60 years after the war, Airman’s granddad gets honor he is due Published Dec. 5, 2008 By Danielle Gregory Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., -- Four years of military service left Hilario L. Riojas missing something for 62 years. Mr. Riojas, grandfather of Senior Airman Crystal Garza, 552nd Air Control Wing, has finally received his Purple Heart after serving his country during World War II. According to military documents, he should have received the award on Nov. 15, 1946. "I am very, very happy. I can't believe I've finally received it," said Mr. Riojas. It took the family of Mr. Riojas four years to get his paperwork approved for the medal. While deployed, he participated in the Rhineland Campaign, a brutal five-week battle known as the "last great stand-up fight" of the war. He was one of eight in his 50-man unit who survived. "When we were crossing a river at three in the morning, we came under attack. Only a few of us survived and we turned to go back to the resting area and wait for reinforcements. Walking back, we were attacked again and our lieutenant was hit and wounded. I picked him up and carried him to the medics and was hit when artillery exploded right by me. I was hit with shrapnel on my leg," said Mr. Riojas. Because his Battalion was wiped out, there was no ranking official left for the recommendation of a Purple Heart. He was moved to the 102th Division and his war wounds were never acknowledged. Mr. Riojas, a native of Karnes City, Texas, was drafted into the Air Force in 1942 to be an air gunner but because of his vision he was sent to Fort Dix, N.J. to work in the officer's mess hall. He volunteered to go overseas the day after the invasion and was sent to Fort Benning, Ga., for infantry training and was then sent overseas in January 1945 with the 76th Infantry Division. He ended his service with the Army as a military police squad sergeant. He served two years in the Air Force and two years in the Army. After the war, he returned to Texas, married Inez Rodriguez on June 6, 1948 and had three sons Art, Rudy and Edward and one daughter Mary Helen. He has 13 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. He went to work for the Texas Highway Department and Chevron Resources. He retired from the Highway Department in 1977 and Chevron in 1983. His advice to Airmen of today like his granddaughter, "Young Airmen should believe in God, stay strong and keep on fighting. We have a wonderful country and we need to keep on fighting for it. I go every day to church to thank God for bringing me back alive."