WWII soldier to receive medals posthumously

A Utah National Guard soldier killed in the Philippines during World War II will receive medals posthumously Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. in the Mt. Pleasant City Hall.

The awards and medals for James Frank Ruesch Jr., killed on his birthday in 1944, will be presented to his brother, Bert Ruesch, by Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah.

James Frank Ruesch Jr. was born on Sept. 30, 1919, and enlisted in the Utah National Guard in 1938. His unit was federalized in the spring of 1941 and sent to California and later to Fort Lewis, Washington. At Fort Lewis, Ruesch transferred to the 11th Airborne Division and served with it until he was killed in action in the Philippines on Sept. 30, 1944. His remains were returned home, and he was buried at Mt. Pleasant cemetery on Sept. 26, 1948.

Cannon will present the following awards and medals: Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one bronze service star, World War II Victory Medal, and Honorable Service lapel button.

The Ruesch Family, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9276 and Cannon's office worked on the verification of these awards.

Utah VFW Commander Jay Barker and other VFW and city and county officials will also attend the ceremony. The public is invited to attend.