From: President Barack Obama To: Mr. Mike Quiroz Subject: Thank you Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 Mr. Mike Quiroz Today, on Veterans Day, my message to you is simple: Thank you. Thank you for your selfless service, for your valor, and for your strength of purpose that make all of us proud to be Americans. Today, Americans will pause amidst a great conversation about the future of our nation to take a moment and recognize your service to our democracy -- a service that guarantees us all the liberty to engage freely in that conversation, no matter what our views may be. We know that we owe you a debt that cannot be repaid. But we can and will fulfill our nation's promise to stand by you and your loved ones. That is why we've worked hard for better care for our veterans, and why we provided the largest increase in Veterans Administration funding in history. Today, we honor those Americans past and present who've served on battlefields from Lexington to Antietam, Normandy to Manila, Inchon to Khe Sanh, Ramadi to Kandahar. You have defended our freedom on land, and at sea, and in the air. You reflect the diversity that makes this America. You share a patriotism beyond question. And you share the same unflinching courage, selfless compassion, and uncommon camaraderie that -- when faced with the tragedy of a despicable and heartbreaking attack last Thursday -- the soldiers and civilians of Ft. Hood humbly revealed to the world. You and your loved ones are the patriotic men and women we honor today, Veterans Day. And you are the men and women we shall honor every day, in times of war and times of peace, so long as our nation endures. Thank you. President Barack Obama

Havasu vet recalls pall lingering over Omaha Beach By TONY WAGGONER Friday, June 5, 2009 Mike Quiroz arrived on the beaches of Normandy almost a month after June 6, 1944, seeing the aftermath of the single largest one-day military offensive in history. The water in the English Channel had been far too rocky for Quiroz’s artillery battalion to approach the shore for several days. From the barge Quiroz road in on, he saw what was left of Omaha Beach and what was left of many of the soldiers who had come to France during World War II to never leave the beach. “There were still bodies floating in the water,” he said. “It was an eerie, eerie feeling.” Quiroz previously had been shooting down Nazi B1 aircraft as they tried to invade and bomb London. He didn’t know what to expect on the way to Normandy. But at the time of his arrival in Normandy, American forces had pushed the Germans back inland. Quiroz would soon get to know first-hand what it was like for those men who set foot on the beach on D-Day. He would have his own famous battle to take part in, but his would be in Belgium at the Battle of the Bulge. It was November 1944 when Quiroz’ battalion entered Belgium. The weather was less than comforting. It was bitter cold. Quiroz was one of many soldiers trying to make the final push into Germany. He says he quite vividly remembers trying to navigate the German anti-tank dragon’s teeth on the Siegfried Line on the German-Belgium border. The German anti-tank forces just did not want to let American forces beyond the line in the final year of the war. Quiroz said they finally made it over the hill with a “deuce-and-a-half.” Quiroz described walking through knee-high snow near the Elsenborn-Eupen road with a pistol with only one cartridge, trying to avoid most of a German infantry division. German forces had confiscated all the battalion’s equipment. He described the sound and image of gun tracers from German machine guns passing right by him as he tried to flee in the steep snow banks. It was Dec. 16, 1944. As Quiroz described in four words, “All Hell broke loose.” And what of France after the war? Quiroz says it was total destruction. Mile upon mile of landscape had been destroyed by German convoys and fighting. Quiroz was particularly disturbed by the deaths of countless livestock he saw in the aftermath. Quiroz didn’t come under fire during the Allied Forces’ initial invasion, but he says he knows the dread those men must of felt. He lived through it elsewhere, and with every new Nazi-occupied place he went during the war, that dread followed. Would he immediately be opened up to machine gun fire, as so many men were on the day of the initial D-Day invasion? “It was always in the back of my mind, heading towards the unknown,” he said.

Mike Quiroz arrived in Trieste Italy April 1948 and was assigned to Company M. 351st infantry regiment stationed at Caserma San Giovanni. After 6 months Mike meet Ida Novarese. Her family owned a shooting booth in Luna Park located by Trattoria Brochetta. Mike and Ida enjoyed each other’s company to the extent they became engaged. The greatest enjoyment was walking up and down viale Venti Settembre looking at shops and stopping for an occasional cappuccino and going to the cinema, sometimes two in one day. Finally after about one year of paper work preparation they were married in the third (3rd) battalion chapel by Chaplain O’Connor August 16th 1950. Mike and Ida were surprised by Ida’s family and friends having a reception at Trattoria Boulugense in Trieste. Mike’s company (U.S. Army) gave him a 3-day pass and the two celebrated their honeymoon in Venice. After the honeymoon they purchased a 1947 Pontiac and visited towns in northern Italy. In November 1951 they were transferred to Fort Ord California. Driving the car across the United States they stopped in Gleeson Arizona where Ida meet the Quiroz family, everyone liked her. In California the first son Patrick was born the 16th of January 1953 the same day as Ida’s birthday. In February 1953 Mike was transferred to Germany. Ida had to stay behind because the baby was too small to travel. 15 days later Ida and baby Patrick sailed from New York on the Andrea Doria to Genova Italy where her mother Pierena was waiting for Ida and Patrick. After 6 months Mike had living quarters so Ida and Patrick went to Augsburg Germany. In February 1956 Mike was transferred back to Fort Ord, California and Robert the second son was born at the Army hospital. In 1958 the entire family went back to Germany. While in Germany the family made frequent trips to Italy via the Brenner Pass. Ida had family in Milano, Brescia and Genova. The third son Michael was born in February 1960 at the Army hospital in Heidelberg Germany. In 1961 the entire family transferred to Fort Hood Texas. Mike retired from the Army in October 1964 and moved to Orange California living there for 25years then settled down in Arizona, Ida said she used to dream of Arizona when she was a small girl.

During WW2, the US Army Air Force contracted with the Lafayette, LA airport to operate a primary flying school for their cadets. The last class of cadets completed their primary flight training in about March, 1944. I am desparately trying to find any information on that last group of cadets. I would be especially interested in seeing a copy of the yearbook produced for that class (1944). If you have any info on this, I would be grateful if you would contact me via email at bobbirichard@cox.net. Thank you, and I thank all veterans for their service to our country.

Addition to my previous submission: Information Needed is on Squad Leader 745, of Company C, 475th Army Rangers, 1942-1946. Thank you...

I've searched everywhere i could think of, and this is probably my last hope. I am looking for any information or surviving members of the 475th Infantry, before, during and after they became part of the 5307th. My hope is to verify that my late father was once one of them. If there is anyone out there that can help me, i'd be grateful. Information Needed: Mainly Muster Rolls... but, any information is more than welcome. Please E-mail me anything you think that might help. gdhunt1970@gmail.com... Thank you. P.S. To the National World War II Museum... keep up the good work, and god bless you on behalf of my father...

I am a writer and author from southern Delaware and I am currently working on a book of profiles of World War II veterans from my area. I am very interested in the war and in talking with any person or organization around the country about the war. I would like nothing more than for my current book to be the first in a series profiling World War II heroes from coast to coast. The men who served our country during World War II are true heroes. I always knew that, but working on this project has helped me gain an even greater appreciation and respect for what these brave men did for our country during the war. I will be releasing my book in mid-November, but my Web site - www.ww2-heroes.com - will be up and running by Labor Day. Please contact me at thednbgroup@gmail.com with any questions or comments, or just to begin a dialogue about the war.

I am the developer of a site to build up a chronological and geographical map of the events of World War Two. Users can browse events on a timeline or create an account and contribute new entries: http://www.cannonade.net/ww2 Would love to hear your thoughts.

Enlisted Feb 42 - Platoon #239 - San Diego RD - Assigned to paratrooper unit at North Island - Packed Thousands of Parachutes - made 3 static jumps - Had kidney stones - operated on at US Naval Hosp. San Diego -Could not get back into the paratroopers - Signed up for Aviation Machinest Mate School , Norman, Okla., the assigned to help open El Toro USMC Air Base. Then assigned to VMF 212- After returning from South Pacific assigned as Operations NCO = Kinston, NC - USMC Auxilliary Air Base til discharge - Recalled during Korean conflict Stayed at Camp Pendleton, as NCO Motor Transport Warehouse - Any info would be appreciated - Thanks

I am looking for WWII speakers to come to my school and give a presentation on their experiences. Does anyone know someone from eastern Massachusetts who can do this?

Im a teacher that started out in middle school reading about WWII, I still read anything I can find. Young people do not understand the scope of WWII and that it still changing us today. I use it in my class every day to help to get a point across. Keep it coming, good site!!

John C.Mcmanus' "The Deadly Brotherhood" is an outstanding tribute to all of us Combat Infantrymen.

I have had three brothers serve but sadly for me they dont have much to say about their experiences. And I can understand why. World War II has always interested me and I've studied it for quite some time. I plan to visit the museum very soon.

i love the ww2 in special all the scenaries in miniature of all the battles

Im interested in all parts of ww2 history. My dad was USN, 1941-1945. Everything educational about ww2 history.

I recently spent several hours at the WWII Museum. I enjoyed each exhibit, reading and taking the time to listen to all of the personal accounts. In just a few hours I was able to have a much better understanding of The War and what lead up to it. My father served in the Navy on a Mine Sweeper. He did not talk much about his experience. I admire his generation so much more now. I expecially admired the poster that outlined the ways Americans could help the war effort, including willingly paying our taxes. I was also struck by Eisenhowers' memo written just before the beginning of D-Day accepting full responsibility if it failed. I wish all Americans could spend a day at this museum.

I am 16 and I am studying to be a ww2 historian and i believe that the band of brothers documentary is the best story about the true hardships of ww2.

without all of these men and women , where would we be right now? i study German for the fun of it, what if?????

My favorite movie is Saving Private Ryan