Comment by Valentino Martinez on December 16, 2011 at 3:46am

My Uncle, Quirino Chavez, 180th Regiment, 45th Infantry Division, killed in action November 9th, 1943, in a battle to take Venafro, Italy.  From autumn 1943 to spring of 1944 Venafro was the scene (along with Pozzilli, Filignano, San Pietro Infine) of bitter fighting between the Germans, entrenched in the mountains to the north and the British – French – U.S. along the Gustav Line, during the Battle of Monte Cassino. (Wikipedia)

Quirino Chavez was buried December 9, 1948, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I was born two months later.

It took five years to bring my uncle's remains back stateside for burial.

I remember visits over the years with my uncles (four of them who also fought in WWII and returned home with injuries but safely) and the many stories of their experiences before, during and after the war to end all wars.

Proud nephew.

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