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Mission Moldova
West Texas WWII Vet to Get Posthumous Purple Heart 12/7/12
Associated Press
December 7, 2012
EL PASO - The family of a World War II veteran injured in 1944
when he was struck by a German tank in France will be getting his military
honors in a West Texas ceremony.
The U.S. Army on Friday is scheduled to award a posthumous Purple Heart and
two Bronze Stars to Pvt. Juan C. Marquez. The honors at Fort Bliss come years
after Marquez suffered shrapnel wounds and later broken ribs and a separated
shoulder when he was hit by the tank.
Marquez died in 1948 after being struck by a car. He left behind a wife and
four sons.
One son eventually looked at his father's Army documents and saw he was
wounded in combat. Antonio Marquez says U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison helped
get the medals.