World War II Honoree

Dolores M. Zabala

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Upland, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Inducted into the United States Army from California, with recruit training at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. Upon his graduation from boot camp, he was transferred to Fort Benning, Georgia for paratrooper combat training. Following his infantry training, he served with Easy Company, Second Battalion, 188th Infantry Regiment a subordinate unit of the 11th Airborne ‘Angeles’ Division. The division on the Ninth of January 1945 participated in the invasion of Luzon Island, against the Imperial Japanese armed forces (Battle Dates: January 9-August 15, 1945) Code Name: S-Day Location: South Pacific Theater of Operations. After capturing Fort McKinley and Nichols Airfield, his division took part in the liberation of Manila March 3, 1945. Once the capitol was liberated, the Eleventh Paratroopers spent weeks mopping up resistance on Luzon. Sunday, February 4, 1945 he was mortally wounded, during a combat operation, and his Brothers-in-Arms buried him in the field. In the post-war era, personnel from a Graves Registration Company disinterred his remains from the field cemetery, and were laid to rest in the United States Armed Forces Cemetery Location: Manila #2, Philippine Islands. His family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at Manila American Cemetery Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippine Islands. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.