Boyle Heights post office to be renamed in proposal to honor of WWII veteran
The WWII veteran's remains made it back home to Boyle Heights nearly eight decades later.
EAST LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- At Los Cinco Puntos in East Los Angeles, the Veterans day celebration gathered community members, officials and celebrities like Danny Trejo.
The monument at Los Cinco Puntos is in memory of heroes of Mexican descent who gave their lives in World War II. Among those honored at the event was Private Jacob Cruz whose remains were recently reunited with his family.
"It was an incredible time for our Cruz family. As you know back in March my uncle Jacob was identified," said Mike Mahan-Soto, Cruz's nephew. "They found his remains and they brought him home after 77 years of being missing."
Private Cruz was from Boyle Heights. He gave his life for our country in the Battle of Tarawa.
Officials are proposing the Boyle Heights post office be named after him. U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez announced the introduction of the legislation at the event.
"I feel proud to be able to do it. I feel humbled," said Representative Gomez. "The reason why is that it really does acknowledge that the Boyle Heights community has had a long history of sending boys to fight in our armed services."
If the piece of legislation moves forward, Representative Gomez said the post office designation could happen early next year.
"Thank you," said Mahan-Soto. "There are many veterans, Mexican-American veterans, some documented, some not, that have served and some have given their life for their country. I am just humbled that my uncle was picked for this honor. It belongs to everyone."
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