Blog: Senator Lee Honors WWI Vet

Statement

On October 15, I was honored to present the family of World War I veteran, Encarnacion Trujillo, with several high honor awards for his service prior to September of 1939, during a ceremony at the Salt Lake City Veteran's Cemetery.

Encarnacion's daughter, Yvonne Shields, contacted my office with information proving that he took shrapnel to the shoulder during his service, which she believed earned him a Purple Heart. After submitting the documents to the United States Army, we learned that in addition to the Purple Heart, Trujillo had earned World War I Victory Medal with Muse-Argonne Battle Clasp and France Service Clasp, the World War I Victory Button-Silver and the Lapel Button.

While this remembering by our nation has been slow in coming, As Encarnaction Trujillo would be 119 years old, I sense that he would be pleased at recieving this Purple Heart Medal today. Like so many of his generation he didn't fight so his name would appear in the newspaper or be recorded in a history book, he fought so his children could pursue their dreams and write their own histories in a land of freedom and opportunity.

Encarnaction Trujillo was part of the Battle of the Argonne Forest, which was fought from late September through November of 1918. The battle is largely a forgotten one though it was one of the largest in American history. Over 26,000 Americans were killed and 96,000 were injured in the fierce and bloody battle that occurred there. Mr. Trujillo was wounded in his right shoulder during the fight when he was hit by shrapnel.

Some might say he was just one man among the legions who fought in that great battle -- but I say - he was one man. The gates of history turn on very small hinges and those hinges turn on the courage and commitment of inspired individuals like Mr. Trujillo.

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