Service, sacrifice finally recognized - Farmers Branch : WWII vet receives 9 medals 6 decades after war

The memories of World War II may be fading for Alfred Rivas, but to family members and friends, his sacrifice and service are no less important.

That sentiment was evident Wednesday as more than two dozen of his loved ones packed U.S. Rep. Kenny Marchant's office in Irving to see Mr. Rivas awarded nine medals - honors he should have received some 60 years ago.

"It's hard to explain it," Mr. Rivas said of the emotion he felt. "Being that I didn't know I had this many medals coming to me, it was a surprise."

In fact, it was a surprise to many.

Mr. Rivas, 83, of Farmers Branch said there was no mention of the medals when he was honorably discharged as a staff sergeant on Dec. 4, 1945.

Only recently did his wife, Norma, start asking questions. She'd seen the medals listed on Mr. Rivas' discharge papers after contacting a local VA hospital about his medication. That was two years ago.

"She said, 'Did they give you any?' and I said, 'No.'"

Mrs. Rivas wasn't satisfied with the answer.

Contacting congressman

Last fall, she decided to write to Mr. Marchant's office. Besides being their congressman, Mr. Marchant and his family once lived across the street from the Rivases. He and Mr. Rivas' oldest son, Alfred, played football and rode motorcycles together. Perhaps Mr. Marchant could help, she thought.

The Republican congressman's office wasted no time. John Hayes, a military and veteran liaison for the 24th District of Texas and a Vietnam War veteran, contacted the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis in December. After doing some research, the center was able to piece together Mr. Rivas' military history and determined the medals were long overdue.

Mrs. Rivas smiled and hugged her husband of 55 years after Wednesday's event, relieved but also grateful.

"I am so proud of him," she said. "To think that all of these medals would not have been given to him, and of course, Mr. Marchant giving them to him is such a blessing."

Mr. Marchant said presenting the medals to his former neighbor meant a lot to him, too. It's the most awards his office has presented to a veteran.

"It was a great feeling to find out about his valor and getting the medals for him and then being able to reward them to him," he said.

Among the honors Mr. Rivas received were the Bronze Star, the fourth highest award; the Presidential Unit Citation; the American Campaign Medal; and the Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award.

Mr. Rivas and his wife have lived in Farmers Branch since 1964. They have five children and raised three of their grandchildren.

Draft no surprise

A native of San Antonio, Mr. Rivas was drafted at age 18.

"I had already seen a lot of guys leaving the neighborhood ... so it didn't take me by surprise," he said.

He served as a squad leader in Company F, 331st Infantry Regiment, 83rd Division. According to his records, he led 12 riflemen in attacks on enemy positions. He also was involved in reconnaissance patrols behind enemy lines and captured enemy soldiers.

At his home, he keeps an old map of the places he toured with notes he scribbled as a young soldier - the landing on Omaha Beach, the first battle he fought and the "one cold month" spent in the Ardennes forest in Belgium, which caused his feet to freeze.

He still cherishes a St. Christopher medal from a woman he didn't know. She gave him the medal as he walked through a village in France.

"Being in war is a scary thing," he said, remembering scenes from the battlefield with bullets whizzing by.

"It's creepy. It's frightening. You can't stop, not until you get to where you are going."

Overcome with emotion

Today, Mr. Rivas finds it difficult to recount those stories and is often overcome with emotion when he tries to tell them.

"Dad never talked about his service during World War II," his oldest son said. "I was probably 40-plus years old before he ever made any mention of it."

The son once asked how his father managed to survive the battlefield. The elder Mr. Rivas replied, "I did a lot of praying."

Elissa Rivas said her father - a soft-spoken, small-framed man - values the sacrifice his comrades made.

"Now that we're older and I inquire more about it, it strikes me how he thinks about the young men who didn't make it ... the bullets he missed," she said.

Looking down at the medals pinned on his gray suit, Mr. Rivas remained speechless.

"I don't know what to say," said the retired commercial painter, pausing for a moment. "I feel proud to wear them. I'm real proud."

Dallas Morning News, The (TX) - Thursday, February 22, 2007
Author: STELLA M. CHÁVEZ