Military Men

My Father

On December 19, 1945 Benjamin L. Apodaca was aboard the USS Henry R. Kenyon (DE 683) was a destroyer escort of the United States Navy in World War II. With the Battle of the Atlantic won, the destroyer escort proceeded on 15 May from Norfolk, Virginia through the Panama Canal and into the western Pacific theater. Arriving off Leyte on 7 July, she spent the remainder of the war escorting ships in the Philippines and to New Guina and Okinawa. After the surrender of Japan in August, Henry R. Kenyon continued to operate in the Philippines and off the coast of Japan until departing Manila for the United States on 26 November.

Naval receiving station, San Diego, California. He entered his Naval service on October 4, 1945 and was released with an Honorable Discharged from the Navy on October 23, 1950. He was appointed Second Class, USNR in the US Navy and received the World War II Victory medal.

On October 24, 1950 he was conscripted into the U.S.Army 40th Infantry Division and served a tour of combat duty during the Korean War. My dad was a Sergeant, and his job title was, specializing in demolition. While clearing an enemy mine field, his fellow comrade in arms fell wounded.  He and another soldier risk their lives by carrying out their wounded friend, while in the midst of enemy fire. For his act of heroism, he was awarded the United States Bronze Medal.



 Daniel Apodaca

(My Uncle)

Daniel L. Apodaca

Sgt. US Army

Korea

 Training @

6th Infantry Division M Company

Feb, 1952 to Apr 1952

 63rd Infantry Regiment

Fortord, California

Manuel L Rodriguez

US Navy 1945

(1st. cousin to my dad Ben)

Ray Contreras

(1st. cousin to my dad Ben Apodaca)