Soldier with No Past

When Alfredo Sanchez was approached on the street in May of 1928, he received life-changing news about his own past. An apparent stranger informed Alfredo that they had served together in World War I, and that he was then known as “Perry.” Absent-minded and struggling to hold down a job due to memory issues, Alfred began to uncover the truth of his forgotten life. He discovered that in 1917, Hector Perez (Alfred’s true name) had enlisted in the United States Army under the name Hector H. Perry. What unfolded next is a story of injustice, mystery, memory loss, family secrets and dire straits. Participating in and surviving through seven of the bloodiest battles in France, Hector appears to have received little acknowledgement for his heroic military actions. Instead, he was confined for four months by the U.S. Army before being dishonorably discharged, with forfeiture of all pay and allowances. This biography, written by his grand-niece, tells this story of Hector’s military service, his amnesia and his institutional struggle, incorporating original correspondence, as well as family documents unearthed in 2017. Illustrated with first-hand historical photos of major players, this biography details the toil, bravery and persistence of a soldier lost to his family for 15 years and his struggle against injustice at the hands of the United States Army.

Evangelina M. Palmer was born in Cuba, raised in Florida, enjoyed a diverse range of professional careers, traveled three continents and retired to Fredericksburg, Virginia where she volunteers in her community and researches her ancestors, her Cuban roots and the politics and conditions in Cuba. A former police officer, James J. Jimenez also held management and leadership positions in telecommunications and the healthcare industries. Now retired, he can be found lost in the rabbit holes of family history and lore and his affinity for family genealogy led him to many family discoveries. He lives in Keansburg, New Jersey.

Evangelina M. Palmer and James J. Jimenez
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 253
Bibliographic Info: 46 photos, appendix, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2025
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9647-8
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5504-8
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments (Evangelina M. Palmer) vi

Preface (Evangelina M. Palmer) 1

Introduction (James J. Jimenez) 7

One. The People 11

Two. The Events 18

Three. La Familia 25

Four. History of Wars 35

Five. In the Service of His Country  (Charles E. “Charlie” Perez) 43

Six. In the Service of His Country (Hector Perez) 60

Seven. Public Sentiment 97

Eight. Bill S. 851—A Partial Victory 131

Nine. The Final Three Decades 144

Ten. Understanding Wartime Trauma 164

Epilogue (James J. Jimenez) 178

Appendix 185

Chapter Notes 203

Bibliography 225

Index 241