Private First Class Jose F. Valdez was a United States Army soldier who posthumously received the Medal of Honor — the United States' highest military decoration — for his actions near Rosenkranz, France, in the Battle of the Colmar Pocket during World War II.
PFC Jose F. Valdez, Medal of Honor recipient
USNS Private Jose F. Valdez
The Colmar Pocket was the area held in central Alsace, France, by the German Nineteenth Army from November 1944 to February 1945, against the U.S. 6th Army Group during World War II. It was formed when 6th AG liberated southern and northern Alsace and adjacent eastern Lorraine, but could not clear central Alsace. During Operation Nordwind in December 1944, the 19th Army attacked north out of the Pocket in support of other German forces attacking south from the Saar into northern Alsace. In late January and early February 1945, the French First Army cleared the Pocket of German forces.
U.S. and French forces link up at Rouffach, February 1945. The junction of the two forces split the Colmar Pocket.
Winter in northwestern Europe, 1945: conditions on the Ardennes front.
PFC Jose F. Valdez, posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism while serving with the U.S. 7th Infantry on 25 January 1945.
Audie Murphy, highly decorated 3rd Infantry Division officer who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the fighting in the Bois de Riedwihr.
