Five blue stars across the bottom of the World War II mural being dedicated Saturday reflects a rarity that Manteca had by having one family  with five sons serving in the various branches of military during the war.

The Manteca Mural Society is dedicating “The Spirit of America” mural at 12:30 p.m. on the wall of the Bedquarters at Yosemite Avenue and Main Street in downtown.

Families with a son serving were given banners with one blue star that typically was displayed in a window facing the street. If they had two sons serving the banner had two stars.

The banner that was displayed in a window by the five men’s mom — Margarita Duran — is on display at the Manteca Historical Society Museum. The five Manteca brothers who served were Anthony Duran, Manuel Duran, Richard Duran, Alfonso Duran, and Ralph Duran.

Tidbits about the sons, the family, and their service are as follows:

Richard was stationed at Pearl Harbor on the USS Medusa when the Japanese bombed it in 1941.  It was decided by the other brothers that their mother would not be told of the bombing because Richard was there.  She was not told until two and a half weeks later after receiving a letter from Richard saying he was OK.

Manuel was in training to be a fighter pilot when the war ended.

Alfonso was stationed in Hawaii near Pearl Harbor and the brothers would meet when passing through on R&R.  Once it became known that Alfonso was stationed there, other servicemen from Manteca would visit him and the other brothers when possible.

Richard’s ship, the USS Menard, closed the coast of Okinawa early April 1, 1945 and boatloaded her assault troops for the amphibious sweep to the invasion beaches.  Thence, she began off-loading support cargo.  Despite numerous anti-shipping strikes by Japanese bombing and suicide planes, she continued vital supply operations during the next week.  On April 6, 1945 an enemy suicide plane attacked her from starboard.  Intense gunfire from the Menard splashed it off the transport’s port quarter.

Ralph and Richard served on the same ship at the end of the war, the USS Menard APA 201.

Anthony fought in nearly every major Army invasion in the South Pacific.

Margarita had 11 children total, 4 born in Spain, 2 in Maui, and the 5 brothers who served in the war were all born in California.

The brothers all have the same middle name:  Sevilla.  This is the tradition in Spain, taking the last name of their mother’s father. 

Francisco Duran and Margarita Duran left their home town of Arcos Del La Frontera, Spain, and traveled to Gibraltar, Spain, to board the HMS Willeston.  They arrived in Hawaii to work the sugar cane fields in Puunene in Maui under contract with Dole Foods.  

They left Spain with four children: Frank, Juana, Jose, and Josephine. The trip was arduous and the ship disease ridden.  Upon arriving in Honolulu, the ship was put into quarantine where two of the children, Jose and Juana, died from small pox.

From 1912 to 1918, the family fulfilled their contract in the sugar canes.  During this time, two more children were born: Joe and John.

As the contract came to an end in 1918, Grandfather Francisco decided to come to California rather than return to Spain.  He had heard the climate and work opportunities were good in California.  So, in 1918, they set sail once again, this time headed for San Francisco on the USS President, where Anthony was born in 1918.  Ultimately, they settled in Vacaville where Grandfather became a labor contractor to provide workers for the farmers.  Manuel was born in Vacaville in 1920.  They traveled up and down the valley following the fruit crops as they became ready to pick.  Richard was born in Fresno in 1922.  Alfonso was born in Fowler in 1924 and Ralph was born in Winters in 1925.

In 1927, Francisco died in a freak farm accident when an orchard pole broke and impaled him in his stomach, a wound he never recovered from.  After his death, Margarita received a settlement, and decided to purchase a house at 210 Fremont Street in Manteca.  After losing her husband, though never validated, the family suspects that Margarita chose Manteca because Ralph’s Godparents lived on South Manteca Road about one half mile past North Ripon Road.  Margarita continued to live in the house on Fremont Street where she continued to raise her sons.