Remembering El Paso’s Fallen: Heroes Who Made The Ultimate Sacrifice

Living in El Paso, Texas, we have a strong military presence being so close to Fort Bliss. As a result, we see some extremely brave men & women fight overseas. Some make it home safe & others...don't. We've seen many El Paso names lose their lives while defending the United States and this is to remember all of those brave souls.

John L. Chapin

John L. Chapin was a former captain who served in the United States Army. Born in El Paso, John would a chemical engineering degree from Texas A&M before joining the Army. John would be killed during the Battle of Rapido River on January 22, 1944. He would be buried in Italy, however, he would be forever immortalized right here in El Paso. If you were ever curious where Chapin High School got its name from, now you know...

Ambrosio Guillen

The former Bowie High School student, Ambrosio Guillien was enlisted for the United States Marine Corps at the age of 18. During the Korean War, Ambrosio & his platoon would defend an outpost near Songuch-on, Korea. The enemy fleet would retreat but Ambrosio would be shot during the fight. He would refuse medical treat during the attack, helping aid his men in combat. Ambrosio would die from his wounds on July 25, 1953.

He would receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his bravery; the El Paso Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home is named in his honor.

Paul Ray Smith

While spending most of his life in Tampa, Florida, Paul Ray Smith was born in El Paso on September 24, 1969. Paul would join the Army after graduating from high school in 1989; he would be deployed during 3 different conflicts: the Persian Gulf War, the Bosnia-Herzegovina/Kosovo War, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

On April 3, 2003, while heading towards to the Baghdad Airport, Paul & his men would be ambushed by Iraqi forces. Paul would tragically be killed in the midst of gunfire. For his bravery, Sgt. First Class Paul Ray Smith would receive the Medal of Honor from former President, George W Bush. Other soldiers that tragically died during Operation Iraqi Freedom include Ariel Rico,  Isela Rubalcava & Ruben Estrella-Soto, among sadly many others.

I know there are MANY more that gave their lives while serving overseas. That's we should never forget these brave soldiers or ANY one who tragically died protecting our rights and us who live in the United States.

R.I.P. to all the fallen soldiers...

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