World War II Honoree

Reynaldo Garcia

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Laredo, Texas

Honored By

Douglas M. Alford, USN

HE WAS DRAFTED INTO THE ARMY IN AUGUST 24, 1943 WHEN HE REPORTED TO FORT SAM HOUSTON IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. HE WENT THROUGH BASIC TRAINING AT FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY. HE WAS TRAINED TO DRIVE JEEPS, HALF-TRACKS AND ARMORED VEHICLES. HE RECEIVED ADDITIONAL TRAINING AT CAMP MCCAIN, MISSISSIPPI WHERE HE WAS TRAINED AS A CONNONEER AND SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR. IN JULY 1944, HE WAS SENT TO CAMP SHANKS, NEW YORK AND ON AUGUST 6, 1944 HE LEFT NEW YORK ONBOARD THE QUEEN ELIZABETH FOR GLASGOW, SCOTLAND. ON SEPTEMBER 13, 1944 HE HEADED FOR FRANCE AND WENT BY WAY OF UTAH BEACH. HE WAS IN A FOLLOW UP TO THE INVASION. HIS FIRST EXPERIENCE WAS AT ST. LORIENT AND ST. NAZAIRE, WHERE THE INFANTRY HANDLED THE SITUATION. HE FOUGHT IN THE ARDENNES AND CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE GERMANS. WHEN THE WAR ENDED WITH THE SURRENDER OF GERMANY, HE WAS ASSIGNED WITH THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA FOR SIX MONTHS. HE RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES ON A SHIP NAMED WESTMINISTER AND WAS AT SEA FOR TWELVE DAYS. HE LANDED AT CAMP KILMER, NEW YORK AND WAS SENT ON A TROOP TRAIN TO CAMP FANNIN NEAR HOUSTON WHERE HE WAS RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY. HE WAS NOT INJURED IN ANY OF HIS DUTIES. HE RECEIVED MANY MEDALS OF WHICH HE WAS VERY PROUD.