Hero Street: A Historical Documentary Film Series

Capt. Braafladt brings Joe Gomez's and John Muños' Korean War story into focus for Hero Street documentary

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.

"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. The two new documentaries in the Hero Street series are slated to premiere at the Putnam Giant Screen near Memorial Day 2025.

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.

Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C.

We mourn the loss of friend and Hero Street elder, Tanilo Sandoval

We join so many who are mourning the passing of Tanilo Sandoval, 98, and our deepest sympathy goes out to each of them, especially his beloved family members. Tanilo was part of our hearts, and part of our family. His family was our family. He was like a grandfather to us--feisty, funny, and full of stories filled with names of people he never forgot.

 

He was devoted to his family, his friends, and to preserving the memory of his brothers, Frank and Joe, and the other heroes of Hero Street. He was proud of his history, his life experiences, and his family. To say we are grateful for the time we had with him, and all he shared with us is an understatement.

 

Tanilo was never shy about sharing a good story or what he thought about a thing, and his 'unvarnished' account of his first trip to Mexico will always put an instant smile on our faces.

 

How truly fortunate we are to have known him, and to have called him friend. We will never ever forget him. We will never ever stop missing him.

 

We wish to express our deep and sincere gratitude to everyone who donated to Fourth Wall Films "In Memory of Tanilo Sandoval" for our continued work on the Hero Street Documentary Film Series we are producing. Tanilo was an incredible advocate of us and the work we were doing on the multi-part series, and we are forever thankful to him, to his family, and to all who donated to the film project in tribute to Tanilo.

 

~With heartfelt appreciation, Tammy & Kelly Rundle, Fourth Wall Films (Hero Street, Documentary Film Series)

 

In Honor of Tanilo, we share "Tanilo's Story" here with everyone. We produced this short piece for the inagural Hola America TV broadcast on WQPT PBS: https://youtu.be/jtAYl7oLfD4?si=ASCm2OaAJGk8_gCU

 

Tanilo H. Sandoval

April 2, 1926 ~ August 19, 2024 (age 98)

 

Funeral services for Tanilo H. Sandoval, 98, of East Moline, IL, will be 10:30 AM Monday, August 26, 2024, at the Van Hoe Funeral Home, East Moline. Entombment will be in St. Mary’s Mausoleum, East Moline. Visitation will be 2-5 PM Sunday at the funeral home. Mr. Sandoval passed away Monday, August 19, 2024, at Genesis Silvis.

 

Tanilo was born April 2, 1926, in Box Car #3 in the Silvis Yards, Silvis, the son of Eduvigues and Angelina Hernandez Sandoval. He served in the US Army during WWII. He married Connie Segura June 26, 1948, at the “old” Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Silvis. He retired from John Deere Harvester East Moline, in 1983, after 38 years of service.

 

Tanilo fulfilled his lifelong ambition to travel by visiting many countries and traveling the United States by Greyhound bus going wherever it took him and along the way connecting with relatives, friends and classmates. He enjoyed sports, playing in his younger years, watching the pros, cheering on his United Township Panthers, but most importantly, attending the sporting events of his kids and grandkids.

 

 

Having been raised on Hero Street and his love of family and the Hero Street family, led him to be an unofficial ambassador to visitors to Hero Street. He is survived by his children, Louis Sandoval, East Moline, Stephen (Virginia) Sandoval, Silvis, David Sandoval, East Moline, Susan Sandoval, Rock Island and Alan (Rhonda) Sandoval, East Moline; grandchildren, Craig (Emily) Sandoval, Davenport, Brian Sandoval, East Moline, Nicholas Sandoval, Silvis, Jonathan (Nichole) Sandoval, Marquette, MI, and Matthew Sandoval, Aledo, IL; a great grandson, Augie Tanilo Sandoval; three step-grandchildren; nine step-great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; infant son, Kevin; siblings, Joseph Sandoval, Frank Sandoval, Santiago Sandoval, Ed (Theresa) Sandoval, Jennie (Charlie) Garcia, Georgia (Ray) Herrera, Mercedes Munos, Esperanza Vasquez, Emidio (Eloise) Sandoval, Norbert Sandoval.

 

 

Memorials may be made to Fourth Wall Films. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.vanhoe.com

 

Hero Street Memorial Park Memorial Day Service Sat. May 25 at Noon

Hero Street Memorial Park Ceremony ~ Saturday, May 25 at Noon.

The City of Silvis will hold it's annual Memorial Day Service at Hero Street Memorial Park at noon. All are welcome to attend this special ceremony.

 

Special guests include Navy Veteran Brian Munos, State Senator Mike Halpin and Col. Dan Mitchell, U.S. Army Garrison Rock Island Arsenal Commanding Officer. Please remember to bring your lawn chairs.

 

M. A.V. A will present the Colors and honor the military with a gun salute. Pastor Scott Culley will give the opening and closing prayer.

 

Hero Street Memorial Park, Hero Street, USA (2nd Street), Silvis, Illinois.

 

The Hero Street Monument (2023 ceremony), located on the corner of Hero Street, USA (2nd Street), Silvis, Illinois.

 

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 150 service members since Mexican-American immigrants settled there in 1929.

“Hero Street,” a multi-part documentary series by 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.

Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning and 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.

To purchase the documentaries on DVD click HERE.

"Last to Fall from Hero Street" awarded Quad City Arts' Art Dollars grant

 

The Last to Fall from Hero Street, the fifth in the Fourth Wall Films' documentary series, was awarded a $4,600 Quad City Arts grant through its fiscal sponsor Truth First Film Alliance, Inc. The film project is supported by Quad City Arts, through the Arts Dollars re-granting program, supported by The Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency. The Hubbell-Waterman Foundation, and the Quad Cities Community Foundation - Isabel Bloom Art Education Endowment.

The Last to Fall from Hero Street, will tell the story of Mexican-American John Muños from Silvis, 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 Sept. 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 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.

We include part of the Quad City Arts story written by Jonathan Turner of WHBF's OurQuadCities.com below (click the link at the end to read the full story):

In a significant boost to the Quad Cities' vibrant art scene, Quad City Arts is thrilled to announce the distribution of Arts Dollars grants for the year 2024. A total of $115,000 has been awarded, benefiting 24 esteemed organizations and 9 visionary individual artists. This initiative underscores Quad City Arts' commitment to nurturing local talent and fostering cultural enrichment within the community since its inception in 1990.

Funding Sources

This year's grants have been made possible through the generous support of the Hubbell-Waterman Foundation, the Quad Cities Community Foundation - Isabel Bloom Art Education Endowment, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency. Their commitment to the arts plays a critical role in sustaining and expanding the creative landscape of the Quad Cities.

Grant Recipients

The 2024 Arts Dollars grants encompass a wide array of projects, each uniquely contributing to the cultural tapestry of our community. This complete list of recipients showcases the breadth of creativity and commitment to community enrichment among Quad Cities' artists and organizations.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE!

Memorial Day Service to be held at Hero Street Monument Saturday, May 27

"And they who for their country die shall fill an honored grave, for glory lights the soldier's tomb, and beauty weeps the brave." ~ Joseph Rodman Drake

 

Memorial Day is a day for remembrance of those who have died in service to our country.

 

A special Memorial Day Ceremony will be held at the Hero Street Monument, on the corner of Hero Street (2nd Street) in Silvis, Illinois on Saturday, May 27th at 10:30 a.m.  All are welcome!

 

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.

We honor the memory of the Hero Street Eight: Tony Pompa, Frank Sandoval, William Sandoval, Claro Solis, Peter Masias, Joseph Sandoval, Joseph Gomez and John S. Muños; and all of the U.S. military personnel who have died while serving in the United States armed forces.

HeroStreetMovie.com

We Remember Mary Munoz Ramirez of Hero Street

Mary Munoz Ramirez with filmmaker Kelly Rundle, co-producer of the "Hero Street" documentary series. 
 
We extend our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Mary Munoz Ramirez who passed away at the age of 98 at her home in Silvis, Illinois on Saturday, September 24, 2022 with her loved ones surrounding her. As her obituary notes, she was the last original resident of Hero Street. 

A rosary will be recited at 4 p.m. Tuesday, September 27th, followed by visitation until 7 p.m. at Schroder Mortuary, 701 1st Ave, Silvis, Illinois.

A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 28^th at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 800 17th St, Silvis, Illinois. Entombment will be in St. Mary’s Mausoleum, 2301 3rd St, East Moline, Illinois. Memorials may be made to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.

Mary was born May 15, 1924 in Silvis, Illinois the daughter of Ysabel and Victoria (Montecino) Munoz. She married Louis A. Ramirez August 18, 1944 in Moline, llinois. He passed away August 5, 2008. Mary worked for the Rock Island Arsenal during WWII. She enjoyed cooking, baking, sewing, and crocheting.

Survivors include her children Victoria (Ronald) Dumoulin, Rosemary (Douglas) Korty, Louis Jr. (Vicky) Ramirez, Linda (Dale) Roseman, Steve (Patti) Ramirez, Robert (Georgia) Ramirez, Jim Ramirez, and Susan (DeWitt) Young; son in law John Wassenhove; 18 grandchildren; 37 great grandchildren and 3 great great grandchildren.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter Martina Wassenhove; grandchildren Angelica McKinney and Jerome Dumoulin; great grandson Alexander Roseman, and 11 siblings. John, her brother, was one of the Hero Street eight who was killed in action in Korea on August 27, 1951 during the Korean War.

Mary Munoz Ramirez with Tammy Rundle, co-producer of the "Hero Street" documentary series. 

We were fortunate to sit down with Mary and do an on-camera interview about her brother John, who served and died in the Korean War. He was one of the eight heroes of Hero Street. "The Last to Fall from Hero Street: John Munos' Story" (Episode 8 of the "Hero Street" documentary series) is currently in production.

Memories Haunt Soul of Hero Street Survivor

Tanilo Sandoval stands in the Rock Island National Cemetery at the graves of his brothers Frank Sandoval and Joe Sandoval.

This story was written by Marc Wilson for the Quad City Times in November 2010 for Veterans Day. We felt it was a fine story to share this Memorial Day weekend.

Note: Veterans Day is distinct from Memorial Day, a U.S. public holiday in May. Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day honors those who died while in military service.

Of death and heroes, Tanilo Sandoval is an expert.

On a crisp and sunny autumn day, after a prairie wind storm had blown most of the brightly colored leaves from the towering oaks and elms, Tanilo guided me through the 25,000 graves at the U.S. military cemetery on Arsenal Island.

The vastness of the white markers could overwhelm, but Tanilo knows where the bodies are buried. He’s been a regular here for more than 60 years. Many times, he’s heard taps played. Many times he’s walked the vast graveyard alone, silently visiting his fallen brothers. Many times tears have trickled down his long, white beard.

Three of his brothers are buried here, so are four of his childhood friends. Two other gravestones serve as memorials for friends whose bodies never were found after they were killed in combat. Memories haunt his soul.

When President Woodrow Wilson proposed the first Armistice Day, he said, “…reflections will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service… .” 

 

Congress formally made Armistice Day a federal holiday in 1938, and in 1954 changed the name to Veterans Day.

 

We can honor veterans who paid the ultimate sacrifice. We can bury them with high tributes, erect monuments and declare holidays in their memory. But we cannot talk to them.

 

Their story is left to be told by their their friends, sisters and brothers. That’s why I asked Tanilo to guide me through the white grave markers on Arsenal Island.

Tanilo is from Hero Street U.S.A. — the single block in America that suffered the most combat deaths in World War II and Korea. From some 35 poor homes in Silvis, Ill., more than 80 men went to war. Six – including two of Tanilo’s brothers – died in World War II. Two more of Tanilo’s friends from the same street died in Korea.

 

Tanilo, now 84, is one of the last survivors who knew all eight of the heroes. He and all five of his brothers served in the U.S. Army. Two died in combat, a third was wounded in Korea and died shortly after returning home. His father, Eduvigues — a Mexican refugee who never gained American citizenship — died on Veterans Day in 1967.

 

Our first stop was Joe Gomez’s grave, in the cemetery’s Korean War section. Then we walked in silence to the southern edge of the cemetery, on a knoll overlooking the tree-lined Mississippi River. Tanilo’s brothers Joe and Frank rest side-by-side in the row nearest the river. Tanilo paused a moment between his brothers’ graves and closed his eyes.

 

Then he pointed three graves away in the same row as his brothers to the grave marked Claro Solis (Soliz). Then Tanilo led me to Tony Pompa’s grave, just a few rows to the north. Then we walked east between the rows of graves to Peter Masias’ final resting place.

 

We then walked silently up a slight grade a hundred yards or so to the area designated for memorial markers for slain veterans whose bodies were never recovered. Tanilo pointed out Johnny Munos’ marker, then Willie Sandoval’s.

 

We walked to the graves of two Medal of Honor winners, and to another pair of brothers buried side by side. Tanilo showed me the side-by-side graves of two men from Illinois who were killed on the same day in February 1948 while fighting in the U.S. Army’s 30th Infantry Division. He pointed to the graves of Buffalo Soldiers in the Civil War section of the cemetery. We visited the monument of the Unknown Soldiers. He is too much of an expert about sad things.

 

Tanilo has been visiting the cemetery regularly since 1947, when his brothers were buried. He regularly drove his parents — Mexican citizens who never learned to drive or speak fluent English — to the cemetery to place flowers on their sons’ graves until his father died in 1967, and his mother, Angelina, died in 1984.

 

“Now the duty of delivering flowers to my brothers is mine alone,” Tanilo said as he sat on a bench overlooking the endless sea of white markers.

 

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND 2020: The Rock Island Arsenal invites families and the Quad-City community to honor the nation’s fallen and pay respects to those laid to rest at the Rock Island National Cemetery by placing flags or flowers on grave sites Saturday, May 23, 2020 through Monday, May 25, 2020, 8A-8P.

Through its fiscal sponsor the Moline Foundation, the Hero Street documentary film series received partial funding from the Regional Development Authority (RDA), Illinois Arts Council, the Illinois Humanities, Humanities Iowa, National Endowment for the Humanities, Quad City Arts Dollars—provided by Illinois Arts Council Agency, Hubbell-Waterman Foundation and John Deere, the Quad Cities Community Foundation, LULAC Iowa, Mexican American Veterans Association, the City of Silvis, and individual contributors. The project also received a production grant from the Moline Foundation. The views and opinions expressed by these films do not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations.

Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning and Emmy-nominated independent film production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois.

To PRE-ORDER the DVD for Riding the Rails to Hero Street (release date late March 2020) or A Bridge too Far from Hero Street (release date April 2020) or Fourth Wall Films' Emmy-nominated and award-winning film Letters Home to Hero Street (co-produced with WQPT), CLICK HERE!

Memorial Day Commemorations & Cancellations

CANCELLATIONS

HERO STREET MONUMENT MEMORIAL DAY PROGRAM - CANCELLED: "In light of the COV-19 epidemic the Hero Street Monument Committee will NOT be hosting the Memorial Day Program this May 2020." Visit HeroStreet.org for more information.

HERO STREET MEMORIAL PARK MEMORIAL DAY PROGRAM - CANCELLED: For information visit https://www.silvisil.org/quick-links/hero-street.html.

ROCK ISLAND NATIONAL CEMETERY MEMORIAL DAY PROGRAM - CANCELLED: "Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Cemetery Administration made the difficult decision to NOT host public events for Memorial Day, including the mass placement and retrieval of gravesite flags by any groups. Cemetery staff will conduct a wreath-laying ceremony to officially commemorate Memorial Day. While we cannot extend an invitation to the public to attend due to health and safety concerns, NCA will share pictures of the event on Facebook and other social media." Visit https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/rockisland.asp for more information.

Rock Island National Cemetery is not marking graves this year or issuing flags to mark individual grave sites.

OTHER MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATORY OPPORTUNITIES

ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL & NATIONAL CEMETERY - QC PUBLIC INVITED TO VISIT & HONOR THEIR LOVED ONES: The Rock Island Arsenal invites families and the Quad-City community to honor the nation’s fallen and pay respects to those laid to rest at the Rock Island National Cemetery by placing flags or flowers on grave sites Saturday, May 23, 2020 through Monday, May 25, 2020, 8A-8P.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, visitors must follow several guidelines: 1) All visitors must enter and depart through the Moline gate, and everyone visiting the Arsenal who is over age 16 must have a valid ID; 2) Those without a visitor’s pass can obtain one from the Visitor Control Center, which will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday through Monday; 3) Visitors are restricted to groups of six passengers per vehicle, but families with more than six members who reside together will be allowed on the installation to access the cemetery; 4) Groups are limited to no more than 10 people anywhere on Post — that limit includes the cemetery; 5) The Rock Island Arsenal Museum and Lock and Dam 15 remain closed.

ONLINE ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL MEMORIAL DAY COMMEMORATION - While there will be no formal Memorial Day ceremonies at the Arsenal this year, First Army will make available First Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Thomas S. James Jr.’s Memorial Day speech via its Facebook and Twitter pages on Friday, May 22. For immediate viewing: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/753581/first-army-memorial-day-message. In the video, James highlights the story of a local World War II soldier who fought under the First Army flag, first on the beaches of Normandy through the Battle of the Bulge and into the heart of Germany.

James will also participate in a private wreath-laying ceremony on Memorial Day with cemetery officials.

NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT - AN AMERICAN TRADITION - On the eve of Memorial Day (Sunday, May 24th at 7:00PM on IPTV-PBS), a star-studded lineup will grace the stage for one of PBS’ highest-rated programs. This multi-award-winning television event honors the military service and sacrifice of all our men and women in uniform, their families and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Visit: https://www.pbs.org/national-memorial-day-concert/

Through its fiscal sponsor the Moline Foundation, the Hero Street documentary film series received partial funding from the Regional Development Authority (RDA), Illinois Arts Council, the Illinois Humanities, Humanities Iowa, National Endowment for the Humanities, Quad City Arts Dollars—provided by Illinois Arts Council Agency, Hubbell-Waterman Foundation and John Deere, the Quad Cities Community Foundation, LULAC Iowa, Mexican American Veterans Association, the City of Silvis, and individual contributors. The project also received a production grant from the Moline Foundation. The views and opinions expressed by these films do not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations.

Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning and Emmy-nominated independent film production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois.

To PRE-ORDER the DVD for Riding the Rails to Hero Street (release date late March 2020) or A Bridge too Far from Hero Street (release date April 2020) or Fourth Wall Films' award-winning film Letters Home to Hero Street (co-produced with WQPT), CLICK HERE!

Rundles talk "Hero Street" Documentary Series on WQUD March 8

Filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films will join Gary Farral on WQUD Vintage Radio 107.7 during his Big Band Era program at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, March 8th to talk about their Hero Street Documentary Film Series and the recently released Riding the Rails to Hero Street and A Bridge too Far from Hero Street--William Sandoval's Story, as well as the Emmy-nominated and award-winning Letters Home to Hero Street--Frank Sandoval's Story (co-produced with WQPT-PBS).

The Rundles are currently in production on the fourth installment of the series, An Infantryman from Hero Street--Joseph Sandoval's Story.

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" producers Tammy & Kelly Rundle join Gary Farral on WQUD 107.7 to talk about Hero Street.

Hero Street, a multi-part documentary series by Emmy®-nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle, will explore the personal and family sagas behind each of the eight heroes and tell the compelling true story of an ongoing struggle to memorialize Tony Pompa, Frank Sandoval, William Sandoval, Claro Soliz, Peter Masias, Joseph Sandoval, Joseph Gomez and John S. Muños.

The series will combine interviews with family members, friends, veterans, community leaders and historians with vintage photos, film, and archival materials to tell an unforgettable story of American courage, character and perseverance.

The multi-part documentary project is in memory of Frank Sandoval, Tony Pompa, Claro Soliz (Solis), Joseph Sandoval, Peter Masias, William Sandoval, Joseph Gomez and John Munos, 2nd Street was renamed Hero Street, USA.

~ ~ ~ ~

Through its fiscal sponsor the Moline Foundation, the Hero Street documentary film series received partial funding from the Regional Development Authority (RDA), Illinois Arts Council, the Illinois Humanities, Humanities Iowa, National Endowment for the Humanities, Quad City Arts Dollars—provided by Illinois Arts Council Agency, Hubbell-Waterman Foundation and John Deere, the Quad Cities Community Foundation, LULAC Iowa, Mexican American Veterans Association, the City of Silvis, and individual contributors. The project also received a production grant from the Moline Foundation. The views and opinions expressed by these films do not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations.

Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning and Emmy-nominated independent film production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois.

To PRE-ORDER the DVD for Riding the Rails to Hero Street (release date late March 2020) or A Bridge too Far from Hero Street (release date April 2020) or Fourth Wall Films' award-winning film Letters Home to Hero Street (co-produced with WQPT), CLICK HERE!

 

Fourth Wall Films Documentary DVDs make Great Holiday Gifts - with Free Shipping & Gift Wrap

#shopsmall with Fourth Wall and support a community-based business. We tell timeless and timely American history and mystery stories, like stories "Hero Street" documentary film series.

Purchase a DVD of one of our award-winning movies as a Holiday gift, and receive FREE shipping. FREE gift wrap and message upon request. Order by December 19th to receive in time for Christmas!

To PRE-ORDER the DVD for Riding the Rails to Hero Street (release date February/March 2020) or A Bridge too Far from Hero Street (release date April 2020) or Fourth Wall Films' award-winning film Letters Home to Hero Street (co-produced with WQPT), CLICK HERE!

Thank you for supporting our work!

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