World War II Honoree

Jose Elpitio Arredondo

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Laredo, Texas

Honored By

Douglas M. Alford, USN

HE WAS 21 YEARS OLD WHEN HE WAS SWORN IN AT FORT SAM HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS ON MAY 26, 1944. HE RECEIVED BASIC TRAINING AT THE NAVAL TRAINING CENTER AT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. AFTERWARD, HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO CAMP PENDLETON FOR ADDITIONAL TRAINING INCLUDING INFANTRY AND RIFLE TRAINING. AT THE COMPLETION OF THIS, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE WEAPONS COMPANY, 7TH MARINE, FIRST MARINE DIVISION AND SHIPPED OUT ON A TRANSPORT TO THE ISLAND OF PAUPA IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS. THERE WAS NO COMBAT TRAINING THERE AS THE AREA HAD BEEN CLEARED OF THE JAPANESE. HE AGAIN WENT TO GUADALCANAL AND FOUND THE AREA TO BE ALSO CLEARED OUT. IN SUPPORT OF THE COMING UP INVASION OF JAPAN HE WAS BOUND FOR OKINAWA WHERE HE TRAINED IN THE HALF TRACK AND THE FULL TRACK LANDING PROCEDURES. WHILE TRAINING ON THE 75MM AND 150MM WEAPONS ON THE HALF AND FULL TRACK, A GRENADE WENT OFF AND INJURED HIS HAND. HE RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART FOR THIS INJURY. WHEN THE BOMB WAS DROPPED ON JAPAN THE WAR ENDED FOR HIM AND HE WAS SHIPPED TO CHINA TO PREPARE THE JAPANESE PRISONERS RETURN TO JAPAN. AT THE COMPLETION OF THIS OPERATION HE WAS SHIPPED BACK TO SAN FRANCISCO ON A TROOP SHIP TO BE RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY. HE TOOK A TROOP TRAIN TO FORT SAM HOUSTON WHERE HE WAS RELEASED WITH AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE TO RETURN TO HIS HOMETOWN OF LAREDO ON MAY 4, 1946. DURING HIS TOUR HE RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART, ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL AND GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL.