Jesus Maria Villahermosa Sr., "Chu"'s Obituary
Jesus Maria Villahermosa, “Chu”, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather passed on October 31st, 2023 at his home in Lakewood, Washington surrounded by family and friends. He was 92 years old.
Born in Jayuya, Puerto Rico, he joined the U.S. Army in May 1951 as a private and trained at Camp Buchanan, Puerto Rico before heading to Korea as part of the 65th Infantry Regiment, the “Borinqueneers”, the U.S. Army’s only Regular Army Puerto Rican infantry regiment. He served in Company B, 1st Battalion during the regiment’s “Glory Days”, when it battled the Chinese and proved to be one of the U.S. Army’s largest and best-trained infantry regiments in Korea. The 65th was complimented by General Douglas McArthur, Commander of the United Nations Command in Korea, for its combat prowess. McArthur referred to the soldiers of the 65th as “my Puerto Ricans”. Jesus also served two combat tours in the Republic of Vietnam during the war in that country at U.S. Army bases in Saigon, Da Nang, and Nha Tranga. During his almost 25 years of Active Duty service, he was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Bronze Star (presented personally by General William Westmoreland, Commander Military Assistance Command, Vietnam), the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Overseas Service Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, the NCO Professional Developement Ribbon, the Combat Infantry Badge, the United Nations Service Medal (two awards), the Korean Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (two awards), and the Vietnam Service Medal (two awards). Villahermosa was also later the recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal for his service with the 65th Infantry during the Korean War. After the Korean War, he served with the U.S. Army in Periguex, France; the Panama Canal Zone at the School of the America’s, Fort Polk, Louisiana, and Fort Lewis, Washington with the 9th Infantry Division. He retired with an Honorable Discharge as a Chief Warrant Officer Two (CW2) at Fort Richardson, Alaska after serving with the 172nd Infantry Brigade. Villahermosa was a graduate of the U.S. Army’s Food Supervision Supervisor’s Course and the Defense Race Relations Institute.
Jesus is survived by his wife of 71 years, Herminia, sons, daughter and their spouses, Miguel and Keely, Jose and Jo, Carmen and her spouse David Cox, Gilberto and Natalie, Jesus Jr. and Michelina.
He is also survived by his 9 grandchildren Miguel Jr, Kelsie, Gabriel, Carmen, Brian, Samuel, Alexander, Nicholas, Michael, and Benjamin and 12 great-granchildren.
Relatives and friends are invited to the Mountain View Funeral Home, 4100 Steilacoom Blvd SW, Lakewood, WA for his viewing on Saturday, November 11, 2023, from 10:00-11:30 at the Valley Chapel. The service will begin at 11:30, followed by the military honors at the gravesite and a reception including lunch in the Willow Room at the Celebration of Life Center.
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