“The Last to Fall from Hero Street: John Muños’ Story”, a new film in the “Hero Street” documentary series produced by Fourth Wall Films, has received a $4,250 grant award from the Illinois Humanities. The fiscal sponsor for the grant is Truth First Film Alliance, Inc. The grant will partially fund the production phase of the documentary.
“The Last to Fall from Hero Street”, the fifth in the series, will tell the story of Mexican-American John Muños from Silvis, Illinois, and his Korean War military service. The film profiles his family’s journey from Mexico as they fled the Revolution. John’s father, Isabel, worked in the rail yards in Silvis, and his mother, Victoria, made their home in a boxcar provided by the railroad. The families of the boxcar village experienced both acceptance and discrimination in their new community. Around the time of the great depression, the families living in the railroad village were moved to 2nd Street in Silvis, a former dumpsite. The Muños family was one of several families that moved their boxcar to 2nd Street and built a home around it--the home is still standing.
After high school, John was working on the International Harvester combine assembly line in East Moline, when his draft notice from the U.S. Army arrived September 15, 1950. He quickly married his sweetheart, Mary Louise Bessera, before he was sent to Korea with Company F of the 38th Regimental Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. Sometimes called “the Forgotten War,” the film will show how John’s wartime experiences fit into the overall Korean War story. On August 27, 1951, John was among 740 Americans killed in the Battle of Bloody Ridge. His body was never recovered.
Only a block and a half long, the street lost six young men during World War II and two in the Korean War, more than any other street in America. Hero Street, as it is now known, has provided over 150 service members since World War II.
John Muños' sister Mary Muñoz Ramirez, 98, (pictured here with director Kelly Rundle) did an interview for the documentary.
“Hero Street,” a multi-part documentary series by Emmy® award-winning filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, explores the compelling true story of eight Mexican-American heroes from Hero Street, USA in Silvis, Illinois: Tony Pompa, Frank Sandoval, William Sandoval, Claro Solis, Peter Masias, Joseph Sandoval, Joseph Gomez and John S. Muños.
Interviews with family members, friends, veterans, community leaders and historians combined with vintage photos and film, and archival materials tell an unforgettable story of American courage, character and perseverance.
John Muños' sister-in-law Nellie Muños, 99, during her interview for the documentary.
“The Last to Fall from Hero Street” is slated for release in 2024. For more information about the Hero Street documentary series, visit www.HeroStreetMovie.com.
The Illinois Humanities receives support from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Humanities is the Illinois affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and is a statewide nonprofit organization that activates the humanities through free public programs, grants, and educational opportunities that foster reflection, spark conversation, build community, and strengthen civic engagement.
Truth First Film Alliance, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Moline, Illinois, promotes, supports, and encourages the production, and exhibition of documentary films, and narrative films based on true stories, through public presentations and educational programs in the Quad Cities region. Free public programs include film screenings and discussions with visiting filmmakers and classroom visits to talk about film and filmmaking with students.
Fourth Wall Films is an Emmy-winning Northwestern Illinois-based film and video production company specializing in Midwestern historical documentaries for public television broadcast and national DVD and Blu-ray home video release and online streaming. Fourth Wall also provides limited theatrical, broadcast, and DVD distribution services, primarily for our own titles. In addition, the company provides commercial services to museums, PBS stations, and other film and video producers.