi
soldiers,
successfully
held
Monte
Battaglia,
a
strategic
hilltop
position.
At
the
time,
Mestas
held
the
most
northern
position
of
the
all
the
Allied
Forces
in
northern
Italy.
Witnesses
recounted
how
Mestas
died
on
the
third
day
of
fighting.
With
only
one
can
of
food
rations
and
one
clip
of
ammo
left
between
them,
Mestas
stood
up
in
the
face
of
yet
another
attack
from
the
raging
enemy
soldiers
and
waved
his
buddies
off
to
safety.
Then,
with
his
20
pound
Browning
automatic
rifle
slung
off
his
hip
and
without
hope
for
his
own
survival,
he
stood
up
-
and
laid
down
enough
fire
cover
for
the
three
remaining
members
of
his
unit
to
escape
from
the
overrunning
enemy.
Twent-six
Germans
died.
The
350th
Infantry
Regiment
was
awarded
the
Presidential
Unit
Citation
and
forever
christened
with
the
nickname
"
The
Battle
Mountain
Regiment".
Mestas'
Company
Commander
Captain
Robert
Roeder
was
awarded
the
Medal
of
Honor
for
his
actions
in
this
battle.
Mestas
was
investigated
for
a
Medal
of
Honor
citation
and
postumously
awarded
the
Silver
Star
Medal.
At
home,
people
wanted
to
memorialize
PFC
Mestas
and
lobbied
to
rename
Mt.
Baldy,
a
nearby
mountain
that
had
been
Junior's
backyard
for
all
of
his
life
where
he
spent
many
days
hunting
and
fishing,
to
Mt.Mestas
in
his
honor.
Read
the
Silver
Star
Citation.
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The
Monument
The
Mt.Mestas
Memorial
Monument
was
commissioned
in
1955
by
the
local
VFW
for
$500
and
erected
of
Colorado
rose
granite
from
the
mountain
named
for
PFC
Mestas
and
engraved
with
the
names
of
63
men
of
Huerfano
County
who
died
in
World
War
II.
Every
Memorial
Day
since
people
have
gathered
at
the
mountain
monument
to
pay
tribute
to
all
of
Huerfano
county's
fallen
war
heros.
The
original
location
of
the
monument
was
200
miles
south
of
Denver,
Colorado
at
a
roadway
turn-out
up
on
the
La
Veta
pass
highway.
Over
the
years
the
stone
memorial
was
subject
to
vandalisn
from
people
shooting
at
it
and
the
stone
had
to
be
repaired
several
times.
Decades
later
it
was
decided
to
move
the
monument
and
it
was
placed
into
storage
in
nearby
Walsenburg.
About
1998
the
stone
was
repaired
and
re-engraved
and
at
that
time
several
of
the
names
on
the
monument
were
misspelled
and
remain
that
way
today
due
to
the
cost
of
repairing
the
stone
once
again.
Shortly
afterwards
the
monument
was
relocated
to
a
new
permanent
home
with
a
special
visitor's
area
made
for
it
in
the
parking
lot
outside
of
the
front
entry
of
the
Veteran's
Hospital
located
on
the
highway
outside
of
Walsenburg. 
|
The
Mt.Mestas
Memorial
Monument
Names
Project
How,
where
and
when
most
of
the
men
named
on
the
Mt.Mestas
Memorial
Monument
died
is
all
but
lost
and
forgotten
information
today.
This
website
is
for
them
and
I
am
looking
for
contributions
of
any
pictures,
articles,
letters,
stories
or
other
information
about
my
uncle,
Felix
B.
Mestas
Jr.,
the
Mt.Mestas
Memorial
Monument
or
any
information
about
the
63
men
named
it,
or
the
names
of
any
friends
or
family
of
the
men
listed.
If
you
can
help
or
just
want
to
say
hello
please
contact
me.
Gary
Smith
484
B
Washington
Street
Box
178
Monterey
,
Ca.
93940
Phone
:
831-801-9261
Email
:
info@MtMestasMemorialMonument.com
If
you
would
like
to
know
more
about
PFC
Felix
B.
Mestas,
Jr.
and
the
story
of
the
88th
infantry
Division
Blue
Devils
or
the
invasion
of
Italy
and
World
War
II
please
visit
my
Blue
Devils
research
website
www.MtMestas.com.
Flash
Intro
-
This
is
an
old
Flash
Intro
from
the
MtMestas.com
website.
Turn
on
your
sound.
When
it
starts
hit
F11
key
for
full
screen
view. |
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The memorial was refaced due to vandalism
and several
names
were misspelled.
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The
monument was relocated
to the
parking
lot of
the Veteran's
Hospital
near Walsenburg,
Colorado.
 |
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A special visitor's area was`
made for it.
 |
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Mestas |
Newspaper
Articles |
|
The
thumbnail
index
below
is
in
chronological
order. |
Click
on
any
image
to
read
and
article
will
open
in
a
new
window. |
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Mestas
Magazines
Articles
Click
on
any
link
or
image
to
read
and
article
will
open
in
a
new
window. |
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The
Mt.Mestas
Memorial
Monument
Biographies
There
are
63
names
engraved
on
the
Mt.Mestas
Memorial
Monument
of
people
from
Huerfano
County,
Colorado
who
died
during
World
War
II.
Our
goal
is
to
have
each
one
of
them
represented
here
on
this
website
so
that
we
all
can
know
who
they
were.
If
you
know
anything
about
any
of
the
persons
named
on
the
Mt.Mestas
Memorial
Monument
please
help
by
contributing
pictures,
newpaper
clippings,
magazine
articles
or
a
biography
of
their
militay
service.
|
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|
Biographies
Mt.Mestas
Memorial
Monument
Looking
for
contributions
of
any
pictures,
articles,
letters,
stories
or
other
information
about
Felix
B.
Mestas
Jr.,
the
Mt.Mestas
Memorial
Monument
or
any
of
the
63
men
named
on
it,
or
the
names
of
any
friends
or
family
of
the
men
listed.
If
you
can
help
please
contact
me
at
email
:
info@MtMestasMemorialMonument.com.
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Paul
D.
Andrews
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Rank:
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Service
#
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Unit:
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Date: |
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Buried: |
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Died:: |
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Awards: |
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Links: |
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Soterios
L.
Angeles
|
Rank:
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Private
U.S.
Army |
Service
#
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37352673 |
Unit:
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Date: |
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Buried: |
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Died:: |
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Awards: |
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Links: |
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John
L.
Archuleta |
Rank:
|
Private
U.S.
Army
Air
Force |
Service
#
|
38006092 |
Unit:
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Date: |
Died:
21
November,
1944 |
Buried: |
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Died: |
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Awards: |
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Links: |
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Lee
Livinio
Archuleta |
Rank:
|
Private
U.S.
Army |
Service
#
|
38006092 |
Unit:
|
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Date: |
Born:
1919
Died:
9
March,
1942 |
Buried: |
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Died: |
Died
Non-Battle |
Awards: |
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Links: |
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The
45th
Infantry
Division
was
activated
on
16
September
1940
and
trained
at
Fort
Sill,
Camp
Barkeley,
Fort
Devens,
Pine
Camp
and
Camp
Pickett
in
preparation
for
the
invasion
of
Italy
and
on
8
June
1943,
sailed
for
the
Mediterranean
region
and
landed
in
North
Africa
on
22
June
1943
and
trained
at
Arzew,
French
Morocco
for
the
invasion
of
Sicily.
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Lucindo
Archuleta |
Rank:
|
Private
U.S.
Army
|
Service
#
|
37706993 |
Unit:
|
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Date: |
Died:
October
21,
1944 |
Buried: |
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Died: |
Killed
In
Action
Emberménil,
France |
Awards: |
Purple
Heart |
Links: |
|
After
training
in
the
United
Kingdom
from
17
April
1944,
the
79th
Infantry
Division
landed
on
Utah
Beach,
Normandy,
12–14
June.
The
Division
cut
across
the
Moselle
and
Meurthe
Rivers,
13–23
September,
cleared
the
Foret
de
Parroy
in
a
severe
engagement,
28
September–9
October,
and
attacked
to
gain
high
ground
east
of
Emberménil,
14–23
October,
when
it
was
relieved,
24
October.
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James
W.
Babbitt |
Rank:
|
Master
Sergeant
U.S.
Army
Air
Force |
Service
#
|
38103256 |
Unit:
|
1330th
Army
Air
Force
Base
Unit
Jorhat,
India
|
Date: |
Died:
March
5,
1945 |
Buried: |
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Died: |
|
Awards: |
Distinguished
Flying
Cross
Air
Medal |
Links: |
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Albert
Bain |
Rank:
|
Second
Lieutenant
U.S.
Army
Air
Force
|
Service
#
|
0-405723 |
Unit:
|
Army
Air
Corps
|
Date: |
Died:
January
24,
1943 |
Buried: |
Missing
in
Action
or
Buried
at
Sea
Tablets
of
the
Missing
at
East
Coast
Memorial
New
York
City,
USA |
Died: |
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Awards: |
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Links: |
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Felix
Barros
|
Rank:
|
Technician
5th
Class
U.S.
Army |
Service
#
|
37350071 |
Unit:
|
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Date: |
Died:
July
25,
1944 |
Buried: |
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Died: |
Drowned
in
the
overflow
of
the
Magwitang
River |
Awards: |
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Links: |
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The
China-Burma-India
Theater
1944
-
In
coordination
with
the
opening
of
the
Ledo
Road
in
the
initial
phase
of
the
Burma
campaign,
the
330th
Engineers
were
bridging
the
rivers
and
opening
the
way
through
dense
jungle
for
tanks
and
infantry.
During
April
the
first
of
the
monsoon
rains
began,
thus
impeding
the
progress
of
the
road.
The
Magwitang
rose
to
a
height
of
6
to
12
feet
above
the
road's
finished
sub-grade.
To
carry
the
road
across
the
flooded
section
of
the
Magwitang
Valley,
Brig.
Gen.
Pick
on
4
July
ordered
the
construction
of
a
causeway,
18
inches
above
high
water
level.
Tec-5
Felix
Barros,
37350071,
Company
"E"
was
drowned
on
25
July
in
the
overflow
of
the
Magwitang
River,
paralleling
the
Causeway.
Burial
services
were
held
on
28
July.
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On
10
August
the
project
was
completed
and
the
first
convoy
crossed
the
Magwitang
Causeway
headed
for
Tinkawk.
Source:
Unit
History
330th
Engineer
Regiment
China
-
Burma-India
Theater
of
World
War
II.
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George
Bechaver |
Rank:
|
Staff
Sargent
U.S.
Army
|
Service
#
|
38104263 |
Unit:
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Date: |
Born:
2
August
1909
Died:
20
September
1944 |
Buried: |
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Died: |
Killed
In
Action
Battle
for
Wallendorf
Bridge,
Germany |
Awards: |
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Links: |
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On
19
Sep
1944
orders
were
received
from
V
Corps
for
operations
for
20
September
to
consolidate
present
bridgehead
positions
and
prepare
for
offensive
action
to
North,
Northeast
or
South,
and
continue
protection
of
the
Luxembourg
area.
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By
0110,
20
September,
all
of
the
artillery
of
the
Division
had
displaced
West
of
the
river.During
the
day
the
1st
and
2d
Battalions,
112th
Inf
Regt,
were
attacked
by
the
enemy
but
held
the
WALLENDORF
bridge
under
heavy
artillery
and
mortar
fire
and
in
close
contact
with
enemy
ground
troops.
CCB
continued
its
pressure
North
of
the
bridge.
An
enemy
tank
and
infantry
attack
from
the
North
was
repulsed.
CCA
continued
its
patrol
activity,
with
negative
reports.
CCA
artillery
destroyed
one
armored
vehicle
and
a
freight
train
in
the
vicinity
of
GREVENMACKER.
At
1605,
a
heavy
artillery
concentration
was
placed
on
the
hostile
forces
in
BIESDORF,
followed
by
a
strafing
from
planes.
At
1200,
CCB
reported
the
1st
and
2d
Battalions,
112th
Inf
Regt,
were
moving
into
position
on
the
right
flank,
and
that
the
air
support
was
temporarily
neutralizing
the
enemy.
At
1745,
orders
were
received
from
V
Corps
for
operations
21
September:
Continue
mission
under
current
orders
maintain
and
improve
all
positions,
mop
up
areas
and
prepare
for
further
advance
to
the
East.
At
2130
CCR
was
ordered
to
place
on
tank
company
in
position
along
the
road
East
of
the
river
and
South
of
Wallendorf,
to
prevent
movement
of
enemy
along
the
river.
During
the
night
the
enemy
demolished
both
the
treadway
bridge
and
timber
bridge
at
Wallendorf
and
mined
approaches
on
German
side.
Source:
5th
Armored
Division
Historical
Narratives |
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Mike
Buka |
Rank:
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Service
#
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Unit:
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Date: |
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Buried: |
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Died: |
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Awards: |
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Links: |
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Joe
Castello |
Rank:
|
Private
First
Class
U.S.
Army
|
Service
#
|
38009698 |
Unit:
|
Field
Artillery |
Date: |
Born:
27
Jan,
1915
Died:
13
Jan,
1945 |
Buried: |
St.
Mary's
South
Cemetery
Huerfano
County,
Colorado
|
Died: |
Died
Of
Wounds |
Awards: |
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Links: |
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Pete
W.
Chavka |
Rank:
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Corporal
U.S.
Marine
Corps
|
Service
#
|
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Unit:
|
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Date: |
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Buried: |
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Died: |
Missing
in
Action
-
2
June,
1944 |
Awards: |
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Links: |
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Robert
E.
Choid |
Rank:
|
Second
Class
Radarman
(RD2)
|
Service
#
|
3722979 |
Unit:
|
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Date: |
Died:
25
October,
1944 |
Buried: |
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Died: |
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Awards: |
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Links: |
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John
Christoff |
Rank:
|
Seaman
2nd
Class
U.S.
Navy
|
Service
#
|
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Unit:
|
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Date: |
Born:
11
Jan,
1922
Died:
10
Dec,
1940 |
Buried: |
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Died: |
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Awards: |
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Links: |
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Robert
Cordova |
Rank:
|
Private
U.S.
Army
|
Service
#
|
18000435 |
Unit:
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Date: |
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Buried: |
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Died: |
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Awards: |
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Links: |
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Monico
J.
Cortez |
Rank:
|
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Service
#
|
37328384 |
Unit:
|
191st
Tank
Destroyer
Battalion |
Date: |
Born:
24
Oct,
1912
Died:
25
Apr
,
1944 |
Buried: |
Maes
Creek
Cemetary
|
Died: |
By
shell
fire
on
Anzio,
Italy
beachhead.
|
Awards: |
Silver
Star
Medal
|
Links: |
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Click
on
image
to
read
 |
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Francis
B.
Denton
|
Rank:
|
Sargent
U.S.
Army
|
Service
#
|
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Unit:
|
90th
Infantry
Division
357th
Infantry
Regiment
Company
L
|
Date: |
Born:
13
Nov
1919
Died:
7
July
44 |
Buried: |
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Died: |
Purple
Heart |
Awards: |
Killed
In
Action
|
Links: |
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The
90th
Infantry
Division
landed
in
England,
5
April
1944,
and
trained
from
10
April
to
4
June.
First
elements
of
the
division
saw
action
on
D-Day,
6
June,
on
Utah
Beach,
Normandy,
the
remainder
entering
combat
10
June,
cutting
across
the
Merderet
River
to
take
Pont
l'Abbe
in
heavy
fighting.
The
357th
had
entered
the
battle
on
July
5
to
relieve
part
of
the
358th.
The
outfit
was
stopped
cold
outside
of
Beau
Coudray
in
a
day-long
battle
but
continued
to
trade
blows
there
for
six
bitter
days.
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After
defensive
action
along
the
river
Douve,
the
division
attacked
to
clear
the
Foret
de
Mont-Castre
(Hill
122),
clearing
it
by
11
July,
in
spite
of
fierce
resistance.
An
attack
on
the
island
of
Saint-Germain-sur-Sèves
failing,
23
July,
the
90th
bypassed
it
and
took
Périers,
27
July.
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Andrew
Dick,
Jr. |
Rank:
|
Technical
Sergeant
U.S.
Army
Air
Force |
Service
#
|
|
Unit:
|
|
Date: |
Died:
24
February
1944 |
Buried: |
Hungen,
Germany
25
February
1944
|
Died: |
Sgt.
Dick's
B-17
bomber
aircraft
exploded
in
midair
and
crashed
near
the
village
of
Hungen,
Germany,
on
24
February
1944. |
Awards: |
|
Links: |
|
24
Feb
44
-
Walsenburg:
Staff
Sgt.
Andrew
Dick
Jr.
was
reported
missing
in
action
over
Germany
in
a
raid
February
24.
22
May
46
-
Walsenburg
World-Independent
-
Dicks
Get
Word
Of
Death
Of
Son
In
Germany
-
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Andrew
Dick
Sr.,
of
this
city,
have
received
official
notification
of
the
death
of
their
son,
Technical
Sergeant
Andrew
Dick
Jr.,
who
has
been
on
the
“missing
in
action”
list
of
the
Army
records
since
March
10,
1944.
The
notification
came
from
Leon
W.
Johnson,
Brigadier
General,
chief
of
the
personnel
services
division
U.
S.
Army
Forces,
Washington.
Records
of
the
AAF,
General
Johnson
states,
shows
that
Sgt.
Dick's
aircraft,
a
B-17
Flying
Fortress
bomber,
exploded
in
midair
and
crashed
near
the
village
of
Hungen,
Germany,
on
Feb.
24,
1944.
His
body
was
interred
in
Hungen
on
Feb.
25.
This
town
is
13
miles
southeast
of
Giessen.
This
information
was
gathered
from
the
translation
of
several
volumes
of
captured
German
records,
the
letter
states.
Young
Dick
was
inducted
into
the
service
on
November
4,
1942,
and
was
shipped
overseas
in
November
11,
1943,
where
he
was
based
in
England.
He
was
reported
missing
March
10,
1944.
He
was
a
gradate
of
Huerfano
county
high
school,
class
of
1939,
and
took
work
at
Barnes
Business
college,
Denver
and
Angola
Tri-State,
Angola,
Indiana,
prior
to
his
induction. |
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Robert
F.
Dickinson |
Rank:
|
LTJG
Navy
Air
Corps
|
Service
#
|
0-298914
|
Unit:
|
|
Date: |
Died:
17
Jan
46
|
Buried: |
|
Died: |
|
Awards: |
|
Links: |
|
Aug
43
-
La
Veta:
Gold
wings
and
a
commission
as
ensign
in
the
Navy
Air
Corps
were
awarded
last
week
to
Robert
F.
Dickinson. |
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Henry
Dunich |
Rank:
|
Private
First
Class
|
Service
#
|
|
Unit:
|
96th
Infantry
Division
383rd
Infantry
Regiment
|
Date: |
Born:
28
Dec
1925
|
Buried: |
|
Died: |
Died:
15
Jul
1945 |
Awards: |
|
Links: |
|
|
21
July
44
-
Henry
Dunich,
brother
of
Tom,
left
this
morning
for
induction
into
the
army
at
Fort
Logan.
|
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Tom
Dunich |
Rank:
|
|
Service
#
|
|
Unit:
|
106th
Infanrty
Regiment |
Date: |
Born:
20
Oct
23
Died:
28
Jun
44 |
Buried: |
|
Awards: |
|
Links: |
|
|
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21
July
44
-
Walsenburg
World
Independent
-
Tom
Dunich
Reported
Wounded
In
Saipan
Action-Pfc.
Tom
M.
Dunich,
21,
son
of
Mr.
and
Mrs.
John
Dunich,
121
Champa
Street,
Loma
Park,
has
been
reported
seriously
wounded
in
action
on
Saipan,
June
25,
according
to
word
received
Saturday
by
his
parents
from
the
War
department.
No
further
details
were
contained
in
the
telegram
received
here.
Dunich,
a
graduate
in
the
class
of
1943
from
Huerfano
county
high
school,
entered
the
army
July
2,
1943,
and
took
his
basic
training
at
Camp
Roberts,
Calif.
He
was
sent
overseas
in
February
of
this
year
and
had
been
stationed
in
Hawaii.
Henry
Dunich,
brother
of
Tom,
left
this
morning
for
induction
into
the
army
at
Fort
Logan.
1947
-
The
body
of
Pfc.
Tom
Dunich
will
arrive
tomorrow,
Friday,
for
burial
with
full
military
honors
and
services,
by
the
Walsenburg
Croatian
Fraternal
Union
No.
292.
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Gabe
Duran |
Rank:
|
Private
First
Class |
Service
#
|
|
Unit:
|
359th
Infantry
Regiment |
Date: |
Born:
18
Mar
1913
Died:
26
Sep
1944 |
Buried: |
|
Died: |
|
Awards: |
|
Links: |
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Warren
M.
Farrar,
Jr. |
Rank:
|
A.R.M
3rd
Class
U.S.
Navy
Reserve
|
Service
#
|
|
Unit:
|
|
Date: |
Born:
1922
Died:
.1943
|
Buried: |
|
Died: |
|
Awards: |
|
Links: |
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Stephen
J.
Glinsky |
Rank:
|
Private |
Service
#
|
|
Unit:
|
|
Date: |
Born:
14
Jan
1914
Died:
26
Nov
1944
|
Buried: |
22
Apr
1948
-
St.
Mary's
Walsenburg,
Co.
|
Died: |
|
Awards: |
|
Links: |
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Armando
Gomez,
Jr. |
Rank:
|
FL
O
Army
Air
Force |
Service
#
|
T-129023 |
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