Theodore Ronald Duarte

T/4 in 3133rd Signal Service Co

ASN#39421684

Born 1922 in CA, Died 2009

County of residence at enlistment: San Francisco County, CA

Other residence(s): Los Angeles, CA; Visalia, CA

United States Army, European Theatre of Operations

Occupation before the war: musicians and teachers of music

Notes: Rank changed from T/5 on GA records to T/4 per US Veterans' Gravesites; childhood name Theodore Olaeta, Duarte is mother's maiden name

Source: 3133rd Program, 15 Sept 1944; 3133rd roster from 10th Mountain Division Museum at Fort Drum

Ted Duarte was born on February 8, 1922 in Riverside, CA, the older of two children. His father was a plumber. His mother, who had been born in Mexico, was the oldest of seven children (and the only daughter) born to a San Joaquin Valley ranching family, and that family would play a prominent role in his upbringing.

The 1930 census shows him as Theodore Olaeta, living with his parents and younger sister in Tulare, CA. But by 1936, when he graduated from the Union School, southeast of Visalia, CA, he was using the name of Theodore Duarte (his mother's maiden name). Ted was the class speaker for his class of five students.

The 1940 census shows him living with his Mexican-born grandparents and working as a ranch hand on the ranch they had purchased in 1927; he is listed as Ted Duarte, and his relationship to his grandparents is listed as "son." His mother and younger sister were living in Los Angeles.

But at the same time as he was working in one family business, he also pursued another. His uncle's 2008 obituary says that "being a musical family they started a dance orchestra in the mid-30s which Bob [Ted’s uncle] headed up as Bob Duarte and His Orchestra. The band played for several years all around the Visalia area." Ted played the saxophone; a 1940 article shows him playing in the Visalia Municipal Band.

Ted registered for the draft on June 30, 1942; at the time he was living in Oakland, CA and working at Richmond Shipyard #1; by that time his mother was back in Visalia. He enlisted on June 25, 1944; his enlistment record shows him having completed one year of high school, and lists his profession as "musician/teacher of music."

Ted was originally sent to Camp Crowder, and transferred to Pine Camp as a member of the 3133 Signal Service Company in August, 1944. A newspaper article from that time says that he had been promoted to CPL, and that "he finds his work with a unit of the tank destroyers very interesting. CPL Duarte is keeping up with his music and with some of his buddies he recently received second prize in an amateur night contest in one of the Watertown, New York theatres."

Ted saw service in Europe with the unit and after the war returned to Visalia, CA where he continued his music and became active in the American Legion. He married Lily Irene Martinez on April 24, 1949; their son Ronald was born in 1950.

The 1950 census shows him working in tile setting/building construction, and a 1951 record lists him as a cabinet maker. But by 1952 he was working as an insurance salesman—a profession that permitted him the opportunity to continue working as a musician. Over the subsequent years he was written up in local newspapers leading various musical groups: the Ambassadors of Swing (1947), the Latin-American Rhythm Boys (1948), the Latin Quartette (1949), a dance trio (1951), and The Four Moods (1953). He played at clubs, restaurants, and benefit dances.

Ted died on January 7, 2009 in Visalia, and is buried at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in Santa Nella, CA.