Daniel Laureta Ledda

DANIEL LAURETA LEDDA
1919-2007

Daniel Laureta Ledda, a retired United States Army Colonel and highly decorated veteran of World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars, passed away peacefully in his sleep on August 10, 2007 in Sacramento, California at the age of 88. Col. Ledda was born in the town of Balaoan, La Union in the Philippines on July 21, 1919 and raised in Tondo, Manila. He graduated from the prestigious Philippine Military Academy in 1942 at the outbreak of World War II and received a commission to the United States Armed Forces Far East (USAFFE). As a company commander at Bataan, the young captain led his mounted cavalry troop in the first counter assault against the Japanese forcing them to retreat for the first and possibly only time during the invasion. During the assault, Captain Ledda received life threatening injuries from a fragmentary hand grenade which peppered his head and torso with shrapnel, some of which he carried to the end of his life. He recovered and returned to the fight, but with the surrender of the American Armed Forces was among the approximate 75,000 prisoners of war who were forced to make the infamous 100 mile Bataan Death March to Camp O'Donnel. He survived, although almost half did not survive the March and their subsequent incarcerations in concentration camps at Capas in Tarlac and at Cabanatuan. He was released from the camp at Capas because of serious medical problems, but upon his recovery joined the underground and participated in resistance activities against the Japanese until the Philippines was liberated by the American armed forces. For his many acts of heroism during World War II, he was awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Silver Star, and later received the United States Army Commendation Medal and the Joint United States Armed Forces Commendation Medal for his outstanding achievements during his over 30 years of military service. He retired from the military in 1974 after becoming the first Filipino born American to attain the rank of full colonel.
Col. Ledda retired in Santa Maria, California with is wife Cresenciana Lallana Ledda to whom he was married for almost 57 years until her death in 1998. He remained active as manager of the Santa Maria Building Contractors' Association for eight years and with his wife Cres, continued to be involved in many church and community organizations, including the Filipino Community, the Knights of Columbus, the Elks and the Uno Club. As a member of St. Louis de Montfort Knights of Columbus, he attained the rank of Grand Knight and was recognized as Knight of the Year in 1987. He also played a key role in the building of the Santa Maria Filipino Community's first community center in which he took great pride. Col. Ledda loved spending time with his wife and son Derek, an attorney in Sacramento, and enjoyed playing golf, fishing and eating his wife's Filipino cooking. In 2005, he moved to Sacramento to be near his son with whom he resided until his death.
Until the end of his days, Col. Ledda consistently lived according to the values he cherished - integrity, courage, determination, respect for fellow human beings, whatever their station in life, and an abiding faith in God and an unwavering love for his family.
He is survived by his son Derek, his sister-in-law Liwanag Diaz, and numerous relatives from the Ledda, Pagkaliwangan, Diaz, Izon and Lallana families, as well as many long time friends who love him and will miss him very much.
He is preceded in death by his wife Cresenciana L. Ledda who passed away November 22, l998.
A rosary and memorial service will be held for Col. Ledda on Sunday, August 19, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. at Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary located at 1003 E. Stowell Road in Santa Maria, California. A Mass will be held the following day at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church at 10:00 a.m., followed by burial at the Santa Maria Cemetery with Full Military Honors.
Visitations will be Sunday from 4:00 pm to Service time.
Pallbearers will include Noli Lallana, Noel Diaz, Sonny Izon, Lorna Pagkaliwangan, Camilo Soriano, George Regala, Larry Viegas, Toru Miyoshi, and Robert Walsmith.
Arrangements are under the direction of Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary and Crematory.
Dudley-Hoffman
Mortuary & Crematory
(805) 922-8463