Jose M. Lopez
Encyclopedia
Jose Mendoza Lopez was a United States Army
soldier who was awarded the United States
' highest military decoration for valor in combat — the Medal of Honor
— for his heroic actions during the Battle of the Bulge
, in which he single-handedly repulsed a German infantry attack, killing at least 100 enemy troops.
While living in with his uncle's family Lopez began working various jobs to bring in income and never returned to school. As a young man, Lopez caught the attention of a boxing promoter and for seven years he traveled the country fighting a total of 55 fights in the lightweight division with the nickname of 'Kid Mendoza'. In 1934, during a boxing match in Melbourne, Australia, he met a group of Merchant Marines and signed a contract with them. He was accepted in the union in 1936 and spent the next five years traveling the world.
He was en route to California
from Hawaii
on December 7, 1941, when he learned about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
. When he arrived in Los Angeles
, the authorities believed he was Japanese and he was forced to prove otherwise.
Lopez returned to Brownsville and, in 1942, married Emilia Herrera. That same year, he received his draft card
and relocated to San Antonio where he enlisted in the U.S. Army. Lopez was first sent to Fort Sam Houston
, Texas, and then to Camp Roberts, California
, where he received his basic training
.
Jose M. Lopez
Rank and organization:Sergeant, U.S. Army, 23d Infantry, 2d Infantry Division
Place and date:Near Krinkelt, Belgium
, December 17, 1944
Entered service at:Brownsville, Texas
Born:Santiago Huitlan, Veracruz
G.O. No.: 47, June 18, 1945
Citation:
and awarded Mexico’s highest military commendation, la Condecoración del Mérito Militar
.
He later moved his family to San Antonio, where he was hired as a contact representative with the Veterans Administration
. Upon the outbreak of the Korean War
, Lopez was accidentally ordered to serve for his country and without hesitation was prepared to do so, until President Harry S. Truman
, heard of and corrected the matter so that Lopez could remain in the United States.
Jose died one year after his wife; they were together for 62 years.
The North East Independent School District
in San Antonio, Texas, has recognized Sgt Lopez by naming a middle school in his honor, Jose M. Lopez Middle School.
A statue of Sgt. Lopez stands at Brownsville, Texas
' Veterans Park.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
soldier who was awarded the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' highest military decoration for valor in combat — the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
— for his heroic actions during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, in which he single-handedly repulsed a German infantry attack, killing at least 100 enemy troops.
Early years
Lopez was raised by his mother Candida Lopez in Santiago Ihuitlán, Oaxaca, Mexico. As a young boy he helped his mother sell clothes that she made as a seamstress in the city. However, his time with his mother was cut short due to tuberculosis which took her life when Lopez was only eight years old. Lopez then relocated to Brownsville, Texas to live with his uncle's family.While living in with his uncle's family Lopez began working various jobs to bring in income and never returned to school. As a young man, Lopez caught the attention of a boxing promoter and for seven years he traveled the country fighting a total of 55 fights in the lightweight division with the nickname of 'Kid Mendoza'. In 1934, during a boxing match in Melbourne, Australia, he met a group of Merchant Marines and signed a contract with them. He was accepted in the union in 1936 and spent the next five years traveling the world.
He was en route to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
from Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
on December 7, 1941, when he learned about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
. When he arrived in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, the authorities believed he was Japanese and he was forced to prove otherwise.
Lopez returned to Brownsville and, in 1942, married Emilia Herrera. That same year, he received his draft card
Conscription in the United States
Conscription in the United States has been employed several times, usually during war but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War...
and relocated to San Antonio where he enlisted in the U.S. Army. Lopez was first sent to Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the first President of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston....
, Texas, and then to Camp Roberts, California
Camp Roberts, California
Camp Roberts is a California National Guard post in central California, located on both sides of the Salinas River in Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties, now run by the California Army National Guard. It is named after Harold W. Roberts, a World War I Medal of Honor recipient...
, where he received his basic training
Recruit training
Recruit training, more commonly known as Basic Training and colloquially called Boot Camp, is the initial indoctrination and instruction given to new military personnel, enlisted and officer...
.
Medal of Honor citation
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, December 17, 1944
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
- On his own initiative, he carried his heavy machinegun from Company K's right flank to its left, in order to protect that flankFlanking maneuverIn military tactics, a flanking maneuver, also called a flank attack, is an attack on the sides of an opposing force. If a flanking maneuver succeeds, the opposing force would be surrounded from two or more directions, which significantly reduces the maneuverability of the outflanked force and its...
which was in danger of being overrun by advancing enemy infantryInfantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
supported by tankTankA tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s. Occupying a shallow hole offering no protection above his waist, he cut down a group of 10 Germans. Ignoring enemy fire from an advancing tank, he held his position and cut down 25 more enemy infantry attempting to turn his flank. Glancing to his right, he saw a large number of infantry swarming in from the front. Although dazed and shaken from enemy artilleryArtilleryOriginally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
fire which had crashed into the ground only a few yards away, he realized that his position soon would be outflanked. Again, alone, he carried his machinegun to a position to the right rear of the sector; enemy tanks and infantry were forcing a withdrawal. Blown over backward by the concussion of enemy fire, he immediately reset his gun and continued his fire. Single-handed he held off the German horde until he was satisfied his company had effected its retirement. Again he loaded his gun on his back and in a hail of small armsSmall armsSmall arms is a term of art used by armed forces to denote infantry weapons an individual soldier may carry. The description is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, multiple barrel firearms, sniper rifles, squad automatic weapons, light...
fire he ran to a point where a few of his comrades were attempting to set up another defense against the onrushing enemy. He fired from this position until his ammunitionAmmunitionAmmunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
was exhausted. Still carrying his gun, he fell back with his small group to Krinkelt. Sgt. Lopez's gallantry and intrepidity, on seemingly suicidal missions in which he killed at least 100 of the enemy, were almost solely responsible for allowing Company K to avoid being enveloped, to withdraw successfully and to give other forces coming up in support time to build a line which repelled the enemy drive.
Post World War II
Lopez received an enthusiastic reception when his ship landed in New York City and he was greeted by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia. On a visit to Mexico City, he was greeted by the president of Mexico, Manuel Ávila CamachoManuel Ávila Camacho
Manuel Ávila Camacho served as the President of Mexico from 1940 to 1946.Manuel Ávila was born in the city of Teziutlán, a small town in Puebla, to middle-class parents, Manuel Ávila Castillo and Eufrosina Camacho Bello. He had several siblings, among them sister María Jovita Ávila Camacho and...
and awarded Mexico’s highest military commendation, la Condecoración del Mérito Militar
Military decorations of Mexico
This is a list of military decorations awarded by the United Mexican States .-Decoration for Heroic Valor:The Condecoración al Valor Heroico is awarded to military personnel for exceptional acts of heroism at risk of their own life; it may be awarded in both war and peace.Description: Gilt-edged...
.
He later moved his family to San Antonio, where he was hired as a contact representative with the Veterans Administration
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
. Upon the outbreak of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Lopez was accidentally ordered to serve for his country and without hesitation was prepared to do so, until President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
, heard of and corrected the matter so that Lopez could remain in the United States.
Jose died one year after his wife; they were together for 62 years.
Namesakes
The city of Mission, Texas, Lopez' hometown, has recognized Sgt Lopez by naming a street and a city park — Jose M. Lopez Park — in his honor.The North East Independent School District
North East Independent School District
North East Independent School District is a school district located in Bexar County, Texas, . North East ISD serves the north central and northeast areas of Bexar County, covering approximately . North East ISD serves the cities of San Antonio, Castle Hills, Hill Country Village, Hollywood Park,...
in San Antonio, Texas, has recognized Sgt Lopez by naming a middle school in his honor, Jose M. Lopez Middle School.
A statue of Sgt. Lopez stands at Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
' Veterans Park.
Awards and recognitions
Among Jose M. Lopez's decorations and medals were the following:| Medal of Honor Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her... |
Purple Heart Purple Heart The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York... |
||||
| American Campaign Medal American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt... |
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt... |
World War II Victory Medal World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of... |
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See also
- List of Hispanic Medal of Honor recipients
- Hispanic Americans in World War IIHispanic Americans in World War IIHispanic Americans, also referred to as Latinos, fought in every major battle in the European Theatre of World War II in which the armed forces of the United States were involved, from North Africa to the Battle of the Bulge, and in the Pacific Theater of Operations, from Bataan to Okinawa...