As Dad would have been turning 101 this year, I thought I would reach back out and share this info which I did not find out until after his very premature service connected death in 1981 due to the effects of the malaria he caught while serving as a U.S. Army Paratrooper in the Phillipines. He was part of the elite and vaunted 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment's Regimental Combat Team. The paragraph below is quoted from Wikipedia and these events took place when Dad was at the tender age of 20:
"On 16 February 1945, the 503rd RCT jumped on Fortress Corregidor ("the Rock") to liberate that island from occupying Japanese forces. Braving intense fire, the paratroopers rushed forward and overcame the heavy blockhouse defenses, dropping explosives into embrasures to kill hidden Japanese gunners. For its successful capture of Corregidor, the unit was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation and received its nickname, "the Rock Regiment" from it."
He was an amazing father to my sister and I and a man of unequaled principle, integrity, and mental and physical stamina and strength. If you have not already done so, please help us honor his memory by supporting Team JPS and Homes for the Brave in our 11th Annual Step Up for the Brave on August 16. Vince
