[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 70 (Tuesday, May 24, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1076-E1077]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING MASTER SERGEANT JOSE M. LOPEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CHARLES A. GONZALEZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 24, 2005

  Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a true American hero 
even though that title is far too often overused. Master Sergeant Jose 
M. Lopez of San Antonio passed away on May 16th of this year at the age 
of 94 which in and of itself is remarkable but even more so when one 
learns of this amazing man's story. Sgt. Lopez was the nation's oldest 
living Hispanic Medal of Honor winner for his valor during the Battle 
of the Bulge in World War II. Sgt. Lopez represents the best of us and 
stands as a shining example of selflessness and sacrifice.
  Perhaps it should not be a surprise Sgt. Lopez distinguished himself 
in battle since he often told one of his granddaughters, June Pedraza, 
``Fear is the one thing that will hold you back in life.'' Living that 
credo time and again throughout his life, Sgt. Lopez faced and overcame 
seemingly insurmountable odds. Born in Mexico in 1910, Sgt. Lopez's 
mother died when he was 8 leaving him an orphan since he never met his 
father. He then worked a series of hardscrabble jobs and eventually 
made his way to the Rio Grande Valley where a family took pity on him 
and let him sleep in their shed. Later, he rode trains across America 
and in Atlanta, a bigger man antagonized Sgt. Lopez until he fought and 
thoroughly whipped his larger opponent. Coincidentally, a boxing 
manager happened to see the incident unfold and realized potential even 
though it was packaged in a 5'5'', 130 lb. frame and began training 
Sgt. Lopez. Rechristened Kid Mendoza, he went on to a professional 
record of 52 wins and 3 losses and later recounted meeting Babe Ruth as 
the highlight of his career.
  In 1936, Sgt. Lopez joined the U.S. Merchant Marines and later worked 
a number of other maritime jobs. Once, he found himself adrift on a 
cargo ship without food except for bananas. After the start of World 
War II, Sgt. Lopez enlisted in the Army and was among the troops who 
hit the beaches at Normandy a day after D-Day commenced. Sgt. Lopez was 
wounded as a bullet nicked his hip and as he told Bill Moyers in 1990 
for a PBS documentary ``I was really very, very afraid. I wanted to 
cry, and we saw other people laying wounded and screaming and 
everything, and there's nothing you could do. We could see them 
groaning in the water, and we had to keep walking.'' And, he kept going 
despite his fears until he found himself at another of World War II's 
turning points, the Battle of the Bulge.
  On December 17th, 1944 shortly after the sun rose, Sgt. Lopez and his 
troops in Company K were outside Krinkelt, Belgium when the Germans 
launched their last-ditch offensive which came to be known as the 
Battle of the Bulge. Patrolling in advance of Company K, Sgt. Lopez 
heard a tank which he assumed was Allied since a soldier hundreds of 
yards away failed to alert him otherwise. Carrying a Browning machine 
gun, he jumped into a shallow hole when he realized the tank was a 
German Tiger and the troops following it were German. Concerned for his 
men, he opened

[[Page E1077]]

fired even though he was exposed from the waist up. First, he killed 
the 10 soldiers arrayed around the tank. After the tank fired three 
shell blasts that knocked him over and left him concussed, Sgt. Lopez 
got to his feet again and cut down 25 more soldiers until he saw that 
the advancing Germans would soon outflank his position. He lugged his 
machine gun to a fall back spot and fired again. Officers witnessing 
the scene stopped counting when the death toll reached 100. After 
delaying the German onslaught for precious minutes, Sgt. Lopez dashed 
into the forest while dodging enemy fire until he rejoined the men he 
had saved. The American forces in Krinke1t burrowed in and forced the 
Germans to bypass the town.

  His Medal of Honor citation commended his ``seemingly suicidal 
missions in which he killed at least 100 of the enemy . . . [and which] 
were almost solely responsible for allowing Company K to avoid being 
enveloped, to withdraw successfully and to give other forces coming up 
in support time to build a line which repelled the enemy drive.'' 
Despite his obvious valor, Sgt. Lopez remained a modest man who later 
told the San Antonio Express-News in 2001, ``You learn to protect the 
line and do the best you can with the ammunition you have, and I did 
it.''
  Later, Sgt. Lopez served during the Korean War, and undertook a 
variety of jobs within the Army including overseeing a motor pool. He 
retired in 1973, yet continued to be physically active as he jogged 
until he was 88 and only gave up seeing a trainer three months ago. He 
was a committed family man whose beloved wife passed away in February 
of last year. As his son John Lopez said ``He was a great hero, without 
being a hero around his family.'' He is survived by five children, 19 
grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.
  This quintessential American story reaffirms my belief in our nation 
as a beacon for those willing to work and sacrifice to improve their 
lot in life no matter how meager and humble one's beginning may have 
been.

                          ____________________