A New Mexico Hero of World War II That Many Have Never Heard Of This is a short story about PFC Jose Valdez Recipient of the Medal of Honor
By Ken Riege USAF Veteran
I have included his Medal of Honor Citation for all to read: Jose F. Valdez was born on Jose F. Valdez 3 January 1925 and raised in Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Gobernador, NM, which is now Company B, 7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division a ghost town. Jose Valdez, like Place and date: Near Rosenkrantz, France, January 25, 1945 most young Americans of the Entered service at: Pleasant Grove, Utah time, answered the call when Born: Gobernador, New Mexico their nation needed them and G.O. No.: 16, February 8, 1946 joined the fight in June 1944. Citation At the time he was living in He was on outpost duty with five others when the enemy Pleasant Grove, UT, and, upon counterattacked with overwhelming strength. From his position completion of his basic military near some woods 500 yards beyond the American lines, he training, was assigned to the 3rd observed a hostile tank about 75 yards away, and raked it Infantry Division. The 3rd ID is with automatic rifle fire until it withdrew. Soon afterward considered the most decorated he saw three Germans stealthily approaching through the division in the Army having woods. Scorning cover as the enemy soldiers opened up with earned more “Medal’s of Honor” (to include our very own heavy automatic weapons fire from a range of 30 yards, he Hershey Miyamura) than any other division in the United States engaged in a fire fight with the attackers until he had killed Army. all three. The enemy quickly launched an attack with two full On 25 Jan 1945, Pvt. Valdez was on patrol with five of his companies of infantrymen, blasting the patrol with murderous fellow soldiers near a small railway station near Rosenkranz, concentrations of automatic and rifle fire and beginning an France, when they unexpectedly confronted an enemy encircling movement which forced the patrol leader to order a counterattack. They were staring down an enemy tank when withdrawal. Despite the terrible odds, Pfc. Valdez immediately Pvt. Valdez, upon his own initiative, opened fire against the tank volunteered to cover the maneuver, and as the patrol one by one with his automatic rifle. This action made the tank withdraw. plunged through a hail of bullets toward the American lines, he Pvt. Valdez eliminated three enemy soldiers in the firefight fired burst after burst into the swarming enemy. Three of his when the Germans ordered a full-out attack and sent in two companions were wounded in their dash for safety and he was companies of infantrymen. Now an infantry company typically struck by a bullet that entered his stomach and, passing through consist of between 80 to 250 soldiers, so Pvt. Valdez and his his body, emerged from his back. Overcoming agonizing pain, fellow soldiers had more than a load of trouble headed their way. he regained control of himself and resumed his firing position, When Pvt. Valdez and his fellow soldiers received their delivering a protective screen of bullets until all others of the orders to withdrawal, without hesitation, Pvt. Valdez offered patrol were safe. By field telephone he called for artillery and to cover them. He opened fire upon the approaching enemy mortar fire on the Germans and corrected the range until he holding them off until his patrol members were able to reach had shells falling within 50 yards of his position. For 15 minutes the American lines. Pvt. Valdez was severely wounded and he refused to be dislodged by more than 200 of the enemy; somehow managed to drag himself back to the American lines. then, seeing that the barrage had broken the counter attack, Sadly, three weeks later, he died from his wounds. he dragged himself back to his own lines. He died later as a PFC Jose Valdez was laid to rest in the Santa Fe National result of his wounds. Through his valiant, intrepid stand and Cemetery with full military honors. His headstone is in Section at the cost of his own life, PFC Valdez made it possible for his Q, Site 29. Here is a picture of his headstone to encourage all to comrades to escape, and was directly responsible for repulsing visit these hallowed grounds and to pay your respects to all the an attack by vastly superior enemy force. brave men and women who have been laid to rest there.
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February 2020
