Patriots from the Barrio: The Story of Company E, 141st Infantry: The Only All Mexican American Army Unit in World War II

by Dave Gutierrez

Embroiled in savage combat, here is a story of soldiers whose service has gone unrecognized until now.

As a child, Dave Gutierrez hung on every word his father recalled about his cousin Ramon, “El Sancudo” (the mosquito), and his service in World War II, where he earned a Silver Star, three Purple Hearts, and escaped from the Germans twice. Later, Dave decided to find out more about his father’s cousin, and in the course of his research he discovered that Ramon Gutierrez was a member of Company E, 141st Infantry, a part of the 36th “Texas” Division that was comprised entirely of Mexican Americans — the only such unit in the entire U.S. Army. The division landed at Salerno, Italy, in September 1943 among the first American soldiers to set foot in Europe.

In the ensuing months, Company E and the rest of the 36th would battle their way up the mountainous Italian peninsula against some of Nazi Germany’s best troops. In addition to the merciless rain, mud, and jagged peaks, swift cold rivers crisscrossed the region, including the Rapido, where Company E would face its greatest challenge. In an infamous episode, the 36th Division was ordered to cross the Rapido despite reports that the opposite bank was heavily defended. In the ensuing debacle, the division was ripped apart, and Company E sustained appalling casualties. The company rebounded and made the storied landings at Anzio and ultimately invaded southern France for a final push into Germany.

The men of Company E distinguished themselves as rugged fighters capable of warring amid the rubble of destroyed villages and in the devastated countryside.


Based on extensive archival research and veteran and family accounts, Patriots from the Barrio: The Story of Company E, 141st Infantry: The Only All Mexican American Army Unit in World War II brings to life the soldiers whose service should never have gone unrecognized for so long. With its memorable personalities, stories of hope and immigration, and riveting battle scenes, this beautifully written book is a testament to the shared beliefs of all who have fought for the ideals of the American flag.

Genres: World War II, Nonfiction, History

260 pages, Hardcover

Published May 25, 2018

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Patriots from the Barrio is the true story of a US Army combat unit during WWII. Author Dave Gutierrez started to research the biography of relative Ramon G. Gutierrez, who served in the Thirty-Sixth Division, 141st Regiment, Second Battalion, Company E. Like the Japanese, the Mexican American's were shunted off to be with their own as well. Interesting the things you NEVER read in the history books.

[Mario E. Fuente Cid · Rating 4 out of 5]

In an interview about this book, its author, Dave Gutierrez, said something that kept me thinking. He stated, “If we don’t write our history, nobody will do it for us.” Patriots from the Barrio is a book that contains many stories, and because of this, it can be read in different ways. For example, it is a book about World War II, a book about Mexican Americans, a book about Mexican Americans in World War II, and a book about memory, identity, struggle, and sacrifice.

I found this book while searching for information on Mexican participation in World War II beyond the well-known topic of the 201st Fighter Squadron. I believe that the history of Mexicans in World War II must go beyond state-centered narratives. Mexico is more than just a nation-state—in a way, Mexico is its people. These Mexican American soldiers faced discrimination in the U.S., even though they were born there. They suffered discrimination because of their Mexican ancestry, and for me, that is why their stories must be part of Mexican history.

The story that Patriots from the Barrio tells is one that has remained hidden, forgotten, and underrepresented in World War II narratives. Dave Gutierrez does an excellent job of showing us why this story is important, beyond his personal connection to one of the protagonists. The beginning and ending of the book present different narratives than the middle section, as it is in these parts that Gutierrez speaks directly to the reader, clarifying the historical context that Mexican Americans faced before and after the war. The middle section, on the other hand, can be a little dense to read. While it is astonishingly well-documented, the sheer amount of details—names, places, situations, etc.—makes it a heavy read.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story about forgotten heroes. I had never heard about Mexicans serving in World War Two. I have read many books about WW 2 but never heard about Mexicans serving in the Big war. Not only did they serve they were Real Hero’s!
I recommend this book to everyone!

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

well written. Very interesting history that you don't get taught in school Reminds me of Hero Street in Silvis, IL

[Michael William · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book if you are Hispanic, from El Paso, or are interested in WWII.

My grandfather "Viejo", his brother "Chino", and their childhood friend "Pollo" volunteered to serve during WWII. My grandfather flunked the eye exam, memorized part of the chart, and got back in line. He could still not qualify for a combat unit and ended up in an intel unit. His brother and Pollo ended up going to Italy.

These young men ended up in the only all-Mexican-American unit in WWII. Most were from El Paso, though the author's cousin was from Del Rio. The kids grew up in segregated neighborhoods "barrios", and attended segregated schools.

One anecdote from the book describes the constant shelling this unit experienced on Mount Rotando. A comrade of my great-uncle "Sloppy" was a card shark and one day walked over to my great-uncle to show off his winnings. It was the first hundred-dollar bill my great-uncle had ever seen. At that instant, a mortar round hit, and "Sloppy" was killed instantly.

Many members of Company E never made it back.

These pages also reflect Captain Chapin's love for his men. He turned down promotions to stay with "his men." Calling out orders to "fire wholeheartedly", he was hit by a sniper's round and died with his men.

Chapin High School in El Paso is named in his honor.

[Ty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may not be a perfect work of writing, but the stories that Gutierrez tells are deep, emotional and gripping. The author digs into the history of Company E, a group of men who were almost completely Hispanics from the El Paso and Del Rio areas. Many of them joined the National Guard to make a buck a day and then were federalized after Pearl Harbor. The author traces the lives of many the men, going back to the parents and grandparents from Mexico, through their upbringing in heavily segregated Texas. The short mentions of the casual discrimination of the times is deeply frustrating, but the real stars are the heroic men who train hard and long before going ashore in North Africa. The real horror comes when they take part in the invasion of Italy, especially the hopelessly stupid attacks across the Rapido River, where hundreds are killed, captured and wounded. This is a great accounting of what these young Americans, many of whom barely spoke English, did for their country when called upon. Highly recommended.

[Catherine Mustread]

"The inspiring true story of Company E, 141st Infantry, 36th Division, comprised entirely of Mexican Americans—the only such unit in the entire U.S. Army. The division landed at Salerno, Italy, in 1943, among the first American soldiers to set foot in Europe. At the Rapido River, Company E would face its greatest challenge." History Happy Hour

[Irene Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because my dad and my uncle were drafted and served in WWII, I was very interested in reading this book. This book made me so proud to be a Mexican American, it saddened me to know that so little is written about these brave men, now I understand why they are called "The Greatest Generation" because they are the greatest generation.

[Joel Bangilan · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent. As a nearly native Texan, these personalities, places, and stories seemed familiar.

[Carol N · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was well aware of the Japanese American unit serving in WWII, but I did not know about the Mexican American unit until “Patriots of the Barrio, was selected as my book club’s monthly choice. It tells the story of Company E, 141st Infantry, the only all Mexican American unit in the WWII. The author, Dave Gutierrez, shares the powerful story of a group of friends who grew up in a small Texas community, who together signed up to serve in WWII, and found themselves fighting for not only their country and but their lives. This division was among the first American soldiers to set foot in Europe and would battle their way up the Italian peninsula against the best of Nazi Germany’s troops. When ordered to cross the Rapido, the division was ripped apart and sustained appalling casualties, However, the company rebounded and ultimately invaded southern France making the final push into Germany possible. These men were rugged fighters capable of surviving the rubble of the war-torn countryside.

Based on archival research, these veterans and their family accounts, Gutierrez brings to life these soldiers whose heroism and service has gone too long unrecognized. I would be remiss if I did not mention in my review just how hard this beautifully detailed book is to read. The harsh battle scenes along with these brave soldiers’ narratives were very brutal, making it a difficult subject to observe.