1925
2021
Pete Chavira Arredondo
December 5, 1925 - June 3, 2021
Fresno, California - Army Staff Sergeant Pete Chavira Arredondo (Ret.), a World War II Veteran of the 76th Infantry Division, 304th Infantry Regiment, a resident of Clovis, CA and previous longtime resident of Kerman, CA, having honorably served his country both at home and abroad, answered his final call to reveille on June 3, 2021.
A child of the Imperial Valley, Pete was born to parents Aurelia Lisiaga Chavira and Pedro Mora Arredondo in El Centro, CA on December 5, 1925. He was the seventh of ten children: Emiterio "Telito", Leonardo, Aurelio "Chume", Guadalupe, Luisita "Chita", Juan, Maria Luisa, Maria, and Loreto "Tito".
Among the many valiant Mexican-American Infantrymen who fought in WWII, on April 5, 1944 at the age of 18, Pete chose to step forward to serve his country and thus volunteered in the U.S. Army in Brawley, CA, and receiving his basic military training at Camp Hood, Killen, Texas. On November 23, 1944, (Thanksgiving Day), Pvt. Arredondo departed from the Boston Harbor upon the SS Transport Brazil, arriving at Southampton, England on the very eve of his 19th birthday, December 4, 1944.
Having received his specialized military training as a Demolition Specialist and Anti-Tank Destroyer, Pvt. Arredondo entered combat into the European Theater of Operations, serving a total of 110 days of combat duty, encompassing three major battles, including the Battle of Ardennes/Battle of the Bulge, the Battle of Rhineland, and lastly the Battle of Central Europe in the spring of 1945. Pvt. Arredondo was awarded several combat decorations including his coveted Combat Infantry Badge (21 Feb 1945), World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and the Bronze Star Medal.
Despite his many lingering post-traumatic memories of the war, a most gratifying recollection was his direct participation in the US Army's liberation of three Nazi concentration sub-camps in April 1945, where he painfully evidenced first-hand the extent of the atrocities committed by the Nazi Germany regime.
Pvt. Arredondo received his Honorable Discharge from military service on May 14, 1946. Approximately four years later, on November 14, 1950, following the onset of the Korean War, he chose to voluntarily enlist into the California Army Reserve National Guard in Fresno, CA. Without any significant "break" in service to his country, on November 13, 1968, Staff Sergeant Pete Chavira Arredondo received his final Honorable Discharge from military service, having proudly served his country in uniform a total of twenty years.
In 1990, at the age of 65, Pete C. Arredondo retired from his extensive years of field labor, equipment operation and farm management in the Central San Joaquin Valley.
He is survived by his loving children, Feliz Rocha, Pete Arredondo, Estella Villanueva (Ramiro), Martin Arredondo, Thomas (Celina), Robert (Elma), Michael, and Richard Arredondo. His spouse of 23 years, Esperanza Moreno, passed away on December 30, 2012, his son George Arredondo passed away on May 8, 2013, and his granddaughter Phyllis Aguilar passed away on December 31, 2020. He is also survived by 16 grandchildren, many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, numerous loving nephews and nieces as well as several godchildren. His sole surviving sibling is his sister, Mary Meza, of Kerman, CA.
Private viewing was held on June 17, 2021 at the Lisle Funeral Home in Fresno, CA. Mass of Christian Burial is to be held on August 5, 2021 at 10am at St. Mary Queen of The Apostle Church, 4636 W. Dakota Ave., Fresno, Ca., with inurnment to follow at St. Peter's Cemetery in Fresno with Military Honors.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
3 Entries
Sorry to hear about Pete´s passing. He used to come in to the grocery store I worked in around 1970 and I always enjoyed spending a few minutes talking to him. He was a great guy.
Bob Dimmick
August 9, 2021
Michael and family, your father was a real hero. The word "hero" is used lightly these days, but your dad is the definition of a true hero. Condolences to a real American Hero and a special family. God bless him and your family.
Jerry DeLaRosa
Family
August 4, 2021
RIP Mr. Arredondo, a true AMERICAN HERO. I was raised in Kerman with many of your children. Sleep with the ANGELS.
dean priest
August 2, 2021
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