World War II Honoree

Juan Ramirez

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Peñitas, Texas

Honored By

Ricardo Alanis

He enlisted on January 21, 1941 in the 141st Infantry Regiment (First Texas). It was known as the 'Alamo Regiment' because of the unit motto 'Remember the Alamo'. He joined the U.S. Army one month after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. He trained with the 141st Infantry at Camp Bowie, Brownwood, Texas. The 141st Infantry Division sailed out of New York aboard a troop transporter ship on a convoy to Africa. The troops and equipment flooded across the ocean in preparation for the invasion in Africa, the Middle East, and Italy for a victory in the Italian Campaign that would change the course of the war with the Germans. He landed in Oran, Algeria in North Africa and fought his way to Sicily, Italy ending up in Northern Italy. He was an M-1 Infantry Rifleman and Ammunition Bearer. He always made sure soldiers had artillery and ammunition. He and the 141st Infantry fought directly and indirectly in the following battles: Operation Torch, Battle of Sicily, Battle in the Gulf of Salerno, Battle of Paestum, Battle of Naples, Battle of San Pietro, Battle of Cassino, Battle of Rapido River, Battle of Arizio, and Battle of Velletri were he was wounded on his right arm and leg with an enemy grenade shrapnel. He and about half dozen soldiers on a recon mission took a wrong turn and were lost. They ended in enemy territory, were captured by the Germans, and held Prisoner of War. It was in this prison holding trench that he was badly beaten with the butt of a German rifle, and then stabbed. The prisoners were on the move, walking to a permanent prison camp destination in Germany. A squadron of British Royal Air Force Spitfire Aircraft on a bombing mission saw the enemy convoy and turned around to attack the German convoy with machine gun bullets. Most of the American prisoners ran for cover and escaped hiding in the forest while the German soldiers fired their weapons at the prisoners. He traveled at night while hiding in the daytime, so he would not be captured. He used the sound of tank fire to find his unit. Luckily, he found his unit in the field and received needed medical treatment for his wounds. Fighting in North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe for 14 months, he was sent home in a hospital ship to recover from his injuries sustained in battles of the Italian Campaign of WWII. For his service to his country, he earned the following medals: The Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, American Defense Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Bars, Good Conduct Medal, and European-African-Middle Eastern Medal.