At the Oct. 7 City Council meeting, Council Member Dr. Luis S. González (Dr. G) presented longtime Colton resident and World War II veteran Ray Gomez with an official recognition of his 100th birthday.
Born in San Bernardino on Aug. 3, 1925, Gomez has spent a lifetime in service to his family, the nation and the Colton community. He is the son of Angel and Mercedes Gomez and has two sisters, Annie and Esther, and one brother, Angel Jr.
As a young man, Gomez worked in the fields and later part time at Kaiser Steel. With the need for troops during World War II, he joined the U.S. Army at 18 and was assigned to Fort MacArthur in San Pedro for induction and to receive his uniform and equipment. He completed 17 weeks of basic training at Camp Fannin, Texas, followed by a month at Camp Van Dorn, Louisiana. Afterward, he was sent to Fort Dix, New Jersey, for combat assignment and transported to England aboard the “Queen Elizabeth.” He served in England, France, Luxembourg and Germany as a private first class from November 1943 to May 1946…