World War II Honoree

Manuel Castillo

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Austin, Texas

Honored By

John C. Burkhardt AAG MOPH Chapter 1919, Austin, TX

BEFORE BEING DRAFTED, WAS A LABORER AND HELPED BUILD CAMP SWIFT AND CAMP HOOD, NEAR AUSTIN, TEXAS. HE WAS INDUCTED AT CAMP WOLTERS, TEXAS ON NOVEMBER 20, 1942. BASIC TRAINING WAS AT CAMP VAN DORN NEAR BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI. HIS ADVANCED TRAINING WAS AT CAMP CARSON, COLORADO WHERE HE BECAME AN EXPERT 37MM ANTI-TANK GUNNER. IN EARLY 1944 THEY TRAINED AT HUNTER-LIGGETT, CALIFORNIA AND READIED AS FILLERS TO REPLACE THE ANTICIPATED LOSSES OF THE UPCOMING D-DAY INVASIONS. IN MAY 1944 THEY WERE SHIPPED TO ENGLAND AND WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 9TH INFANTRY DIVISION. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE INITIAL JUNE 6, 1944 D-DAY LANDING HE WAS ASSIGNED TO COMPANY C, 60TH INFANTRY, 9TH INFANTRY DIVISION, AS A REPLACEMENT. HE WAS IN COMBAT FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AS THE UNIT FOUGHT ACROSS NORTHERN FRANCE, BELGIUM AND INTO GERMANY. ON OCTOBER 13, 1944 HIS COMPANY WAS UNDER ATTACK. WHILE FIRING HIS RIFLE HE FELT SOMETHING WET ON THE BACK OF HIS NECK. HE HAD BEEN HIT WITH SHRAPNEL THAT HAD RIPPED OFF HIS HELMET AND PART OF THE BACK OF HIS SKULL. THE SOLDIER NEXT TO HIM CAME TO HIS AID. IT WAS AT THIS TIME HE REALIZED HE WAS BLIND. THE SOLDIER DRAGGED HIM TO THE PROTECTION OF A SLIP TRENCH AS THE FIGHTING CONTINUED. SOON HE DETERMINED HE WAS LAYING ON TOP OF A DEAD BODY; FRIEND OR FOE HE NEVER KNEW. AS THE FIGHTING CONTINUED THEY WERE ORDERED BACK. SOON THE SAME CORPORAL CAME BACK AND DRAGGED HIM TO SAFETY WHERE HE WAS TAKEN FOR TREATMENT TO THE FIELD HOSPITAL. HE DID NOT REGAIN CONSCIOUSNESS UNTIL HE WOKE UP IN A HOSPITAL IN PARIS, FRANCE. HE WAS THEN MEDICALLY EVACUATED BACK TO THE U.S., RETURNING ON THE SAME SHIP THAT TOOK HIM TO ENGLAND, THE HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH.