PVT Emilio Garza Cabrera

PVT Emilio Garza Cabrera was born 9 Oct 1914 in Nueces County, Texas to Bridigo and Antonia Cuevas (Garza) Cabrera.  His father was a laborer.

After entering the service, Emilio was assigned to F Company 116th Infantry from the replacement depot on 24 Oct 1944. PVT Cabrera was killed in action one month later on 24 Nov 1944.

In 1949, PVT Cabrera was repatriated and buried in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. 

PVT James Clinton Sanders

courtesy of CynC

PVT James Clinton Sanders was born 2 May 1920 in Hill County, Texas. He was the 4th of the 8 children born to James Monroe and Ella Clementine (Stephens) Sanders. His father worked as a hired hand for other people on their farms. Sister, Esther Mae Sanders, was burned to death in 1936 while using gasoline as a cleaning solvent. His father died in 1938. In 1940, James was himself working as a hired hand reporting a 1939 income of $100.

James was probably drafted in the fall of 1943. After his basic military training he was sent to the European theater and transferred from the replacement depot to B Company 116th Infantry on 17 Jul 1944. PVT Sanders was killed in action on 3 Aug 1944 near Vire, France.

PVT Sanders was repatriated and re-interred in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.

Brothers, Boley, Carven and Hoover also served in the U.S. Army. Great-grandfather, Duncan Fountain Simmons, served as a CPL in F Company 22nd Texas Infantry (CSA) in the Civil War.

PFC Eliseo Castillo

PFC Eliseo Castillo was born 14 Jun 1900 in Cindad Victoria, Mexico to to an unknown father and Elesteria Castillo.  The family moved Eliseo to Texas in 1911.  At that time his mother was living in Lytle, Texas. In 1920 they were living in San Antonio.  Eliseo was working as a laborer on the railroad.  He married Delores Martinez on 16 Oct 1937.  They had 3 children by 1942.

On 29 Oct 1942 Eliseo entered service. In 1943 he petitioned for and was granted naturalization. On 28 Jun 1944 he was transferred from the replacement depot to A Company 116th Infantry.  On 17 Jul 1944 he was killed in action. 

PFC Castillo is buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. 

PFC Leonard Ray Mahon

PFC Leonard Ray Mahon was born 23 Jul 1924 in Port Arthur, Texas. He was the 4th of 6 children born to James Robert and Willie Pearl (Westmoreland) Mahon. His father worked as a truck driver and as a laborer in construction supporting his family on only $260 income for 1939.

Leonard volunteered for the Army and enlisted on 8 Sep 1942 in Lubbock, Texas. After attending his military training, he was sent overseas to the European theater and on 25 Jun 1944 was transferred from the replacement depot to L Company 116th Infantry. PFC Mahon was killed in action on 12 Jul 1944.

PFC Mahon was repatriated in 1948 and re-interred in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.

Great grandfather William Hollis Cypert was a SGT in D Company and 2LT in K Company of 1st Arkansas Infantry Battalion (USA) during the Civil War.

One of the 2 men in the photo is Leonard. We don't know which man and we don't know the identity of the other person.