I have chosen to write about this period of my father’s-in-law life in a more formal manner, using his given name rather than, “Pop,” as the family referred to him, or “Chu.” In the event that other than family members or younger descendants read this document, it is important that they know the name of the man who lived these events and, as best as we can, how he lived them. “Your life is a work of art, and in the end, the underlying theme of great art is bravery and hope and love.” -- Garrison Keillor Jesus Arriola Leon Guerrero created his work of art.
I knew that Jesus served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and Korea, but I knew very little about the details of his experiences or service. His children didn’t know much about this period either. Navy Muster Rolls from 1939 -1949 found on Ancestry.com documented the ships upon which Jesus served during World War II. Researching the history of these ships provided some insight into what he may have experienced, but what one might imagine would be entirely speculative. There was no information about his service beyond 1945. As my curiosity peaked, I wanted to find out more about Jesus’ service, so I recommended Elizabeth (for younger generations reading this, his daughter) request a copy of his Official Military Personnel File (OPMF.) When the record came, examination of the documents provided specific details about his service, to include battles and campaigns in which Jesus participated, commendations, and medals awarded. I soon discovered, however, that there were a number of omissions and errors in his OMPF as service/battle stars earned were not accurately noted or documented, that other awards for which he was eligible were not awarded, and in some cases not recommended. His extensive amount of sea duty was not noted either. (~Art Meilicke)
*Reproduced by permission of the author.
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