Private First Class Rodolfo Mireles, 38460504, U.S. ArmyJanuary
22, 1925 Killed in Action April 10, 1945Okinawa, Japan
Rodolfo MIRELES was born in Benavides, Duval County, Texas. His
parents were Roman and Romana MIRELES. The 1940 Federal Census show
his siblings as: Reynaldo, Beatriz, Emma, and Corando.The
Application for Headstone or Marker dated March 7, 1949 shows that
Rodolfos enlistment was October 25, 1943. The same application
shows that Private MIRELES was assigned to Company B, 88th Infantry
Training Battalion. The Infantry Battalion was located at Camp
Roberts (San Luis Obispo) California. During World War 2: 436,000
World War II Infantry and Field Artillery troops passed through an
intensive seventeen week training cycle. Both the Infantry and
Field Artillery Replacement Training Centers achieved enviable
proficiency records where it counted, in the combat zones around
the world to which their graduates were sent. A peak population was
reached in 1945 when 45,000 troops were quartered in large tent
cities located at the fringes of the Main Garrison.
(http://www.militarymuseum.org/campbob.html)
After training in California, PFC MIRELES was assigned to F
Company, 2d Battalion, 32d Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division
and assigned to Hawaii. On 1 February 1944, the 32nd Regiment
assaultedKwajalein Island. During five days of fighting, the 32nd,
along with the184th Infantry Regiment, eliminated all the enemy
personnel on the island, with the exception of a few exhausted
Japanese who surrendered.The regiment returned to Hawaii on 14
February where it went through additional intensified jungle
training for an expected invasion ofthe Yap Island. Arriving
atEniwetok Atollon 25 September 1944, the regiment's orders were
changed and the 32nd joined GeneralDouglas MacArthur's forces,
spearheading the firstlandingsonLeyte Island, Philippines. Fighting
in swamps, tropical jungles, and over rugged mountains, the7th
Infantry Divisionbattled over 37 miles in 60 days of the bitterest
fighting in the Pacific.The regiment's last campaign of World War
II started 1 April 1945 with the landings atOkinawa. During
thisbattle, the 32nd won the nickname "Spearhead" because of its
continuous attacks against the enemy. PFC Rodolfo MIRELES was
killed on April 10, 1945 during this campaign. After only three
days of rest after the fighting on Okinawa, the 32nd embarked
forKoreato receive thesurrenderof all the Japanese troops south of
the 38th parallel. During its campaigns through the Pacific, the
32nd Infantry Regiment traveled 16,910 miles.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/32nd_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)#World_War_II)PFC
Rodolfo MIRELES had spent almost 14 months fighting the enemy in
swamps, tropical jungles and some unforgiving mountainous terrains.
He was from the small town of Benavides, Duval County, Texas, a
local hero that paid the ultimate price for his Country on the
Island of Okinawa, Japan. PFC Rodolfo MIRELES was buried on the
Island of Okinawa at the 7th Infantry Division Cemetery and his
remains were repatriated early March 1949 and buried in the
Benavides Cemetery.Rest in Peace, Soldier! Thank you for your
heroic actions in the field of battle! Your Country, State, County
and City, Salutes you and will never forget your
sacrifice!--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rodolfo MIRELES was born January 22, 1925, enlisted U.S. Army
October 25, 1943, was killed April 10, 1945, and was returned to
Benavides, Texas early March, 1949. Mr Roman Mireles (father)
signed for the Headstone on March 7, 1949.
Death Certificate issued April 6, 1949
GRAVEMARKERS-PFC RODOLFO MIRELES, BENAVIDES CEMETERY, BENAVIDES,
TX
1940 Census Rodolfo Mireles
1940 Census Rodolfo Mireles, Neighbors-1
1940 Census Rodolfo Mireles, Neighbors-2
RIBBONS AUTHORIZED FOR PFC RODOLFO MIRELES
PURPLE HEART: Awarded to any member of the armed forces killed
or wounded in an armed conflict.AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WW II:
Service outside the U.S. in the American theater for 30 days or
within the continental U.S. for one year. ASIATIC PACIFIC CAMPAIGN
MEDAL WW II: Service in the Asiatic Pacific Theater for 30 days or
receipt of any combat decoration. The bronze stars (sometimes known
as Battle Stars) indicate major campaigns the individual wearing
the ribbons was involved in. Each bronze star is one campaign. The
arrowhead to the left of the bronze stars indicates that these
campaigns were as the result of amphibious landings. For the 32d
Regiment, 7th Infantry Division four bronze stars are authorized
with the dates indicated as follows: Eastern Mandates(31 Jan 44 -
14 Jun 44) Leyte (17 Oct 44 - 1 Jul 45) Southern Philippines (27
Feb 45 - 4 Jul 45) Ryukyus (26 Mar 45 - 2 Jul 45)
VICTORY MEDAL WORLD WAR II: Awarded for service in the U.S.
Armed Forces during the periods 1941-1946.PHILIPPINE LIBERATION
MEDAL WW II: Service in the liberation of the Philippines between
17 October 1944 and 3 September 1945.PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL
CITATION: 17 October 1944 to 4 July 1945 for service in the
Philippines during World War II.Note: The Army does not wear
foreign awarded decorations along with the American issued
awards/ribbons, which are worn above the left pocket; the
Philippine Presidential Citation is worn above the right pocket
The Medals criteria are the same as the corresponding Ribbons.
No medal is struck for the Philippine Presidential Citation.
32d Infantry Regiment actions 1 February 1944-22 June 1945The
map above shows the 32d Regiments paths taken from 25 September
1944 until the completion of the tasks at hand against the Japanese
Empire. PFC Rodolfo MIRELES was killed on the island of Okinawa
Japan, 10 April 1945. The 7th Division saw extensive combat on the
Philippine Islands. See comments following the next map of Leyte,
Philippines:
http://www.militaryvetshop.com/History/7thInfantry.htmlThe 7th
Infantry Division was assigned to XXIV Corps of the Sixth Army. On
October 20, 1944 the Hourglass Division made an assault landing at
Dulag, on Leyte in the Philippine Islands. (PFC MIRELES was aboard
LST 611 that landed in the City of DULAG on Leyte. The U.S. World
War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1939 shows that PFC MIRELES was
onboard the LST 611 from the Island of Manus on 11 October 1944)
Initially there was only light resistance. However, on October 26th
the enemy launched a large, but uncoordinated counter attack
against the Sixth Army. High casualties were suffered in fierce
jungle fighting, but the 17th Infantry Regiment took Dagami on
October 29th. The 7th Infantry Division then moved to the west
coast of the island on November 25th, attacking north to Ormoc and
securing Valencia on December 25, 1944. Operations to secure Leyte
continued until February of 1945. The 7th Infantry Division was
then removed from the Sixth Army, which went on to attack Luzon and
continue the Philippine Campaign. The Hourglass Division would
begin training for their next stop through the Pacific, the
Japanese island of Okinawa.
DAMULAAN: It was difficult to find information regarding PFC
MIRELES throughout his tour of duty of the Far East. From the two
rosters of the soldiers aboard LST 611, I was able to find on both
rosters: T/Sgt. Edward Kolibowski,16000555,Company F, 32nd Infantry
Regiment, 7th Infantry Division.T/Sgt Kolibowski was in the same
exact unit of PFC Mireles. He was killed in Action on 18 December
1944 near Damulaan, Leyte, Philippines by a gunshot wound to the
head. Born on 4 August 1921, he entered the service on 30 July 1940
from Chicago, Illinois.TACOBLAN CITY: The LST 611 was bombarded and
disabled while on port in Tacoblan City. The picture of the LST and
comments regarding the attack is provided on a separate page.
The Landing Ship Tanker (LST) 611 was hit while on port at
Tacoblan, Leyte. The following are comments of a survivor of that
bombardment:http://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/kentucky-man-recalls-second-world-war-ship-bombing.htmlThe
recent docking of the LST 325 in the Ashland area has promoted a
Kentucky man to recall when he sailed on its sister ship during the
Second World War, which was bombed by an aircraft killing many of
his fellow servicemen.Now 88-year-old, Charles H. Simmons was on
board LST 611 near Tacloban, Leyte in January 1945, preparing for
the Luzon invasion when disaster struck.Simmons remembers the tense
moments that morning when the bombing action began, with bombs
being dropped from an enemy plane. Their aim was incredibly
accurate, he says, with the bomb striking the ships cargo hatch
before hitting a pile of canned products stocked in the tank deck.
The bomb then proceeded to travel through the steel tank deck,
before finally exploding about a meter high in the ships main
engine room.A hole four-feet wide had been blasted through the
bulkhead, located beside the main and auxiliary engine rooms. Both
main engines were no longer functional, as well as the ships three
generators and electrical distribution board. The bomb also created
numerous holes in the ships hull which enabled water to pour in the
vessel, with the ship left to settle to the bottom of the
beach.NOTESSan Antonio Express (San Antonio, TX) of 27 May 1945
headline: Three San Antonio Men Are Reported Killed. It goes on to
note that nine South Texans have been killed and 12 wounded. PFC
Rodolfo MIRELES, Benavides was listed as Killed. San Antonio Light
(San Antonio, TX) of 27 May 1945 headline: Wounded Captain Freed,
Recovering in England. Six South Texans were reported killed in the
Pacific Region. It lists: PFC Rodolfo Mireles, son of Mrs. Romana
Mireles, Benavides.AN AMERICAN HERO
