Robert Jess Romero said:
You are the “Last One. The Perez’s were born... During an earthquake, a revolution, immigration, the Spanish Flu, WWI, in the beginning of the roaring 20’s, and Prohibition, but there was everything prohibitive about your lives, and there wasn’t anything roaring about their lives. They worked the fields from a very young age. Finding a way to make their own brew for that little extra to survive on. To watch all of it fall apart far to the east called the Great Depression. In 1933 they lived on two (2) small blocks where no one had a job, no one. Following the crop harvests from Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona to California as a family. Topping onions, beets, tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, and peppers. Seasonal canning of all of these vegetables also gave them food to last until the next seasonal crops. The Great Depression was hard work from sun up to sun down. They didn’t go to school for the full term, maybe from November to April, but only one, Angelo, made it to the 11th grade, but Angelo dropped out to help the family earn a living. They were a part of the CC camps created by FDR. They stood in the bread lines only to be given the last of what was left. They didn’t want charity, but took what helped make it through another day. Despite sand storms and winds that could blow you away, they struggled, but persevered despite the hardships. Where is Pearl Harbor? When the radio announced Pearl Harbor had been attacked. They were drafted one after another, six (6) total “brothers”. They served from Polebrook, England, B-17 Bombers, London bombings, Hyde Park, North Africa, Sicily, to Rome, the Vatican, Southern France, to the Battle of the Bulge. Relieved, rescued Jews from German concentration camps. Served in Pacific battles, USS Pennsylvania BB-38, battles in New Guinea, Okinawa, Wake Island, return to the Philippines with General MacAurther, served and fought Japanese in the battle of Leyte Gulf. Walked in the destruction of Japanese city of Hiroshima. All in all, the Perez family served the United States of America during WWII. Seven (7) served, seven (7) returned from WWII Service with honor and distinction. They truly honored their commitment to serving the United States of America.