The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE LIFE OF WILLIAM R. SANCHEZ
______
HON. JUDY CHU
of california
in the house of representatives
Friday, September 10, 2021
Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of William R. Sanchez who passed away at the age of 103 on August 23, 2021. Mr. Sanchez was a longtime constituent of mine in Monterey Park, California, and an American patriot who bravely served our country during World War II.
Mr. Sanchez was born on July 18, 1918, in El Paso, Texas, and moved with his family to Los Angeles at the age of one. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1938 and immediately joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, where he worked in Northern California managing forests and building roads. He received a boxing scholarship to UCLA, but instead decided to enlist in the U.S. Army in 1940. In search of adventure, Mr. Sanchez chose to serve at Fort Mills on Corregidor Island in the Philippines. He was assigned to Army Intelligence on the island and served on General Douglas MacArthur's staff. While working with Army Intelligence, he helped provide advance notice of the Japanese force on its way to attack Pearl Harbor.
In 1942, Sgt. Sanchez fought in the Battle of Corregidor and was taken as a prisoner of war after keeping the Japanese at bay for five months. Like thousands of other American prisoners of war, he experienced unimaginable atrocities on the Bataan Death March. He was then transferred on a Japanese ``hell ship'' and taken to Camp Omori near Tokyo, where he was constantly abused, beaten, and underfed. Sgt. Sanchez's mental fortitude helped him endure these brutal conditions for over three years until the end of the war.
After the war, he returned to the U.S. and attended Woodbury College where he earned his bachelor's degree. He then went on to earn a master's degree in International Trade and Finance from USC. He started his own company, Belenco, and became one of the biggest importers and suppliers of rolled steel products on the West Coast. Mr. Sanchez settled with his family in Monterey Park in 1958 and took an active role in the community. Over the years, he remained active in the veteran community, serving as the keynote speaker at many veterans forums, and offering advice and support to countless veterans and their families on their benefits and rights.
William Sanchez was truly a hero of our time. He leaves behind an enduring legacy of service and sacrifice to our nation, and that is why it is my distinct honor to commemorate his life.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 156
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