These Stories of Valor are part of an ongoing oral history program of the Honor Project to ensure the experiences of our combat wounded and those who gave their all in the service of America are remembered for generations to come.
A member of the prominent Dockweiler family of Los Angeles, he attended Loyola High School before attending the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating 10th in his class in 1924. He later received a master of science degree in naval construction from MIT.
Read MoreMichael Pirga enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force in 1922 where he proudly served until 1957. On December 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor came under attack, then Sergeant Pirga was in his barracks. He was buried under the collapsed building and had to be dug out by his comrades.
Read MoreRobert Senter was drafted in to the Army in February 1943, serving until May 1945 with the 83rd Division.
Read MoreHailing from Brooklyn, New York, was wounded in action twin during fighting in 1943. After first being wounded in July and he was wounded again in October, which still serving with the 180th Infantry Regiment.
Read MoreHe recalled, “We were on a tiger patrol and at about midnight we arrived in this field on the outskirts of the town. There was a small farm house across the road and a little Catholic chapel. We were just standing there, and across the courtyard the Germans opened up on us…”
Read MoreU.S. Army PFC. Richard Poles served in Company F, 407th Infantry Regiment, 102nd Infantry Division "OZARKS" - He was wounded on April 11, 1945.
Read MoreMcHenry’s family would later learn that he had kept a burning aircraft aloft long enough to allow his crew to bail out to eventually be rescued. He and his cockpit crew crashed in enemy territory. It took another three years before their remains could were recovered.
Read MoreA member of the 7th Armored Division, Company C, 31st Tank Battalion, Davis’ service included fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. On October 28, 1944, during fighting in Holland, Davis’ tank was shelled and caught fire. The attack resulted in him, suffering burns and the loss of a kidney. After the being wounded, Davis was taken to a hospital in Paris for treatment.
Read MoreIn 1944, on his tenth mission, while flying a bombing run over Germany his plane came in the under attack from the Lufwaffe. While firing at the enemy. CMSgt. Oliver was struck by enemy fire. Despite being wounded, CMSgt Oliver continued to return fire. During the firefight, the crew’s pilot was killed and the co pilot was wounded.
Read MoreOn September 11, 1944, Private First Class Bailey, a member of the Medical Detachment, 362nd Infantry Regiment, was wounded at North Apennines, near Florence, Italy. Along with his Purple Heart, PFC Bailey was awarded several medals including the European-African Middle Eastern Theater and two Bronze Stars.
Read MoreIn February 1944, while fighting in the Battle of Anzio, which lasted from January 22, 1944 to June 5, 1944, Pfc Biles.
Read MoreA member of Company B of the 294th Combat Enginners, Tech Sgt Dominick DeTommaso saw combat in the European Theatre from 1943 through 1946, including at Utah Beach on D-Day, the Battle of St. Lo, the Battle of the Bulge during the Ardennes Counteroffensive, among other operations.
Read MoreJames Adams was born and raised in New Jersey. Shortly after completing his sophomore year of high school, he decided to enlist in the Marine Corps, and served with them for several years in the turbulent 1920s and 1930s. (1) Upon retiring, he married, found a non-service occupation as a signal plant mechanic in New Jersey, and spent several peaceful years as a civilian before the second war came.
Read MoreWarren Craig received his Purple Heart for injuries he suffered near Guadalcanal in late 1942. The United States had been in World War II for less than one year. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had destroyed most of the United States Navy’s Pacific Fleet. Most of our battleships and destroyers were in the Atlantic supporting
Read MoreNewburgh, New York. Located on the Hudson River’s west bank, its grounds are filled with history dating back to the American Revolution and beyond. This is the location where General George Washington, upon defeating Cornwallis’ elite British Army at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, chose to make his headquarters, in the bluffs
Read MoreIn 1940, the war on the European continent had been raging on for a full year, with Hitler’s armies sweeping across the continent. In that same year, Japan had signed a treaty with Germany and Italy. In search of resources, Japan invaded the French colony of Indo-China in 1941. The United States promptly placed an embargo on Japanese
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