World War II Honoree

Edmundo Duarte

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Laredo, Texas

Honored By

Douglas M. Alford, USN

ON SEPTEMBER 20, 1943 AT THE AGE OF 17, HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY. ON DECEMBER 20, 1943 HE PASSED THE MEDICAL EXAMINATION AND ON JANUARY 18, 1944 HE REPORTED TO FORT SAM HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS WHERE HE WAS INDUCTED OFFICIALLY. HIS FIRST STEP WAS TO REPORT TO CAMP ROBERTS AT PASO ROBLES, CALIFORNIA FOR HIS ARMY INFANTRY BASIC TRAINING FOR A 17 WEEK PERIOD. HE THEN REPORTED TO CAMP HOWZE, TEXAS FOR INFANTRY TRAINING IN THE 103RD INFANTRY DIVISION, 410TH INFANTRY REGIMENT AND 1ST PLATOON, ANTI-TANK COMPANY. HE THEN WENT TO CAMP SHANKS, NEW YORK AND THEN ON HIS WAY TO THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS FOR COMBAT DUTY. AFTER MORE TRAINING AT MARSEILLES, FRANCE, HE WAS SENT TO THE FRONT LINES ON NOVEMBER 11, 1944. HIS UNIT SOON BECAME PART OF THE 7TH ARMY COMMANDED BY GENERAL PATCH. HIS UNIT WAS SOON TO RELIEVE THE 3RD INFANTRY DIVISION. HIS UNIT WAS ORDERED TO TAKE SELESTAT ON DECEMBER 1, 1944. THIS CITY WAS ON THE ILL RIVER AND WELL DEFENDED BY THE GERMAN ARMY. IT TOOK FOUR DAYS TO TAKE THE CITY. AFTER A FEW DAYS REST THEY WERE ORDERED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HIS UNIT WAS ACTIVE IN THIS CAMPAIGN AND SOON AFTER, GERMANY SURRENDERED. HE WAS TRANSFERRED BACK TO NEW YORK WHERE HE WAS PUT ON A TROOP TRAIN BACK TO FORT SAM HOUSTON, TEXAS. HE WAS RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY AND RETURNED TO HIS HOMETOWN OF LAREDO, TEXAS.