Also in 1925, Juan Mejía was born on September 13 in San Antonio. In 1943, shortly after his 18th birthday – before he graduated from high school – Juan enlisted to serve in World War Two. “The Germans came with all their artillery and with everything they had, airplanes and everything,” Juan recalled. More than five decades after the war, Juan was presented the Bronze Star. After the war, Juan traded his military service for a job with the civil service.