World War II Honoree

Jesus C. Garcia

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Laredo, Texas

Honored By

Douglas M. Alford, USN

HE JOINED THE UNITED STATES ARMY ON APRIL 14, 1941 AT THE AGE OF 20. HE WAS SWORN IN AT FORT MCINTOSH, LAREDO, TEXAS AND TOOK BASIC TRAINING AT FORT WOLTERS NEAR FORT WORTH, TEXAS. ASSIGNED TO THE 4505TH ARMY AIR CORPS BASE UNIT AS AN INFANTRYMAN. AFTERWARD, HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO NEW YORK CITY FOR FURTHER TRANSFER TO ENGLAND ONBOARD A TROOP SHIP. AFTER LANDING IN ENGLAND ON OCTOBER 19, 1943 HE RECEIVED ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN PREPARATION FOR THE LANDING IN NORMANDY. LANDED AT NORMANDY ON JUNE 7, 1944 AND PROCEEDED ON THROUGH ST LO WHERE HE ENTERED INTO COMBAT WITH THE GERMAN TROOPS. HE PROCEEDED ON THROUGH FRANCE INTO BELGIUM WHERE HE SAW COMBAT AT THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. WAS INJURED IN THIS BATTLE WHERE HE RECEIVED SHRAPNEL TO HIS HEAD. HE WAS IN THE FIELD HOSPITAL, THEN TRANSFERRED TO PARIS, FRANCE WHERE HE WAS HOSPITALIZED. WHEN HE RETURNED TO COMBAT HE WAS ASSIGNED MILITARY POLICE DUTIES. SAW ADDITIONAL DUTIES IN BELGIUM AND GERMANY. WAS IN COMBAT ACROSS GERMANY INTO CZECHOSLOVAKIA WHERE HE SAW THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS FIRST HAND. THE REMAINDER OF HIS TOUR WAS SERVED AS A MILITARY POLICEMAN GUARDING PRISONERS OF WAR AS THEY WERE RELEASED AFTER THE SURRENDER OF GERMANY ON AUGUST 25, 1945. HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO MARSEILLES, FRANCE WHERE HE WAS RELEASED FROM COMBAT AND PLACED ON A TROOP SHIP BACK TO NEW YORK CITY. IN NEW YORK, AFTER A SHORT LEAVE, HE WAS PLACED ON A TROOP TRAIN BACK TO KELLY FIELD, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS WHERE HE WAS RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY ON NOVEMBER 14, 1945. DURING HIS TOUR HE RECEIVED THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, DISTINGUISHED UNIT BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND PURPLE HEART MEDAL.