AUSTIN — Manny Rivas, a true American hero who dedicated his life to veterans, passed away Saturday at the age of 90 in El Paso, Texas. Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, released the following statement in honor of Mr. Rivas:

"Manny Rivas will always be remembered as a humble, but dedicated World War II hero and champion of the veteran community in Texas," said Commissioner Bush.  "He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home and even loaned personal mementoes from WWII for a special exhibit promoting the VLB programs at the Texas Capitol. He is a war hero, national treasure, and champion of veterans here in his native Texas."

Mr. Rivas was a corporal in the United States Marine Corps and served as an infantryman with Alpha Company, 1^st Battalion, 1^st Marine Regiment during World War II. From June 1942 to June 1946 Mr. Rivas took part in several epic battles in the Pacific from Solomon Islands and New Britain to Peleliu and Okinawa. The entire time he and his twin brother served in the same unit together. He eventually served 57 years with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and was their National Chief of Staff. He retired in 1998 after serving 33 years as the Veterans County Service Officer in El Paso County.

A complete oral history given by Manny Rivas in 2008 is available at http://www.glo.texas.gov/voices-of-veterans.

The "Voices of Veterans" oral history program seeks to record the stories of Texas veterans and archive the transcripts in the Office of Veterans Records for future researchers, historians, genealogists and the general public. Every veteran has a story to tell, and this program will ensure these stories of courage and service can inspire Texans for generations to come. For more information visit http://www.voicesofveterans.org

Any veteran interested in including his or her story in the Voices of Veterans program should contact the Veterans Land Board at 1-800-252-VETS (8387), or send an e-mail to vlbinfo@glo.texas.gov. Oral history interviews can be conducted in person at the Veterans Land Board in Austin, or by telephone from anywhere in Texas. Interviews usually last from one to two hours.

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