By Cheryl Smith Kemp
"I have a letter from my Secretary of War that's saying that I'm a hero," said World War II veteran Frank Segura of an Oct. 31, 1945, statement about him by then-Secretary of War Robert P. Patterson.
"I think my buddies that didn't come back are my heroes," Segura added, noting that he doesn't consider himself special.
By Miguel A. Castro
When it came to his safety, Salvador Valades knew he could always rely on his mother's prayers.
I really don't know what she prayed over us, but I know I felt blessed," Valades said.
As a young man, on the morning of March 13, 1945, he felt that her prayers saved his life. Valades' company, the 94th Infantry Division, was attempting to capture a concrete fortification in Germany located at the top of a hill. German forces defended their position with heavy fire.
By Ginny Snyder
Surrounded by news of the war in Europe, and with most of his friends already called to duty, Gabriel Valades enlisted in the Army in March of 1943 despite his parents’ concern. Even though his arrival came in the war's last days, Valades managed to witness the destruction and devastation of World War II firsthand.
"My memories of this trip," he said, "were of sadness and devastation." The people begged for food and cigarettes, elderly people and young children roamed the streets, and their homes and towns were virtually destroyed.