My Hero

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  My Hero
Abel F. Ortega
Written by Abel Ortega, Jr.

    This is the story of a young man from Austin, TX who dreamed of one day going to a foreign country to see how other people lived. In 1941, he got his chance. He joined the Army and was assigned to the 753rd Tank Battalion Co. A. While they were on maneuvers at Camp Polk, LA, another unit, the 192nd Tank Battalion Co. A, received orders to go to the Philippines and help train their army. When they asked for volunteers to go, he was one of the first to step forward. So at the young age of 22, he was off to a foreign country. He arrived at Clark Field in the Philippines on Thanksgiving Day 1941. His adventure was cut short when on December 8th, 1941 a ruthless and inhumane enemy, the Japanese Army, attacked them. For the next 4 months, he and his fellow soldiers fought and died. This was just the beginning of what was to be 3 ½ years of living hell. On April 9th, 1942 they were surrendered. For more than a week and 90 miles, they were marched with little to no food or water on what would become known as "The Bataan Death March." He watched his fellow soldiers be bayoneted, shot, burned, decapitated and left for dead on the side of the road. For the next 2 ½ years in various prison camps in the Philippines, he was beaten, tortured, starved and treated in ways that are unimaginable. On October 1, 1944 he along with over 1000 other men were packed like sardines into two 45’X45’ cargo holds (500 in each) of a Japanese freighter called the Hokusen  Maru, or as they would call it, the " Benjo Maru" and shipped to Formosa. For the next 38 days they would be at sea. He again would suffer disease and starvation and experience living conditions worse than any other he would experience as a prisoner. He would witness men die by literally going out of their minds. Since they were packed like sardines, when someone died, they died standing because there was no room to fall. Your burial was to be thrown overboard. They would bury 38 men on that voyage, one everyday at sea. Food was ½ cup of rice and a ¼ cup of water if you were lucky enough to receive it. The restroom was a 5-gallon bucket shared by all the men and was hoisted to the top to be emptied. Most of the time, it would spill on the guys below causing chaos because they were too weak to hold it up. Once they arrived in Formosa, he was sent to various prison camps and work details. He would spend two months in Formosa before being shipped to Japan in January of 1945 on another “Hell Ship” called the Melbourne Maru. His beatings and tortures would last for almost another year. Finally in September 1945, his freedom was returned and the war was finally over.

    For the next five years he would enjoy life, get married and have 2 kids. In 1950, his country called upon him once again to serve. This time it would be the bitter cold of Korea. So at the age of 31, he was off to war again. He was assigned to the 3rd Div. 15th Inf. Reg. Co. G. He was sent there to help defend a foreign country and flag for over a year and in 1951 he came home.

    In the end, dad would receive The Bronze Star, 3 Purple Hearts, Prisoner of War Medal, Good Conduct Medal w/2 Awards, American Defense Service Medal w/ Foreign Clasp, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 2 Bronze Stars, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal w/ Japan Clasp, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with 2 Bronze Stars, Philippine Defense Medal w/1 Bronze Star, Philippine Liberation Medal, Philippine Independence Medal w/1 Bronze Star, United Nations Service Medal, Republic of Korean War Service Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation w/2 Oak Leafs, Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, Combat Infantrymen Badge 1st Award w/Wreath, 8 Overseas Bars, And 2 Service Stripes.

    If you were to look up the word hero in the dictionary, you should find this man’s name. For someone to go through what he went through, raise 7 kids in a warm loving Christian home, celebrate 52 years of marriage, and still would defend his country and flag, he has to be the definition of the word "Hero." So not only is he my hero, he is my father, and I love him!

    Thanks Dad for all that you have done and continue to do! If I could be a ¼ of the man that you are, I would be honored

     

    Abel Ortega, Jr.

    11/25/00