World War II Honoree

Jose Oscar Alvarez

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Mission, Texas

Honored By

Douglas M. Alford

He worked with a fruit packing company until he was sworn into the U.S. Army on 19 April 1943 at the military Induction Center a Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. He received his Basic Training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. After Basic Training he was transferred to Camp Campbell, Kentucky for additional training. From there the was assigned to the European Theater of operations and shipped out of New York City to Liverpool, England. He was then assigned to the 11th infantry of the 4th Division under General George Patton. He was involved in the Battle of the Bulge saw combat in the Ardennes Forest, the Rhineland and into Berlin. At the surrender of Germany he saw the conditions of the concentration camps and took lots of photos to verify the conditions. He was shipped back to the United States then to Fort Sam Houston where he received his Honorable Discharge on 6 November, 1945. He received the following commendations: The Good Conduct Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Medal with 4 Bronze Stars, The WWII Victory Medal with 3 Overseas Service Stripes. He was not injured in combat.