Decorated World War II veteran turns 100

Courtesy photos/Lisha Cordova

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Robert Cordova, a St. Joseph the Worker parishioner, received the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor medal for his service during World War II.

WEST JORDAN — Robert D. Cordova, a WWII veteran and St. Joseph the Worker parishioner, celebrated his 100th birthday with family and friends on Jan. 17. His has been a life well-lived, his daughter Lisha Cordova said.

Born in Holman, N.M. to Adela Gandert and Filimon Cordova, Robert Cordova was the oldest son among 10 children. After the mining industry crashed in New Mexico and the death of his father in his mid-40s, Cordova moved to Nevada for work. Then, while on vacation in California, he was informed by authorities that he needed to sign up for military service. Shortly after, at the age of 19, he was drafted into the United States Army and sent for 17 weeks of intensive basic training to Camp Roberts, Calif., Ft. Leonard Wood, Miss. and another base in Maryland. He was then assigned to the 7th Armored Division, 23rd Armored Infantry Battalion, 17th and/or 31st Tank battalion as a private first class rifleman and was sent to the European Theater.

He arrived in Hamoir, Belgium in late December 1944 and was immediately shipped to the Ardennes Forest, where the Battle of the Bulge was in full swing. He was one of a cadre of replacement troops for the beleaguered American forces, who were battling a strong German counteroffensive there.

Although his military service left a mark on Cordova, it was not until several decades afterward that he would speak of the war, Lisha Cordova said. Once he did, he opened up about his experiences during that historic battle.

Conditions on the ground were brutal when he arrived, he told his daughter Lisha.

“He just remembers a lot of the troops that had gotten overrun by the Germans,” Lisha Cordova said. “It was pretty shocking to him to see all the troops that had been separated from their command and just a lot of chaos, a lot of congestion, roads blocked. People were affected quite horribly. It was so cold and miserable, and just the power of the Germans [was overwhelming] – their tanks compared to what the U.S. had.”

As a rifleman, Cordova rode with the tanks in his division. One night he fell asleep on the back of a tank. When he awoke he was alone but could hear the crew talking inside the tank. He asked the soldiers where the rest of his team was, and they responded that they were nearby sleeping in the trees. He dismounted to join his team and minutes later the tank was hit, killing two of the soldiers he had just been speaking with.

“They were sitting ducks, basically,” Lisha Cordova said. “He’s talked about a few things, but it’s kind of hard to get him to talk about too much.”

Following the Battle of the Bulge, Cordova served in various units until Aug. 2, 1945, when he was sent back to the U.S. for additional machine gun training to prepare for conflict in the Pacific Theater. However, Cordova never saw further combat; Japan surrendered on Sept. 2, 1945 and his division was inactivated on Oct. 11, 1945. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army on April 29, 1946, just short of two years from his enlistment. For his service he received the Bronze Cross and several other commendations, but on the ride home to New Mexico the bus company lost his luggage that contained all of his medals.

Once home Cordova resumed his civilian life. After several years he moved with his family to Utah. Here, on May 10, 1953 he married Maria Espicia Montoya, whose family had also relocated from New Mexico. The couple had six daughters and one son: Rita, Priscilla, Julia, Robert Jr., Lisha Patsy and Kitty.

Cordova went on to work for Union Pacific Railroad, Salt Lake County and Kennecott Copper Corporation in both Nevada and Utah, where he held various positions. He retired in 1984 at the age of 59.

Lisha Cordova remembers her father as a hard worker, skilled in the outdoors, and a humble man who never raised his voice to her or her siblings.

“He never yelled at us,” she said. “Just the words that he spoke held a lot of power.”

Eventually, Lisha Cordova was able to complete the paperwork to have her father’s service medals replaced; he received them in the early 2000s. They included the Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal & Bronze Star Attachment (Triple), World War II Victory Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award, Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII and the Fourragere, given by the French government to military units that distinguish themselves in battle.

In 2016 father and daughter applied for “Chevalier of the Legion of Honor,” which was granted to Cordova by a decree signed by the French president for his role in liberating France. Cordova was touched by the honor.

“He was kind of emotional; he was quiet and then he started talking more about the military,” Lisha Cordova said.

Although he rarely speaks of his wartime experience, Cordova has remained a proud veteran and every year his family celebrates Veterans Day to honor his service and that of his compatriots. All of his children and grandchildren appreciate his service, the sacrifices he made on their behalf and his loving example, Lisha Cordova said.