Military Veterans
From the four-block area of the Cypress Barrio, sixty-eight men
served in the United States Army, Navy, Air Corps, Marines and
Coast Guard during World War II, all of Mexican descent.
Thirty served during the Korean War, and seven in the
Vietnam War.
Click
here to see a list of veterans.
This page displays a sample of the
photographs collected during the Shades of Orange project.
The entire collection is available from Orange Public Library's
Local History photo database: http://localhistory.cityoforange.org/,
use the search phrase Shades of Orange to view the entire
collection. Add an additional search word (like a name) in
the second search box to narrow the search.
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Portrait of Demara family members taken
during World War II when Steve Demara was on leave from the Army;
he later saw action at the Battle of Iwo Jima, Orange, California,
1943. Left to right:
Concha Poblano Demara, Steve Demara, and Pearl Demara.
Donated by Leo M. and Helen Poblano Castro,
File
Number S030, Barcode 10599329 |
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An Army group
portrait photograph, taken during basic training at Fort MacArthur,
San Pedro, California, October 1942. A flag with RTC, crossed
rifles, 79C at back left [recruit training command, 79 corps?].
Elias Guzman is third from the right, bottom row. He is holding a
rifle, as are nine other soldiers on the first row. Elias was one
of sixty-eight men from the Cypress Street Barrio in Orange,
California to participate in World War II. He was sent to the
Philippines and returned unharmed.
Donated by Paul
Guzman, File number S058, Barcode 1058676 |
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Toribio
"Cali" Guzman served in the Korean War. He had his
picture taken in uniform by a photographer in 1951, and sent it to
his niece, Lorraine and his sister, Alejandra and brother-in-law,
Jack.
Donated by Lorraine Limon, File number S082, Barcode 10599349 |
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Portrait
photograph taken by a traveling photographer who came to North
Cypress Street in Orange, California, ca. 1944.
Rosie Deleon and her brother, Danny Deleon are posing in
front of a painted backdrop featuring a palm tree and the ocean.
Danny is wearing part of a uniform, popular for portraits
of boys during the war years.
Donated by Lorraine Limon, File number S085, Barcode 10599348 |
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Portrait of Ysidoro Aguirre in uniform,
standing outside 381 North Harwood Street, Orange, California,
1942. The photograph was taken after he was drafted into the Army
during World War II.
Donated by Martha Beltran, File Number S138, Barcode 10586606 |
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Luis Garcia in
his Air Force uniform, in a portrait taken while he was stationed
at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, 1960.
He was later sent to Puerto Rico.
Donated by Luis Garcia, File Number S192, Barcode 10586688 |
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Group portrait
of Company I, 189th Infantry, C.N.G. Capt. Albert M. Wunderlick,
Commanding Officer, 4th Army Maneuver, taken at Fort Louis, Grand
Mount, Washington, 1940. Fred
Barrera was recruited into this unit from High School. Once the
Army discovered his age, he was sent back home shortly after this
photograph was taken [Barrera is on the second row, 10th from the
right]. Other from Orange include Robert Hoyt, 2nd row, third from
right; Len Franco, 2nd row, twelfth from right; on the back row,
are Junior Boyles, second from left, two Clark brothers, seventh
and 9th from left; Andy Martinez, eighth from left; Billy Mayes,
second from right. Photograph produced by "Palace Studio,
LA."
Donated by Fred Barrera, File Number S228, Barcode 10586629 |
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Esther Luna Poblano and Raul Gonzalez
Poblano, Orange, California, 1943. Raul Poblano was drafted in
1943 into the United States Army. Raul served in the European
campaign during World War II as an infantryman, and was awarded
his infantryman’s badge. He
was wounded in action during the Battle of the Bulge.
As a result of his wounds, he was sent back to the United
States for rehabilitation. After
several months of rehab in the Miramar Hotel in Santa Barbara, he
joined his family and while on leave, the Japanese surrendered and
the war was over. He was discharged in 1945. He never pursued the
fact that he was not presented his Purple Heart medal, and died in
2001. His wife still
lives in their home of many years, at 325 North Cypress Street in
Orange, California.
Donated
by Leo M. and Helen Poblano Castro, File Number S237, Barcode 10586850 |
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Ray Alonzo on a
tank during World War II, 1944. Alonzo enlisted March 14, 1942,
and served with the 4th Armored Division. His desert training was
in anticipation of deployment to North Africa.
A historic change was made and the division landed on Utah
Beach, Normandy, ten days after “D” day, June 6th, 1944. Ray
served in the European campaign from Normandy to Czechoslovakia,
where the 3rd Army, under General Patton, met the Russian forces.
Ray is retired, and still resides with his wife of 58 years, in
the city where he was born--Orange, California.
Donated
by Leo M. and Helen Poblano Castro, File Number S238, Barcode 10586849 |
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Portrait of
Antonio G. (Tony) Beltran in uniform, 1944. Born in Orange, he was
a Private First Class in the United States Army, 41st
Armored Infantry Regiment. Beltran
received the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; Good
Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. He received his
Honorable Discharge papers on December 20, 1945. The Beltran
family lived on North Cypress Street in Orange, California.
Donated by Agapito Morales, File Number S239, Barcode 10586853 |
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Portrait of
Jesus Gonzales in United States military uniform, ca. 1942. His
brother, Julian, also served during World War II. The Gonzales
family lived on North Cypress Street in Orange, California.
Donated by Agapito Morales, File Number S240, Barcode 10586854 |
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Portrait
photograph of Julian Gonzales in military uniform, Orange,
California, 1944. He
enlisted April 27, 1944, into the infantry, United States Army at
San Pedro Induction Center, and trained at Fort McClellan,
Alabama. He served in Italy during World War II and received his
honorable discharge January 29, 1946.
Donated by Agapito Morales, File Number S241, Barcode 10586855 |
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Copy of the
discharge papers for Julian D. Gonzales, given at the Separation
Center, Fort MacArthur, California, January 29, 1946.
"Army of the United States - Honorable Discharge -
This is to certify that Julian D. Gonzales 39 590 665 Private -
523rd Quartermaster Car Company - Army of the United States - is
hereby Honorably Discharged from the military service of the
United States of America. - This certificate is awarded as a
testimonial of Honest and Faithful Service to this country. -
[signed by] Cyril H. McGuire - Major Coast Artillery Corps."
Donated by Agapito Morales, File Number S242, Barcode 10586886 |
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Copy of a
military diary form, filled in by Julian D. Gonzales, Orange,
California, 1946. The
form was copyrighted in by E. W. Burke, Macon, Georgia with Oliver
Photo. Co. as exclusive agents; designed to be filled in by
service personnel during World War II after the addition of their
portrait to the form. Julian
D. Gonzales' form contains the following information: Diary of
Julian D. Gonzales, serving in United States Army, World War 2,
Induction at San Pedro, California, April 27, 1944; basic training
in the Infantry, July 2, 1944; training station--Fort McClellan,
Alabama, October 28, 1944; transferred to Fort George G. Meade,
November 23, 1944; transferred to Italy, December 10, 1945;
transferred to Fort Benning, Georgia, November, 1945; discharged
in San Pedro, California, January 29, 1946.
Donated by Agapito Morales, File Number S243, Barcode 10586887 |
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Group portrait
photograph of United States Air Force servicemen with their B-17
Flying Fortress, ca. 1943. They
completed 35 missions during the Second World War. The B-17,
possibly the Second World War’s most famous heavy bomber, had
four 1,200-hp Wright R-1820-97 Cyclone turbocharged radial piston
engines (only two visible in this photograph).
Lieutenant Joe Martinez (later a Captain) is second from
the left.
Donated by Augie
Morales, File
Number S244, Barcode 10586885 |
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Studio portrait
of Edward Garcia, in United States Army uniform, Orange,
California, 1943. Edward
T. Garcia was born in Los Angeles in 1923.
The Garcia family moved to Orange in 1930, taking up
residence on the 100 block of North Cypress Street. He was drafted
into the Army in 1943 and trained in Oklahoma.
Garcia was sent to Italy March 1944 as a rifleman with the
85th Division, 339 Reg. K Company, 1st Platoon.
He went on numerous night patrols seeking German soldiers
to bring back for interrogation. He had some close calls and was wounded by shrapnel, but felt
it was not serious enough to warrant leaving his outfit. His platoon, along with other allies fought and pushed the
German troops back to the Austrian border, holding them until all
of the German Army surrendered throughout Europe.
Soon After, his outfit started retraining in tanks for
deployment to the Pacific, when Japan surrendered.
PFC Garcia returned to Orange, arriving at the old bus
station on Lemon Street in Orange on January 6, 1946.
Donated
by Phil Colin, File Number S247, Barcode 10586903 |
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Tony T. Garcia
in United States Navy Uniform, Orange, California, 1944.
The Garcia family lived on the 100 block of North Cypress
Street, after moving to Orange in 1930. Tony served in the navy
1944-1946, and his brother, Eddie Garcia served in the army,
1943-1946.
Donated by Phil Colin, File number S248, Barcode 10586976 |
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Standing in
front of the Cypress Street School, North Cypress Street in
Orange, California, are Beatrice Vasquez, Johnny Atliano and Irene
Cruz, ca. 1945. Johnny Atliano is home on leave from the Army,
during World War II.
Donated by Emigdio Vasquez, File Number S287, Barcode 10586745 |
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Johnny Atliano
with the Vasquez Family, in front of the Cypress Street School,
Orange, California, ca. 1945. Left to right, sitting on the steps
of the school are: In front, brothers Harvey Vasquez and Emigdio
Vasquez with their dog, Frank; in back, Johnny Atliano (cousin and
serviceman, in army uniform), and Santiago Vasquez (father of the
boys).
Donated by Emigdio Vasquez, File Number S290, Barcode 10586750 |
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Rachel
Alvarado's father, Abraham B. Alvarado in the Army, Tanker
Division, during World War II in Berlin, Germany. On the back of
the photograph is "Papa Von W. W. II, Germany, with a little
German boy - Abraham B. Alvarado, c1940." [1945?]
Donated by Rachel Alvarado, File Number S322, Barcode 10586788 |
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Rudy Chavez
[left] and his friend, Don Bradshaw, in the Air Force at Parks Air
Force Base, Pleasanton [near San Francisco], California, 1955.
Donated by John and Rudy Chavez, File Number S351, Barcode 1058682 |
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