december january member world war received medal honor actions age joined united_states_army completed training served different artillery batteries unit mobilized fight world war noticing unit gun batteries destroyed crew killed gathered members unit dug attempted defend line captured members unit forced march distant enemy prison camp held prisoner war released secretly assigned guerrilla unit philippines fought liberation philippines japanese world war received direct commission united_states citizen retiring army settled washington early life military training born philippines december mother died later left high school order work support family enlisted united_states_army received basic training fort oklahoma completion received additional training assigned 24th artillery regiment stationed married began raise family unit field sergeant battery united_states declared war japan unit mobilized duty sent december action world war medal honor action january unit covering withdrawal portion 31st infantry regiment working mess sergeant charge group soldiers preparing day meals known duty noticed unit guns crew killed orders ran yards shell swept area inactive gun position organized squad volunteers returned japanese artillery fire position remained constant heavy fire rest afternoon squad maintained steady fire enemy positions soldiers time dig defend line day ended combat subsided returned actions day superiors recommended united_states military highest decoration medal honor receive american forces surrendered japanese forces death march arguably represented intense phase invasion philippines world war final stage repeated assaults artillery fire japanese forces communications defenses allies peninsula completely destroyed days entire allied defense collapsed roads refugees fleeing troops april senior commander major general edward king recognized resistance explored proposals capitulation april approximately filipino american troops surrendered japanese army men general single largest surrender military forces american history surrender prisoners marched camp donnell prison camp province japanese having expected fighting continue anticipated prisoners war prepared unwilling transport group prisoners times size majority prisoners war immediately relieved belongings endured mile march deep dust vehicle broken roads rail cars portion journey route men women died disease starvation heat wounds execution deaths americans high approximately filipino american prisoners war died march remained prisoner camp donnell january released work japanese post release release placed japanese rice mill assigned secretly joined guerrilla unit old officer guerrilla unit participated attack japanese garrison unit fought continued campaign japanese eventually led liberation philippines liberation philippines finally received medal honor approved beginning war medal presented general army general subsequently accepted direct commission united_states_army later assigned 44th infantry regiment assigned occupation okinawa unit disbanded assigned remained later assigned washington citizenship born territory fought technically citizen following spanish american war philippine residents classified nationals philippine reclassified aliens set immigrants year united_states exception joined serving okinawa completed process united_states citizen retirement post military life eventually retired army rank captain moved washington family retiring army earned degree worked addition education starting new career involved veterans groups seattle area died january age buried mountain view memorial park washington survived children including retired sergeant class grandchildren great grandchildren wife years died honors awards earned multiple military decorations died including medal honor medal honor citation action award took place near january battery gun position bombed shelled enemy gun commission killed wounded sgt mess sergeant battery voluntarily orders ran yards shell swept area gun position organized volunteer squad placed gun commission fired effectively enemy position remained constant heavy japanese artillery fire honors relief commemorating event lead awarding medal honor family housing area fort sam houston texas street known dedicated honor family present medal honor given fort museum display family death unit apartment building designed low income disabled residents dedicated sgt apartments high point seattle memorial day memory honored living war memorial park memorial previously established
Jose Calugas