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'Jose Mendoza Lopez' (July 10, 1910 – May 16, 2005) 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 an German infantry attack, killing at least 100 enemy troops.^[2]

Contents

Early years

Medal of Honor citation

Post World War II

Namesakes

Awards and Recognitions

See also

Notes

References

External links

Early years

Lopez's parents, Cayetano and Candida immigrated to Mission, Texas from Oaxaca, Mexico. His father worked on the cotton and beet fields of Mission for sometime, however he returned to Mexico and perished in the Mexican Revolution. Lopez was raised by his maternal uncle after his mother died when he was eight years old.
While living in Brownsville, Texas, with his uncle's family, Lopez never attended school, instead he went to work in the cotton fields. As a young man, Lopez caught the attention of a boxing promoter and for seven years he fought a total of 55 fights the lightweight division. 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 went 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.^[3]

Medal of Honor citation

'Jose M. Lopez'
''Rank and organization:''Sergeant, U.S. Army, 23d Infantry, 2d Infantry Division
''Place and date:''Near Krinkelt, Belgium, 17 December 1944
''Entered service at:''Brownsville, Texas
''Born:''Mission, Texas
''G.O. No.: 47, 18 June 1945
''Citation:''

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 LaGuardia. On a visit to Mexico City, he was greeted by the president of Mexico, Manuel Ávila Camacho and awarded Mexico’s highest military commendation, ''la Condecoración del Mérito Militar''.
Even though he was a military hero, he was unable to get a good job in Brownsville and therefore moved with 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 volunteered to serve. President Harry S. Truman, ordered him returned home.^[4]
Lopez lived in San Antonio with his wife Emilia, at his daughter, Maggie Wickwire’s home.

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.^[5]
The Northeast Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas, has recognized Sgt Lopez by naming a middle school in his honor.

Awards and Recognitions

Among Jose M. Lopez's decorations and medals were the following:

★   Medal of Honor

★   Purple Heart Medal

★   European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal

★   American Campaign Medal

★   World War II Victory Medal

See also

★ List of Hispanic Medal of Honor recipients

Notes

1. Lopez' birth place in most references, including his Medal of Honor citation, is listed as Mission, Texas. However, other sources (Washington Post obituary) indicate that he was born in Mexico.
2. Medal of Honor citation.
3. Jose M. Lopez interview
4. Jose M. Lopez interview/continued
5. Sergeant Jose M. Lopez, U.S. Army, 23rd Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division (1912-2005)

References

★ World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient U.S. Army Sgt. Jose M. Lopez

★ Medal of Honor Winner Jose M. Lopez Dies at 94

★ LaGuardia at the dock: When Jose M. Lopez returned from Europe, he was a hero, the toast of N.Y. and then Mexico City. That’s how it is for a Medal of Honor recipient Ernie Garrido

External links

★ Sgt. Lopez Fought Off Entire Horde with Heavy Machinegun

★ Jose Lopez, Medal of Honor in WWII (Obituary)