World War II Honoree

James 'Jim' Aguilar

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Manteca, California

Honored By

A Grateful American

HE WAS DRAFTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY, REPORTING TO THE PRESIDIO IN SAN FRANCISCO IN SEPTEMBER 1943 WITH BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI. IN MARCH 1944, HIS COMPANY WAS SENT TO FORT MEADE, MARYLAND, THEN ON TO CAMP SHANKS, NEW YORK FOR PREPARATION FOR SHIPPING OUT TO EUROPE. THE TROOP SHIP TOOK NINE DAYS TO REACH GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, FOLLOWED BY A TRAIN TRIP TO ENGLAND AND A MONTH OF TRAINING ON THE BEACH. HIS UNIT MARCHED, ON JUNE 4, TO THE STAGING AREA IN SOUTHAMPTON WHERE THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS WERE WAITING TO BOARD SHIPS. ON D-DAY, JUNE 6 1944, THE SHIPS WERE LOADED, THE CHANNEL CROSSING WAS ROUGH, THE WEATHER WAS BAD, AND THE LANDING ON OMAHA BEACH WAS BRUTAL. HE EARNED TWO PURPLE HEARTS OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS AS HIS UNIT MARCHED VILLAGE-BY-VILLAGE ACROSS FRANCE AS PART OF PATTON’S THIRD ARMY. AFTER SERIOUS INJURY TO BOTH LEGS ON DECEMBER 3, 1944, HE WAS RESCUED BY THE AMERICAN RED CROSS, TRANSPORTED TO PARIS, AND THEN FLOWN TO AN ENGLISH HOSPITAL WHERE HE RECUPERATED FOR FOUR MONTHS. HE WAS THEN SENT TO MARSEILLES, FRANCE WHERE SERVED AS AN INTERPRETER FOR ONE YEAR. HE WAS FINALLY DISCHARGED IN 1946.