Signs designating William J. Bordelon Expressway unveiled
Thursday, October 1, 2009 at Bob Benson '66 Stadium
September 14, 2009
An official TexDot sign
designating the "William J. Bordelon Expressway" was unveiled and
blessed at Central Catholic High School during the first JROTC
Brigade Drill of the year held on Thursday, October 1, 2009, in the
Bob Benson '66 Stadium.
An ordinance authorizing the installation of honorary street
markers to read "William J. Bordelon Expressway" along interstate
highway IH-37 between its intersections with IH10E and IH-35N was
passed and approved on March 5, 2009, by San Antonio Mayor Phil
Hardberger.
The signs have now been produced by TexDot and are ready to be
installed. But first, one of the 9' x 11' signs was trucked over to
Central Catholic High School for a special introduction to the
Bordelon Family, Central Catholic students, faculty and staff and
alumni during the Brigade Drill. The sign was then be blessed by
Rev. Don Cowie, S.M., Chaplain, and Rev. Patrick McDaid, S.M.,
Director of Campus Ministry, before being installed on the
highway.
William J. Bordelon, Jr. '38
William J. Bordelon, Jr. '38, was the first native born San
Antonian to receive the Medal of Honor for his bravery in World War
II. A Central Catholic graduate from the Class of 1938, he was
killed in action in the battle of Tarawa on November 20, 1943, at
the age of 22.
The Medal of Honor citation reads:
For valorous and gallant conduct above and beyond the call of
duty as a member of an Assault Engineer Platoon of the First
Battalion, Eighteenth Marines, tactically attached to the Second
Marines, Second Marine Division, against the Japanese-held Atoll of
Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands on November 20, 1943.
Landing in the assault waves under withering enemy fire which
killed all but four of the men in his tractor, Staff Sergeant
Bordelon hurriedly made demolition charges and personally put two
pill boxes out of action. Hit by enemy machine-gun fire just as a
charge exploded in his hand while assaulting a third position, he
courageously remained in action and, although out of demolition,
provided himself with a rifle and furnished fire coverage for a
group of men scaling the seawall.
Disregarding his own serious condition, he unhesitatingly went to
the aid of one of his demolition men, wounded and calling for help
in the water, rescuing this man and another who had been hit by
enemy fire while attempting to make the rescue. Still refusing
first aid for himself, he again made up demolition charges and
single-handedly assaulted a fourth Japanese machine-gun position
but was instantly killed when caught in a final burst of fire from
the enemy.
Staff Sergeant Bordelon's great personal valor during a critical
phase of securing the limited beachhead was a contributing factor
in the ultimate occupation of the island and his heroic
determination reflects the highest credit upon the United States
Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
Signed by: Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United
States
Bordelon '38's Medal of Honor was presented to his mother and
father at a ceremony in Alamo Stadium on June 17, 1944, in the
presence of Texas Governor Coke Stevenson.
Originally buried on Tarawa, his body was moved to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. In November, 1995, some 52 years after his death, William Bordelon '38's body was brought back to San Antonio. Prior to being re-interred in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, he became only the fifth person to lie in state at the Alamo, the Shrine of Texas Liberty.
Bordelon '38 was the oldest of five children. At Central Catholic, he served as Battalion Major of the JROTC Cadet Battalion. In addition to the Medal of Honor, Bordelon '38 was also awarded the Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
