Bushmasters honored Saturday

The "Bushmasters" was the name given to the members of the 158th Regimental Combat Team, which served in New Guinea and the Philippines against Japanese forces during World War II.

Prior to their service, the unit trained in Panama, where it adopted as its emblem the bushmaster, a venomous snake that inhabited the jungles of the Central American nation.

The unit so distinguished itself in combat that Gen. Douglas MacArthur said of it, "No greater battle team was deployed for battle than the Bushmasters of Arizona."

On Saturday, the Yuma Bushmaster Association remembered the deceased Yuma members of the unit in a program that included a roll call.

Deceased members whose names were read:

Lalo H. Aguilar, Alfred Alexander, Manuel Almodova, Billy Alvarez, Guillermo Alvarez, Salvador Angulo, Robert Argoanez, Frank Arviso, Albert Avila, Alfred Bedoya, Charles C. Beltran, Angel Benzor, Gilbert G. Benzor, Manuel Bernal, James D. Beshears, Tom Bowie, Eugenio M. Bracamonte, John Briceno, Lester Bullett and Magdaleno Bustamante.

Also, Thomas R. Calzada, Adam Cano, Candelario Cano, Julian Cano, Orland Cano, Percy Cano, Steve Cano, Carl Cansler, Frank Carlos, Raymond Carrillo, O.D. Carroll, C.T. Carter, Julian Chacon, Arthur Chaleco, Juan E. Chavez, Marvin C. Clark, John Conboy, Charles J. Corea, Jesus Cortez and Samuel Coulter.

And George Coyer, Clyde Curry, Jim Davis, Louie Davis, Ferris Deberry, Henry A. Decorse, Joe Decorse, Barney Degrande, George DeLintt, Don Dennis, Johnny Doten, Carlos Duran, Alfred Duron, Frank Espino, Frank Estrada, James Ewing, Theodore Faz, Charles Fennel, George "Tex" Ferguson and Arthur Fernandez.

Also, Frank Fernandez, Gilbert C. Fernandez, Henry Fernandez, Frank Ferrari, Tony Flores, Oscar Francis, Dale Freeman, Alvaro D. Garcia, Raymond D. Garcia, Gaspar Gloria, Eduardo Gomez, Juan Gomez, George Gonzales, Truman Griffen, Isadore Guahlupe, A.C. Haile, Charles Harrell, Horace V. Havens, Lester Haynie and Albert Hernandez.

And Antonio Hernandez, Augustin Hernandez, Robert Higgins, Charles M. Higuera, Frank W. Higuera, Norbert Hoagland, Roy Hoahtewa, Roy Hollenbeck, Boyd Hunt, Raul J. Ilizaliturri, Raymond V. Jaramillo, Dan Kinser, Sam H. Korolsky, Robert Leroy, Louis Levy, Cary Lewis, Jesse H. Leyva, C.T. Lomakema, Elsworth Long and Severo Lopez.

Also, Henry Loroa, Eddie Lugo, Fred Lugo, Juan A. Lujan, Alfred Magdaleno, David Manchata, Maurice A. Marks, Charles A. Martinez, Paul Martinez, Pete M. Martinez, Ramon Martinez, John McCain, Arnold McMorris, Armando Mejia, Gilbert Mejia, Albert R. Mendoza, Frank Miranda, Roy Miranda, Diego Molina and Henry Montague Sr.

And Arturo Montalvo, Santos Montalvo, Tony Montalvo, Ernest Montaa, Ernest Muoz, Joe Muoz, Julian Munoz, Louis Nuez, Charles Obregon, Alfred Y. Ochoa, Gabiel Ochoa, Max Orduo, Florencio Ortega, Eddie Palacio, Oscar Palacio, Wilson R. Papel, Gabriel Paredes, Joe Penny, John Perez and Peter C. Perez.

Also, Louis R. Pieda, Pete Pino, Marvin Pool, Ralph H. Pulsifer, Alberto Quiroz, Homer Quist, Robert Radonovich, Eleazar Ramirez, Juan Ramirez, Jesus Ramos, V. L. Raymond, Mike Raveles, Jose A. Regalado, Michael Reiger, Joseph Renze, Harold Rice, Ralph E. Rivera, D.W. Roberts, Gilbert Robles, Louie Robles and David Rodriguez.

And Rufino Rodriguez, Tom Romero, George Ross, Manuel Ruiz, Wesley Rutherford, Henry Saldaa, Tony Sanchez, Ralph Seballos, B.C. Smith, Charles Smith, Joe Souza, Raul Souza, Louis Tartar, Robert Taylor, William Terry, Rodolfo L. Teyechea, H.L. Tolley, Don Trigg, Ramon Uribe and Bernardo Valdez.

Also, Richard Vanlaninghan, Refugio Vasquez, Jack S. Villarreal, Fred L. Wearning, Walter Weatherford, Eugene Westlin, Harold White, Alfred R. Williams, Carlos Williams, Casey Wilson, Louis Wilson, Reynaldo Yanez, Ralph Young, Henry Zavala and Joe Zavala.