ALBERTO I JARA-VERANO

Company A 1/22 Infantry

4th Infantry Division

DOW 12/24/1966

Army - PFC - E3

Age: 24
Race: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Date of Birth Jul 8, 1942
From: Lima, Peru
Religion: ROMAN CATHOLIC
Marital Status: Single

ALBERTO I JARA-VERANO

PFC - E3 - Army - Selective Service
4th Infantry Division
MOS: 11B20: Infantryman
Length of service 1 years
His tour began on Jul 21, 1966
Casualty was on Dec 24, 1966
In , SOUTH VIETNAM
Hostile, died of wounds, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered

Panel 13E - Line 77

PFC Alberto I Jara-Verano was wounded in action by shell fragments on November 8, 1966,
and died of his wounds in a hospital in Japan on December 24, 1966.

PFC Alberto I Jara-Verano's decorations

CITATION

BY DIRECTION OF THE PRESIDENT
THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL

IS PRESENTED POSTHUMOUSLY TO

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS E-3 ALBERTO I. JARA-VERANO, US56......, UNITED STATES ARMY

Private First Class Jara-Verano distinguished himself by out-
standing meritorious service in connection with ground opera-
tions against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam dur-
ing the period 5 August 1966 to 7 November 1966. Throughout
this time, Private First Class Jara-Verano continued his ex-
cellent performance in spite of the increased difficulty of
his task. His cheerfulness and spirit of pride in accomplish-
ment served to encourage his comrades. On the night of 7 No-
vember 1966, Private First Class Jara-Verano was helping Pri-
vate First Class Kelso in placing Claymore Mines, when the unit
was suddenly brought under enemy mortar fire. As a result,
Private First Class Kelso was badly wounded and unable to move.
Private First Class Jara-Verano, although himself mortally
wounded, managed to reach his own position and enlist aid for
his fallen comrade. His ultimate sacrifice in the service of
his country was in keeping with the highest traditions of the
American Soldier and reflects great credit upon himself, his
unit and the United States Army.

Rubbing of Bert's name from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall
made by his friend Leonard Martinez

From December 1965 through February 1966, I went through Basic Training at Ft. Hood Texas with Alberto I. Jara-Verano
with the 1st Bn. 41st Inf. 2nd Armored Division.

We called him "Bert". He was a little guy. Bert was a chain-smoking funny guy. He was always upbeat and joked around
with the guys on just about anything and he had a noticeable but funny "cackle" when he laughed. Bert told us that he was from
Lima Peru and that his mother was still living there. He had been attending the University of California at Berkeley on a student visa
when an Army recruiter told him that if he joined the Army he would be eligible for U.S. Citizenship.

Bert told us that during this time he was having difficulty holding part-time jobs while paying for his living expenses
and college expenses. He lost his student deferment and was drafted in November of 1965. He reported to the
U.S. Army Induction Center in Oakland CA. After going through all the testing at the induction center, inductees boarded
Greyhound busses and were transported to Ft. Ord in Monterey CA. It turned out that at this time, Ft. Ord did not have room
to assign and process all the incoming recruits. We spent about two weeks at Ft. Ord just spinning our wheels until an early morning
2am wakeup. We were hauled off to the local Monterey County airport and boarded a chartered civilian Lockheed
Super-Constellation for a flight to Ft. Hood Texas. When we touched down in Texas at daybreak, we awoke from our flight
to a blanket of fresh snow on the ground.

All through Basic Training the rumors were that some of us would go to Germany and others would go to Nam.
After completing Basic Training in February 1966, no one went to Germany. Everyone got AIT orders to various Army posts
around the country. Bert got his AIT orders for Ft. Lewis Washington. That was the last time I saw him.

On November 22, 1966, my unit departed the Oakland Army base with the 199th Light Infantry Brigade to Qui Nhon RVN
on the U.S.N.S. General John Pope. Another ship, the U.S.N.S. General Daniel I. Sultan sailed with us. I was one of the lucky SOB's.
I served in Nam from December 1966 through November 1967, as a "REMF" with MACV, 1st Logistical Command,
HHC 58th Field Depot. A week after our arrival in December, our C.O. allowed our entire company to see the Bob Hope Show.

I found out later that Bert wound up with A Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 4th Infantry Division.
On 7 November 1966, he and two fellow soldiers were severely wounded by mortar fire.
While hospitalized in Okinawa, he died of his wounds on December 24, 1966.

Leonard Martinez
Fremont, CA

Soldiers of 1st Battalion 41st Infantry 2nd Armored Division, Fort Hood 1965-66
"Bert" Jara-Verano is 2nd from left

Private First Class Alberto Jara-Verano is buried in the country of Peru.

Photos and wall rubbing courtesy of Leonard Martinez

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