Book Description

Military Heroes of Guadalupe County is being written to remember the sacrifices made by soldiers from our county over the last century and a half. Included are vignettes about soldiers from the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War. Though Guadalupe county did not come into existence until 1893, there were soldiers from the area that saw action during the Civil War or moved into the area at a later date. Included in Military Heroes are vignettes about nineteen soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice for their country. They died as a result of hostile enemy action. There are also four included who died accidental deaths while serving their country. Three of the four were killed in military airplane crashes. There are five included who earned the Bronze Star, four who received the Silver Star, one who earned the Navy Cross at Pearl Harbor, and one recipient of the nation's highest military honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor. There are also twenty-one who earned a Purple Heart. The medal is presented to those who were wounded in action. It is also awarded to servicemen who were killed in action. Also included are vignettes about servicemen whose deeds may be considered humorous or whimsical, although most are quite serious. Also included in the individual vignettes are photographs of most of the soldiers in Military Heroes. There are also various items of ephemera used to tell their stories. Some of the individual vignettes include messages that may have been sent home, candid pictures, a sailor's last will and testament, and even applications for gravestones. All help tell the grim reality of war. Military Heroes is not intended to be all inclusive but rather to include a cross section of those who served in the military from Guadalupe county and the sacrifices they made in defense of their country. More importantly, many of those included played a very important role in their military service. One of the soldiers played an especially important role in helping to bring World War II to an end. He was on the Enola Gay as it flew over Hiroshima to deliver its payload on that fateful day in August 1945.