Capt. Kevin Braafladt of First U.S. Army and the ASC History Office sat down for an on-camera interview to talk about Hero Street's John Munos' and Joe Gomez's military service during the Korean War. Capt. Braafladt appeared in the Emmy-nominated "An Infantryman from Hero Street: Joe Sandoval's Story" and continues his work serving as a humanities scholar on the documentary project.
Sometimes called “the Forgotten War,” the film will show how John and Joe’s wartime experiences fit into the overall Korean War story.
Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C.
P.F.C. Joseph Gomez served with Co. K 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division in Korea. Joe was awarded a Silver Star for gallant action against the enemy on May 17, 1951. Gomez was killed May 28, 1951. V.F.W Ybarra-Gomez Post 8890 in East Moline, Illinois is named in his honor.
Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C.
P.F.C. John S. Muños entered the Army on January 15, 1951 and served in Korea with Co. F 38th Regimental Combat Team Second Infantry Division. On Aug. 27, 1951, John was among 740 Americans killed in the Battle of Bloody Ridge, at age 23. His body was never recovered.
Only a block and a half long, Second Street in Silvis, Illinois lost six young men in 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 100 service members since Mexican-American immigrants settled there in 1929.
Hero Street, a multi-part documentary series by Emmy® Award-winning filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle, will explore the compelling true story of eight heroes: Tony Pompa, Frank Sandoval, William Sandoval, Claro Solis, Peter Masias, Joseph Sandoval, Joseph Gomez and John S. Muños.
After the interview pose: Fourth Wall Films' Kelly Rundle; Captain Kevin Braafladt, and Darryl Howlett, Public Affairs Specialist at First Army.
"The Last to Fall from Hero Street: John Munos' Story" was funded in part by a grant from the Illinois Humanities, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly; a Quad City Arts Dollars grant provided by Illinois Arts Council Agency, Hubbell-Waterman Foundation and John Deere; a grant from Quad Cities Community Foundation – Ontiveros Family Endowed Fund; and a grant from the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado - Wilson Family Fund; and generous donations made In Memory of Tanilo Sandoval.
Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning and four-time Emmy® winning independent film and video production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois. For more information visit HeroStreetMovie.com. Truth First Film Alliance, Inc. serves as the fiscal sponsor on the Hero Street documentary series project.
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