John Resendes Torres. Age 89. Husband of Maria Conceicao (Martins) Torres. Residence 1123 Rockdale Ave., New Bedford, Ma. formerly of 658 Hood St., Fall River, MA. Died Sunday with his family by his side at St. Luke’s Hospital, New Bedford, MA. Born in Fall River, MA. Son of the late Joao Torres and the late Maria (Venancia) Torres. He was born in Fall River, moved to Sao Miguel, Azores, then to CA, returned to Fall River and has spent the last 1½ years in New Bedford. Before retiring, he worked as Orderly at the Brockton VA Hospital. He previously spent 20 years in the U.S. Army serving in both WWII and Korea. He was a member of Holy Name Church, Hanover St., Fall River.
Besides his wife of New Bedford, he is survived by One Son: Albert John Torres of N. Dartmouth, MA. One Daughter: Liadora Lopes of Westport,MA. Two Brothers: Alfred Torres of Fall River, MA and Adelino Torres of Sao Miguel, Azores. Four Grandchildren: Alexis, Lauren, Glenn, and Andrea and Several nieces and nephews. He was also brother of the late James and Joseph Torres and Adelina Torres.
His funeral will take place from the Manuel Rogers & Sons Funeral Home, 1521 N. Main St., Fall River, Ma. on Friday at 9:00 A.M. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in Holy Name Church, Hanover St., Fall River, Ma. at 10:00 A.M. Internment in the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne, MA. Calling hours Thursday 6-9 P.M.
ON AUGUST 31st, 1962 AN OLD SOLDIER STOOD HIS LAST RETREAT AND LAID DOWN HIS WEAPON TO USE IT NO MORE, EXCEPT IN HIS MEMORIES AND DREAMS OF THE PAST. THE LAST TWENTY YEARS HAVE BUILT MANY MEMORIES FOR SFC JOHN R. TORRES; SOME OF THEM VERY PLEASANT, MANY OF THEM NOT SO PLEASANT. TORRES WAS BORN AND GREW UP IN FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSSETS HAS SEEN MANY OF THE WORLD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL AND INTERESTING CITIES. HE HAS SEEN SOME OF THEM AS A YOUNG, ENERGETIC SOLDIER ON A WEEK-END PASS DURING PEACE TIME. HE HAS ALSO SEEN MANY OF THEM AS AN AMERICAN FIGHTING MAN, WEARY WITH THE MANY UNPLEASANTRIES OF WAR.
JOHN R. TORRES'S TOUR OF DUTY WITH THE UNITED STATES ARMY BEGAN ON JULY 15, 1941. HE WAS INDUCTED IN VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA AND SENT TO CAMP ROBERTS, CALIFORNIA. THERE HE UNDERWENT 17 WEEKS OF BASIC TRAINING. WHICH INCLUDED TRAINING WITH THE 155 HOWITZER. AFTER GRADUATION FROM BASIC, TORRES REMAINED AT CAMP ROBERTS UNTIL JUNE OF 1943. AT THIS POINT IN HIS CAREER HE WAS SENT OVERSEAS TO JOIN THE 37th INFANTRY DIVISION. ZIGZAGGING ACROSS THE PACIFIC HE WENT STOPPING FIRST AT BORA BORA, IN THE SOCIETY ISLANDS. AFTER TWO MONTHS OF TRAINING AND MANUEVERS HE LEFT BORA BORA FOR THE NEW HEBRIDES WHERE THE CONVOY OF SHIPS, WITH WHICH HE WAS TRAVELING, STOPPED FOR REPAIRS AND SUPPLIES.
HE JOINED THE 37th DIVISION IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS AND ARRIVED IN GUADALCANAL IN JULY. WITH THAT DIVISION HE PARTICIPATED IN CAMPING ON NEW GEORGIA, VELLA LAVELLA AND RENDOVA MUNDA. THE DIVISION THEN RETURNED TO GUADALCANAL FOR REST AND TRAINING.
IN JANUARY 1943 THE DIVISION LANDED ON BOUGANVILLE AND HELD PERIMETER WHILE THE SEABEES CONSTRUCTED AN AIRFIELD FOR USE IN STRIKING OTHER ISLANDS. IN DECEMBER 1944 HE SAILED WITH THE DIVISION FOR THE PHILLIPPINES. ON THE WAY THEY STOPPED OVER IN LAE, NEW GUINEA WHERE THEY PREPARED FOR LANDINGS WHICH THEY WOULD MAKE LATER IN THE LANGAYAN GULF. AFTER THE DRIVE TO MANILA AND A REST PERIOD, THE DIVISION WAS GIVEN THE ASSIGNMENT OF CLEARING THE CAGAHAN VALLEY WHERE THE WAR ENDED. AFTER THE WAR WAS OVER TORRES STARTED COUNTING POINTS TO ROTATE HOME AND ARRIVED BACK IN THE U.S.A. DECEMBER 17, 1945.
IN 1947 TORRES GOT THE CHANCE TO VISIT A COUNTRY HE HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE. ITALY! HE WENT THERE ASSIGNED TO THE 88th DIVISION AND WHILE THERE HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE A LOT OF THE FAMOUS CITIES AND CATHEDRALS HE HAD READ ABOUT.
HIS NEXT TOUR OF DUTY WAS JAPAN; FROM 1949 to 1952. HE VISITED MANY OF IT'S PRINCIPAL CITIES; HIROSHIMA, KYOTO, TOKYO AND OTHERS. HE LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMS AND MADE MANY FRIENDS. HE ALSO VISITED THEIR BEAUTIFUL SHRINES AND RESORTS. HE AISO EXPERIENCED SEVERAL OF THE EARTHQUAKES, WHICH COME SO FREQUENTLY TO JAPAN. THOSE EXPERIENCES ARE NOT AMONG HIS MOST PLEASANT ONES.
IN JANUARY 1953 TORRES GOT HIS CALL TO KOREA. HE JOINED THE 213th 240 MM CANNONS FIELD ARTILLERY IN THE CHOUWAN VALLEY ABOVE THE 38th PARALLEL. HE PARTICIPATED IN THE FALL, WINTER AND SUMMER CAMPING IN WHAT HE CALLS, "THE COLDEST WEATHER I'VE EVER SEEN".
1955 BROUGHT ORDERS FOR EUROPE. THIS WAS A GOOD ASSIGNMENT FOR AGAIN HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE MOST OF IT'S COUNTRIES; HOLLAND, LUXEMBOURG, BELGIUM, FRANCE, SPAIN, PORTUGAL, DENMARK AND SWITZERLAND. IN APRIL 1958 TROUBLE STARTED BREWING IN THE MIDDLE EAST. A SMALL PLACE CALLED LEBANON WAS THE TROUBLE SPOT AND SFC TORRES WAS SENT THERE TO WORK WITH THE PRESIDENT'S MILITARY ATTACHE IN BEIRUT. FOR TWO MONTHS HE WAS THERE AND VISITED BAL-BEL AND OTHER FAMOUS CITIES IN ONE OF THE OLDEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD. WHILE IN LEBANON HE ALSO WAS ABLE TO VISIT SYRIA AND JERUSALEM.
SFC TORRES PARTICIPATED IN THE LARGE ARMY MANUEVER IN PUERTO RICO IN 1959. HE PARTICIPATED AS A MEMBER OF THE 80th ORDNANCE BATTALION OF FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA.
KOREA WAS THE ASSIGNMENT AGAIN IN 1961 AND WHEN SFC TORRES VISITED THE AREA ABOVE THE 38th PARALLEL HE CCULD SEE THAT MANY CHANGES HAD BEEN MADE SINCE HIS FIRST TOUR OF DUTY THERE. PEOPLE WERE COMING BACK TO THEIR LAND AND VILLAGES WERE SPRINGING UP ALL OVER THE CHOUWAN VALLEY. IT WAS GOOD TO SEE ALL OF THE LAND BEING WORKED, HE SAID.
IN APRIL 1962, SFC TORRES SAID GOODBYE TO KOREA AND MADE HIS WAY BACK TO THE UNITED STATES AND FORT CARSON, COLORADO. ASSIGNED TO THE 705th MAINTENANCE BATTALION, HE PARTICIPATED IN EXERCISE SWIFT STRIKE II, HELD IN AUGUST 1962. THIS MANUEVER, WHICH TOOK PLACE IN NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA WAS THE LARGEST PEACE TIME MANUEVER EVER CONDUCTED IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY. THIS WAS THE LAST MANUEVER FOR SFC TORRES.
AMONG HIS DECORATIONS SFC TORRES IS PROUD TO HAVE THE; GOOD CONDUCT RIBBON, AMERICAN DEFENSE RIBBON, EUROPEAN OCCUPATION, ASIATIC PACIFIC RIBBON WITH THREE CAMPAIGN STARS, PHILLIPPINES LIBERATION RIBBON WITH ONE STAR, AND THE KOREAN CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH TWO STARS.
THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED WITH SFC TORRES WILL REMEMBER HIM AS A GOOD SOLDIER WHO WAS WELL RESPECTED BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM.