Rights to the book "Patriots From The Barrio" have been sold to actor/producer Wilmer Valderrama.

A book about troops from El Paso, sent to fight in Italy during WW II could become a movie soon. The men served in Texas National Guard unit Company E and many were Bowie High School graduates from South El Paso. According to the El Paso Times:

The commanding officer, Capt. John Chapin, for whom Chapin High is named, led the men when they were deployed to North Africa in April 1943, then helped to spearhead the Allied landing in Salerno, Italy, in September 1943. Many of its soldiers died in action in Italy.

Author Dave Gutierrez discovered the unit while studying his family history. He spent several years researching the book and speaking with descendants of the soldiers.

“The families of the men of Company E put their complete trust in me to tell their stories in the book," Gutierrez said in a news release. "I am now turning over that torch to Mr. Valderrama’s production company to take our story to the world. I am confident that he can deliver a powerful adaption to the true story.” - EP Times

 

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