St. Helenan finally receives honor earned in Korean conflict

St. Helenan finally receives honor earned in Korean conflict
By JOHN LINDBLOM
For the Register
On Tuesday, Jess Torres’ 80th birthday — and serendipitously Veterans Day — his past as a U.S. soldier in the Korean War caught up with him.

It all came together at St. Helena’s American Legion Hall in one illuminating moment in which Torres was presented a long-overdue Purple Heart in recognition of wounds suffered on the battlefield 57 years ago.

It was a proud moment as a spit-and-polished U.S. Army Captain Jack Faulkner presented the medal “on behalf of President Harry S. Truman.” But it was a bittersweet moment, as well, as Torres reflected on the grim circumstances that led to the Purple Heart, awarded only to those killed or wounded in battle.

“It happened in the northeast part of Korea where we were under a lot of heavy attack from the Chinese,” said Torres, a shy man of few words since his Army days. He did not elaborate.

“I can’t really describe how I’m feeling right now. I hope you understand that,” an emotional Torres told a full house of veterans and wives after the brief ceremony.

It was understandable. Torres didn’t know he was going to receive the long overdue Purple Heart Tuesday night. He was unaware of the covert campaign waged by fellow Legionnaire Dave Curtin.

Curtin was motivated to secure the medal for Torres out of respect for a comrade in arms, albeit in different wars — Curtin is a Vietnam-era vet. “I did it because no veteran in combat should be denied his Purple Heart for any reason,” he said.

A lifelong friend of Torres, Al Butala, presented the former Private First Class with a second medal that was also a lifetime overdue — the Combat Infantry Badge — and recalled how he and Albert Betz, another lifelong Torres friend, had gone through St. Helena schools together.
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