World War II Honoree

Dolores Gamboa

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Laredo, Texas

Honored By

Douglas M. Alford, USN

HE WAS SWORN INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY ON 12 APRIL 1943 AT FORT SAM HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO AFTER PRIOR SERVICE IN THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE. HE RECEIVED HIS BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP WALLACE. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 816TH ARMY AIR FORCE BASE UNIT. AFTER RECEIVING ADDITIONAL TRAINING HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO CAMP KILMER IN NEW JERSEY IN PREPARATION FOR DUTY IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. HE WAS SHIPPED OUT OF NEW YORK CITY OCTOBER 16, 1943 ON A TROOP SHIP AND ARRIVED IN LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND AFTER 15 DAYS AT SEA. THERE HE RECEIVED ADVANCE INFANTRY TRAINING IN PREPARATION FOR THE INVASION OF FRANCE AND NORMANDY. HE LANDED ON NORMANDY AFTER THE INVASION AND PROCEEDED AS PART OF GENERAL GEORGE PATTON'S 3RD ARMY. HE SAW DUTY IN NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES AND GERMANY. HE WAS THERE DURING THE COLDEST WINTER ON RECORD AND RECEIVED FROSTBITE TO HIS FEET. HE BECAME PART OF THE 175TH HEADQUARTERS, 434TH TROOP CARRIER GROUP ON 22 SEPTEMBER 1944. AFTER THE SURRENDER OF GERMANY HE WAS TRANSFERRED BACK TO THE UNITED STATES AND ASSIGNED TO THE SIOUX FALLS AUXILIARY AIR FIELD AT SIOUX, NORTH DAKOTA ON 23 JULY 1945 WHERE HE WAS RELEASED FROM DUTY ON 26 AUGUST 1945. HE WAS PLACED ON A TROOP TRAIN BACK TO FORT SAM HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. DURING HIS TOUR THE SAW COMBAT IN FRANCE, BELGIUM, LUXEMBOURG AND GERMANY. HE RECEIVED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, DISTINGUISHED UNIT BADGE, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER RIBBON, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.