Biographies/People (88)
"Vicente proudly served his country in WWII as a United States Army Air Corps staff sergeant and ball turret gunner aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress. He flew in 20 bombing missions before being shot down over Hungary and captured by enemy forces. Vicente was held as Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft IV. During Vicente's last three months as a POW, he and thousands of other American prisoners were forced to leave camp and set out on what would become known as the Black March, a 500 mile journey westward across northern Poland and Germany, as their German captors retreated from the advancing Soviet army. This was a time of extreme hardship and hundreds of men died on this march due to disease, exposure, malnutrition and mistreatment." Son David Martinez
Voces de Santa Fe honors the memory of Vicente Martinez. Rest in peace.
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Hilliard Crown, WWII Air Force Navigator
Contributed by Maria Montez-Skolnik
"My father, Lt. Colonel John Dear, in the 1940s in the Army Air Corp. He trained Air Force pilots for WW II in the 40s, flew in the Berlin Airlift in the late 40s, and was the commander of radar bases in the 50s, including one in Japan where we all were for 2 years. He was a "career" USAF officer, serving overseas several times as well as in various places in the US. I'm thankful for his service and for all veterans and what they have done for our country." Daughter Elizabeth Dear
voces de Santa Fe honors the memory of John Dear. Rest in peace.
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Voces de Santa Fe salutes Ricardo Montoya for his service in the Army Air Corp in WWII and later in the Naval Reserve.
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