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operations against an armed enemy while serving as
Commanding Officer, 3d Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action against enemy forces during the period 6 June 1944 through 7 July 1944, in France. One instance of particular note was on 20 June 1944, near Pretot, France, when Lieutenant Colonel Mendez personally led an assault on the town of Pretot through a withering concentration of observed mortar, timed artillery and machine gun cross-fire. In their first attempt to win their objective, the two assault companies were pinned to the ground by a devastating artillery barrage and suffered heavy casualties. Appreciating the danger of delay, Lieutenant Colonel Mendez crawled to a position in front of his men, leaped to his feet and led the charge which drove the enemy out of the town. By his calm disregard for personal danger and his ability to act quickly and aggressively under fire, he turned imminent catastrophe into a victory. Lieutenant Colonel Mendez's courage, calmness, judgment and devotion to duty were directly responsible for the achievement of his battalion's objective, and exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 82d Airborne Division, and the United States Army.
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The
President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry) Louis Gonzaga Mendez, Jr. (ASN: 0-23262), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military
403:
Education
Department. According to Pearson, Mendez "was national director of the Right to Read Program, an assistant education commissioner and chief of the department's Vocational and Adult Education Branch" before retiring in 1985.
335:. Having been taken by surprise, Allied troops were initially pushed back from the front, before launching a counterattack two days later. This effort included Mendez and his battalion, "who advanced as infantrymen", halting General
415:"There are so many other men who deserve medals more than I do who haven't received medals. So, what makes it special is the fact that Colonel Mendez is going to make that presentation to me. I really am honored by that."
438:
Mendez was honored on June 6, 2002, for his gallantry leading his men against the enemy and liberating Prétot-Vicquemare when the people of the village renamed its main square "La Place du
Colonel Mendez". In his book,
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251:(CC), Mendez was appointed by Governor Bob Carr to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He graduated from West Point in the Class of 1940, and was commissioned as a
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320:, in September 1944. A combined US-British operation, according to the Arlington Cemetery website, it "sought to secure strategic river crossings behind German lines in the
290:, boarded hundreds of transport planes and gliders and began the largest airborne assault in history. They were among the first soldiers to fight in Normandy, France.
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highlighted
Colonel Mendez's leadership style, recounting a speech he gave to the Allied pilots flying his battalion to the drop zone during Operation Market Garden.
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235:(Basse-Normandie) department. On June 6, 2002, the people of the village honored his memory by renaming Prétot's main square "La Place du Colonel Mendez".
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lines with the mission to "disrupt enemy communications, seize vital crossroads, destroy enemy supplies and kill enemy troops to aid the seaborne
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as a regimental commander. Later, he undertook postings in the War
Histories Division on the Army General Staff and as Secretary of the
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assaults on the
Normandy beaches". Mendez and his men proceeded to capture the town of "Prétot Ste Suzanne". Mendez was awarded the
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in the United States Army. Mendez earned his
Parachutist Badge after attending the Army's United States Army Airborne School.
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324:". Although, elements of the operation proved unsuccessful, the 82nd Airborne Division was able to capture its objectives.
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391:. Mendez retired from the military in 1970; his final post was at the Industrial College of Warfare in Washington, D.C.
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During a ceremony held on March 31, 2001 in which one of Mendez's men, Francis
Lamoureux, was awarded the
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On June 5–6, 1944, the paratroopers of the 82nd's three parachute infantry regiments and reinforced
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Mendez continued his academic education and military career after the war. He graduated from the
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In
October 2017, the Fairfax County School Board decided to rename J.E.B. Stuart High School as
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After the fighting in Normandy, Mendez continued to lead his battalion, which took part in
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247:, on July 14, 1915. He graduated top of his class in high school. After serving in the
925:"Community leaders take pride in high school name change from J.E.B. Stuart to Justice"
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279:. He rose to become commander of the 3rd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
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456:, effective July 2018. The new name was intended to honor Colonel Mendez, along with
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Colonel Mendez, who was married and had six sons and six daughters, died at home of a
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Louis Gonzaga Mendez, a Mexican American, Spanish and Navajo Indian, was born in
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863:. Michigan State University. Archived from the original on August 31, 2006
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after 50 years, Lamoureux had this to say about his former commander:
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in December 1941, after which Mendez was eventually assigned to the
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82nd Airborne Division "All American" / "America's Guard of Honor"
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195:(July 14, 1915 – September 19, 2001) was a highly decorated
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Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
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World War II Veteran Receives His Bronze Star, 50 Years Later
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RochĂn, Refugio I.; Lionel Fernandez; Jose Alonso Oliveros.
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United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni
371:. In 1950, he took up a post as a military attaché to
464:, each of whom had worked towards advancing justice.
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who in June 1944, as commander of the 3rd Battalion,
950:"Louis Gonzaga Mendez, Distinguished Service Cross"
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293:According to an article by Richard Pearson in the
1021:Military personnel from Fairfax County, Virginia
881:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
363:and was an instructor at the Infantry School at
327:The Germans began a counter-offensive along the
718:, Arlington Cemetery. Retrieved August 19, 2007
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640:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
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996:United States Army personnel of World War II
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183:Infantry instructor at Fort Benning, Georgia
355:. He went on to earn a master's degree in
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297:, Mendez and his men were dropped behind
267:82nd Airborne Division behind enemy lines
902:(ebook ed.). Simon & Schuster.
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223:for leading an attack that captured the
790:Pearson, Richard (September 23, 2001).
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1046:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
923:Woolsey, Angela (September 14, 2018).
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353:Industrial College of the Armed Forces
423:on Wednesday, September 19, 2001, in
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331:in December 1944, resulting in the
1036:American people of Spanish descent
1026:American people of Mexican descent
1016:People from Falls Church, Virginia
684:Hispanic Americans in World War II
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1031:American people of Navajo descent
753:508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
399:As a civilian, Mendez joined the
375:, and in the 1960s served in the
349:Command and General Staff College
205:508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
145:508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
846:, CNN. Retrieved August 19, 2007
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286:regiment, who were stationed in
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44:Colonel Louis Gonzaga Mendez Jr.
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757:The 82nd Airborne: World War II
468:Military decorations and awards
385:Organization of American States
1051:People from Trinidad, Colorado
1011:Military personnel from Denver
650:National Defense Service Medal
625:American Defense Service Medal
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1006:Georgetown University alumni
820:"A Little Town Says 'Merci'"
389:Inter-American Defense Board
991:United States Army officers
792:"Army Col. Louis Mendez Jr"
775:. Retrieved August 19, 2007
759:. Retrieved August 19, 2007
611:Distinguished Service Cross
473:Distinguished Service Cross
433:Arlington National Cemetery
307:Distinguished Service Cross
249:Civilian Conservation Corps
221:Distinguished Service Cross
169:Distinguished Service Cross
93:Arlington National Cemetery
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670:Presidential Unit Citation
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645:World War II Victory Medal
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271:The United States entered
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339:'s advance in the north.
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18:Louis Gonzaga Mendez, Jr.
660:Master Parachutist Badge
601:Combat Infantryman Badge
215:behind enemy lines into
193:Louis Gonzaga Mendez Jr.
104:United States of America
31:Louis Gonzaga Mendez Jr.
954:valor.militarytimes.com
635:American Campaign Medal
357:international relations
318:Operation Market Garden
858:"U.S. Latino Patriots"
729:"Louis Gonzaga Mendez"
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425:Falls Church, Virginia
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277:82nd Airborne Division
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201:82nd Airborne Division
149:82nd Airborne Division
81:Falls Church, Virginia
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427:. He was buried with
361:Georgetown University
309:, second only to the
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229:Prétot-Sainte-Suzanne
122:Years of service
429:full military honors
377:1st Cavalry Division
454:Justice High School
333:Battle of the Bulge
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462:Barbara Rose Johns
431:one week later at
337:Gerd von Rundstedt
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245:Trinidad, Colorado
219:and was awarded a
197:United States Army
116:United States Army
74:September 19, 2001
64:Trinidad, Colorado
909:978-0-671-21792-1
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458:Thurgood Marshall
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957:. Retrieved
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273:World War II
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159:World War II
155:Battles/wars
76:(2001-09-19)
43:
986:2001 deaths
981:1915 births
934:February 5,
829:February 5,
801:February 5,
738:February 5,
666:Unit award
616:Bronze Star
409:Bronze Star
395:Later years
381:South Korea
239:Early years
173:Bronze Star
975:Categories
690:References
213:parachuted
100:Allegiance
57:1915-07-14
485:Citation:
231:, in the
125:1940–1970
959:March 8,
877:cite web
678:See also
631:2nd Row
607:1st Row
401:Virginia
351:and the
227:town of
217:Normandy
191:Colonel
140:Commands
110:Service/
618:with 2
369:Georgia
288:England
207:during
134:Colonel
906:
656:Badge
597:Badge
421:stroke
299:German
233:Manche
225:French
165:Awards
112:branch
83:, U.S.
66:, U.S.
861:(PDF)
373:Spain
359:from
303:D-Day
961:2021
936:2021
904:ISBN
883:link
869:2013
831:2021
803:2021
740:2021
460:and
130:Rank
71:Died
51:Born
379:in
175:(3)
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879:}}
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
