• Source: Jose F. Valdez

Private First Class Jose Francisco Valdez (January 3, 1925 – February 17, 1945), later known as Jose Frank Valdez, was a United States Army soldier who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during World War II. Valdez was born in Gobernador, New Mexico and enlisted in the U.S. Army in June 1944. Assigned to Company B, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, he fought in the Battle of the Colmar Pocket in January 1945. On January 25, near Bennwihr station, France (then referred to as Rosenkranz by the Germans), Valdez volunteered to cover his patrol's retreat under heavy fire, despite being severely wounded. His actions saved his comrades, and he died of his injuries three weeks later. Valdez was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 1946 for his extraordinary bravery. He is honored with various memorials, including the USNS Private Jose F. Valdez (T-AG-169) and a monument in Gobernador, New Mexico.




Early years


Valdez was born on January 3, 1925, in Gobernador, New Mexico, a small rural community that has since become a ghost town. Of Spanish-American descent, he grew up working on nearby ranches to support his family. His father, Jose Venceslas Valdez, died in 1929, and his mother, Maria Julianita Vigil Valdez, raised him. Valdez enlisted in the U.S. Army at a recruiting station in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in June 1944. After completing basic training, he was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division.




World War II


Valdez served in the 3rd Infantry Division under Major General John W. O'Daniel, which fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, and Germany. In January 1945, the division engaged in the Battle of the Colmar Pocket to liberate Alsace from German control.
On January 25, 1945, near Bennwihr station, France—then referred to as Rosenkranz by the Germans—Valdez's patrol faced an enemy counterattack. Valdez opened fire on an approaching tank with his automatic rifle, forcing it to retreat. Moments later, he killed three enemy soldiers in a firefight. When two German companies launched a larger attack, Valdez volunteered to cover his patrol's withdrawal under intense fire, despite being wounded. His Medal of Honor citation states he "delivered a protective screen of bullets," ensuring the safety of his comrades. Valdez also called in artillery and mortar fire to halt the German advance.
Although he managed to drag himself back to American lines, Valdez succumbed to his injuries three weeks later on February 17, 1945. His sacrifice is remembered as an act of extraordinary bravery that repelled an overwhelming enemy force and saved the lives of his fellow soldiers.




Medal of Honor citation






Awards and recognitions






= Awards

=
Medal of Honor
Purple Heart
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
French Croix de Guerre
French Croix de guerre Fourragère




= Honors

=

Valdez was buried with full military honors in the Santa Fe National Cemetery located in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
USNS Private Jose F. Valdez (T-AG-169), a technical research ship in operation during the 1960s.
Valdez Elementary School, an elementary School dedicated in north Denver, Colorado.
PFC Jose F. Valdez Memorial Highway, a 106-mile stretch of U.S. Route 64, from Tierra Amarilla to Bloomfield, in New Mexico.
Jose F. Valdez U.S. Army Reserve Center, located in Pleasant Grove, Utah, was formerly the headquarters of the 405th Civil Affairs Battalion. The center has been vacant since September 2017, following the unit's relocation to Fort Douglas.
A memorial to Valdez was dedicated in Gobernador, New Mexico, in 2002.
A memorial at All Veterans Memorial Park in Berg Park, Farmington, New Mexico, was dedicated in 2009 honoring three northwest New Mexico residents who received the Medal of Honor; Valdez, USMC LCpl. Kenneth Lee Worley, and Army SSG Franklin D. Miller.




See also



List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
Hispanic Medal of Honor recipients
Hispanic Americans in World War II




References






External links


"Jose F. Valdez". Archived from the original on May 17, 2011. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
"Article on Valdez Memorial Dedication". Retrieved May 11, 2011.

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