World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
J. T. Fretwell
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Austin, Texas
Honored By
John C. Burkhardt, SVC MOPH, Chapter 1919, Austin, Texas
HE WAS DRAFTED INTO THE ARMY IN OCTOBER 1942. AFTER COMPLETING TRAINING AT FORT LEWIS WASHINGTON HE WAS ASSIGNED TO COMPANY B, 130TH INFANTRY, 33RD INFANTRY DIVISION FROM OCTOBER 3, 1942 UNTIL NOVEMBER 11, 1945. DURING HIS OVERSEAS ASSIGNMENT HE WAS STATIONED THROUGHOUT THE CENTRAL PACIFIC AREA OF OPERATION, SERVING IN NEW GUINEA, NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES AND THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. WHILE IN LUZON, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS ON APRIL 22, 1945, HE WAS ASSIGNED AS THE LEAD SCOUT TO RECONNOITER THE APPROACHES TO 'ZEBRA HILL', A JAPANESE STRONGHOLD AND VERY IMPORTANT AMERICAN OBJECTIVE. AS HE APPROACHED A SMALL HILL HE COULD CLEARLY HEAR ENEMY VOICES. HE DROPPED TO THE GROUND AND STARTED CRAWLING, INCHING HIS WAY FORWARD, TO DETERMINE THEIR EXACT LOCATION AND NUMBERS. SOON HE WAS SPOTTED BY AN ENEMY SOLDIER THAT STARTED FIRING AT HIM. THAT ENEMY SOLDIER WAS IMMEDIATELY KILLED BY THE SERGEANT ASSIGNED TO PROVIDE HIM COVERING FIREPOWER. SHORTLY THERE WAS A BARRAGE OF ENEMY FIRE RAINING DOWN ON HIM UNDER TREMENDOUS ENEMY FIRE HE WAS ABLE TO RETURN SHOT FOR SHOT, KILLING TWO MORE ENEMY SOLDIERS. THEN THE WORST THING HAPPENED, HIS GUN JAMMED. SEEING THIS, TWO MORE ENEMY SOLDIERS CHARGED HIM WITH FIXED BAYONETS. BEING TOO CLOSE FOR THE SERGEANT TO USE HIS MACHINE GUN, HE QUICKLY THREW IT DOWN, PICKED UP A RIFLE AND SHOT ONE OF THE CHARGING ENEMY, JUST AS HE TACKLED THE OTHER. THEY BEGAN TO GRAPPLE WITH J. T. BEING EXPOSED TO THE ENEMY AND HIS FELLOW INFANTRYMEN, WHO IN TURN SEEING WHAT WAS GOING ON BEGAN TO CHEER FOR HIM. WITH THE SUPPORT OF HIS CHEERING SECTION HE WAS ABLE TO SOON FINISH OFF THE REMAINING ENEMY COMBATANT. ONCE HE WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO SAFETY, HE REMOVED HIS BACKPACK, TO DISCOVER THAT HIS RAINCOAT WAS RIDDLED WITH HOLES PROVIDED BY THE ENEMY. AMONG HIS AWARDS AND CITATIONS ARE THE ASIATIC PACIFIC CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH TWO CAMPAIGN STARS; THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL; PHILIPPINE LIBERATION RIBBON WITH ONE STAR DEVICE; THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN'S BADGE AND THE PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN COMBAT.