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PFC.
Felix Belois Mestas,
Jr.
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Aug
23, 1921 - Sept
29, 1944
La Veta, Colorado
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Died in Battle - Monte Battaglia
Italy
350th Infantry Regiment
- 88th Infantry
Division
Blue Devils |
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Pfc. Felix B. Mestas, Jr. died
a hero's death, on an Italian battle front,
in one of the bloodiest battles of the
World War II on September 29, 1944, just
a month after his 23rd birthday.
His bravery that day was reported. For
awhile his identity remained a mystery,
lending him the title of "The Unknown
Hero of Battle Mountain". Soon after,
the complete story came out. |
Pfc. Felix B. Mestas, Jr., was postumously
awarded the Silver Star
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"September, 1944. The
Appenine mountains in Italy
were misted with the first
of winter's chill as members
of Company G of the 350th
Infantry struggled up the
muddy slopes of Mount Battaglia.
Company G was about to face
its bloodiest confrontation
of World War II. There would
be only three survivors and
they would live because of
one soldier's sacrafice."
Source:Mt.Mestas - The Hero Behind
The Mountain.
Click Here. |
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Mt.Mestas
Mt.Mestas Memorial Monument
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A
nearby mountain that had been Junior's
backyard for all his life was renamed
Mt.Mestas in his honor. The Mt.Mestas
Memorial Monument was erected of Colorado
rose granite from the mountain and engraved
with 63 names of Huerfano County's World
War II war dead. Every Memorial Day
and Veterans Day since, people have
gathered at the mountain monument to
pay tribute to all of La Veta and Walsenburg's
fallen war heros.
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This website is for the
little town of La Veta, Colorado and the
63 names engraved on the Mt.Mestas Memorial
Monument of people from Huerfano County
who died during the war. Our goal is to
have each one of them represented here
on this website so that we all can know
who they were. |
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Many heros died during the war
- whether at Battle Mountain or Iwo
Jima. Our 'Decorated Heros' section
is dedicated to the 88th Infantry Division
and has all the Citations of soldiers
who were awarded the Medal Of Honor
in World War II. The accounts of their
bravery are overwhelming. |
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The Invasion of Italy is one of the least documented
areas of the war. We're looking for
any stories or photos of the 350th Infantry
Regiment and 88th Infantry Division
or any photos taken in Italy during
World War II. |
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Numerous
emails and Forum postings made to
this website are reproduced here and
may be found elsewhere also.
If
you are a Mt.Mestas Memorial or Blue
Devils friend or family member and
would like to contribute a GI photo
and short bio for this website please
include as much information as you
have including full name, rank, unit,
awards, date and location if killed
in action, and burial location if
in Europe.
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| Research
Section Dedication
MtMestas.com
88th Infantry Division
Blue Devils Research Library
MtMestas.com
is dedicated to establishing
an extensive research library
of 88th Infantry Division
documents and photographs
and providing the best links
and resources for continuing
your research of the Invasion
of Italy phase of World
War 2.
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The
MtMestas.com
Blue Devils Research Library
is Dedicated to the Memory
of Todd Wheatley.
Col. Edwin Todd Wheatley,
Jr., was a bunkmate of Pvt.Mestas
and spent his later years advocating
for a Medal of Honor upgrade for his
friend. Mr. Wheatley authored a lenghty
article about his work which was published
in a national magazine in June 2003.
To read "Silver Star or Medal of Honor?"
- Click
Here.
During endless hours of searching
the internet for "Blue Devils" information
I upon came this January 2003 FORUM
message that Mr.Wheatley had posted
elsewhere during his own search, shortly
before his death in May 2004.
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In
the spirit of Mr.Wheatley's
earlier research work, MtMestas.com
would like to pay it's respects
and dedicate the MtMestas.com
Blue Devils Research Library
in his memory.
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88th
Infantry Division
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History of
the 88th Infantry Division
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349th Infantry
Regiment
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History of
the 349th Infantry Regiment
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350th Infantry
Regiment
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History of
the 350th Infantry Regiment
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351st Infantry
Regiment
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History of
the 351st Infantry Regiment
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