A young husband, father, and New York firefighter when he joined the Army in 1944, Bill deployed with the 4th Infantry Division to Utah Beach ten days after D-Day to start six months of fighting the German army on the frontlines in Normandy, through France, across Belgium, and into Germany to the Battle of Hurtgen Forest. The longest single battle the U.S. Army ever fought, Bill recalls Hurtgen Forest as “a terrible place, that when we left was not a forest anymore.” Next up, the Battle of the Bulge, the last major offensive by the Axis Powers on the Western Front, where Bill eventually found himself “inches from a rifle to his head.” A prisoner of war, after a few hours he escaped to successfully rejoin his platoon. Though extremely outmanned, they continued to battle until relieved on Christmas Eve. The six surviving and uncaptured members of his original 40-man platoon then deployed to hold the recently captured Remagen Bridge, crossed the Rhine, and continued through Germany and into Austria encountering only sporadic resistance. The war in Europe was essentially over. Despite fighting three major battles, his company was reassigned to invade Japan, so returned secretly to the U.S. While there, Japan was bombed, WWII ended, Bill was discharged and returned to the NYFD. Bill’s medals and badges include the Bronze Star with Oakleaf Cluster “for exemplary conduct in ground combat against the armed enemy” in Hurtgen Forest, the Order of Leopold II with Palm Degree of Chevalier from Belgium, and the Croix de Guerre with Palm Leaf from France. Bill resides in Huntington Beach, is a member of American Legion Huntington Beach Post 133, is 101 and a stellar example of The Greatest Generation.

At 15 years old in August 1941, four months before Pearl Harbor, Billy enlisted in the Marine Corps. Days from his 96th birthday, Billy now claims “I didn’t lie about my age, but that recruiter sure did!” He deployed to Guadalcanal in August 1942 as a Radioman/Gunner in Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers engaging the enemy over the Solomon Islands in ship convoy cover, strafing in support of ground troops, and fire and dive bombing, and later in TBF Avenger torpedo bombers on anti-submarine patrols and glide bombing enemy ships, flying 100+/- combat missions at 16 and 17 years old. In 1943 he was assigned to California as a radioman/gunner instructor, but returned to action in 1945 at Peleliu, flying 50+/- TBF anti-submarine and enemy shipping patrol missions until the war ended. Billy was awarded the Air Medal with 3 clusters for “extraordinary achievement and meritorious acts in aerial flight,” WWII Victory Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal, and American Campaign Medal. He joined the CA National Guard in 1948 and was deployed to Korea in 1950 as an Army Infantry and Communications Officer where he devised methods to improve radio communication and keep communication lines from being cut at night by the enemy using a dummy round and bazooka to fire wire from the front line to the Command Post, for which he received the Bronze Star, Infantry Combat Badge and Korean Service Medal. Billy retrained and deployed to Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, flying 50+/- supply and medivac missions, and was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal. Billy resides in Orange. Having served our country from 1941 to 1967 in three wars, Billy is proof of why he and his American contemporaries are “The Greatest Generation” the world has ever known.

After graduating from Drew University in 1967, Bob was drafted in 1968 and served two years, including a year in Vietnam as a Reconnaissance Team Leader in the Army’s 101st Airborne Division. Bob was wounded in the Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord, a 23-day battle between his division and two reinforced divisions of the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) from July 1 to 23 1970, the last major confrontation between U.S. ground forces and the PAVN, where he took command when his platoon leader was killed, had to call artillery fire onto his unit because weather prohibited gunship and evacuation helicopter support, and under heavy enemy fire led his platoon to a secure location. Bob’s medals and awards include two Bronze Stars for heroism and valor in combat, two Purple Hearts for combat wounds, two Air Medals, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal. Bob’s post-military career was in the investment management business, primarily with The Dreyfus Corporation as a V.P. and Western Sales Manager. Since 1990, he has volunteered extensively in Orange County, including negotiating the use by the county of Tobacco Litigation Settlement revenue and with the American Cancer Society, the Irvine Senior Foundation, the City of Irvine’s Investment Committee, the Orange County Veterans Memorial Park Foundation, and Newport Harbor Post 291 of the American Legion. Bill’s American Legion leadership positions include National Legislative Council, State Legislative Commissioner, and District Finance Officer. He was California’s “Legionnaire of the Year” in 2018 and a City of Irvine Distinguished Citizen in 2019 for his community service work. Bob resides in Irvine with his wife Betsy.

Manny enlisted in the Army after one year of college and was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam in 1968 as a Tank Commander and Tank Section Leader. In 1969 he was awarded a Bronze Star for valor and a Purple Heart. While engaged with a large well-concealed enemy force, his tank fell into a tank trap and lost a track. Exposed to deadly Viet Cong fire, Manny dismounted to snap the track back on its sprocket and remobilize the tank. In disregard for his safety, he maneuvered the tank through the bullet swept area to assault an enemy bunker where it sustained a direct rocket propelled grenade hit, wounding him so seriously in both legs he could not walk for over a year and his mobility remained limited. Manny studied business and finance at the University of Denver and from 1976 to 1999 worked as a banking and Metlife Capital executive. With Veterans Administration assistance, in 2009 he formed EG Montanez Construction to focus on building federal and military installations, universities, and public works as a service-disabled veteran-owned general contractor. Manny’s success has allowed him to serve in volunteer leadership and financial supporting roles for the Disabled Veteran Business Alliance, CalVet Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise, Veteran Strong USA (founded by Manny and his sister Guadalupe), and Fruitful Futures Project (as CEO) dedicated to helping homeless veterans, and many OC charitable causes including Children’s Hospital of Orange County, CHOC at Mission, Boy Scouts of America, Orangewood, and several Catholic charities. The SBA OC/Inland Empire District honored him as its 2020 Veteran Champion of the Year. Manny resides in Coto de Caza with his wife Lynn.

The day after John’s 19th birthday Pearl Harbor was attacked. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 to train as a pilot, but due to a shortage of candidates in basic training he transitioned to navigation and received his wings as an Army Air Corp Navigation officer. Stationed in Tezpur, India from 1944 to 1946, John navigated 35 missions in B-24 Liberator bombers converted to fly gasoline “over the hump” to China and Burma, guiding his pilot using the stars, maps, a sexton, a compass, and Loran (Long range navigation, a hyperbolic radio navigation system developed during World War II) as their guide. The Army Air Corps separated from the Army in 1947 as the U.S. Air Force, John transitioned to the USAF reserves, and via the GI Bill earned a B.S. in Engineering at USC. In 1950 his reserve unit was called up for the Korean War. Stationed in Japan and Korea, John flew 73 missions in the Douglas B-26 Invader including on several hit by ground fire that sustained no major damage. Returning home, he served as a Radar Flight Instructor for the B-25 Mitchell bomber and re-entered the reserves to fly cargo transports on supply and training missions. John retired from the Air Force in 1975, remembers those who did not return from war as the “truest of heroes,” and meets regularly with veterans with whom he served who only ask that we “Always Remember” the sacrifices made. John’s medals include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and Republic of Korea War Service Medal. John resides in Villa Park, at age 99 plays golf twice per week, frequently “shoots his age,” and is an exemplary member of the “The Greatest Generation.”

In 1984 Vic enlisted in the Army Reserve, in 1990 received his ROTC officer commission, in 1991 completed the Military Police Officer (MP) Basic Course, Airborne School, Ranger School, and went on active duty in the 101st MP Company, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) until transitioning to the reserves in 1994. In 2003 he activated for Operation Iraqi Freedom to provide daily convoy security for a 200-mile journey through hostile territory from Kuwait to Tallil Air Base and oversaw construction of three Iraqi police stations and the training of 256 new Iraqi police officers. Returning home, he served the USAR as an MP Operations Officer, a Command Inspector General to ensure the health and morale of 20,000+ soldiers, a Commander of an MP Division securing the “top 12” officials in the Defense Department, the author of a plan for response to man-made and natural disasters in the western U.S. including cyber, utility infrastructure, terrorism, and severe weather, and finally as the senior officer of a 127 soldier Ready Force X unit charged with providing communications support to the Army Pacific Command in potentially lethal combat situations on shorter notice than traditional reserve units. Vic’s medals and badges include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, Global War on Terror Service Medal, and Combat Action, Parachutist, and Air Assault Badges. Vic earned a B.S in Criminology from CSU Fresno, a Masters in Homeland Security from the American Military University, and is a Captain in the Costa Mesa Police Department where he has served for 25 years. He and his wife Corey reside in Newport Beach.