in action in the Korean War. His remains have not been located.
The $10.00 United States Savings Bond was known as the “Soldier’s Bond”. It was issued from 1943-50. It could only be purchased by active duty members of the United States Army. An army private earned $21.00 per month in pay during WWII. The Army and the Treasury Department determined that more soldiers would buy bonds if the purchase price were lowered. It took $18.75 to purchase a $25.00 bond and even at the allotment amount of one-third per month for three months it was difficult for enlisted soldiers to participate. The $10.00 bond only required a monthly allotment of $2.50.
The bond pictured above was issued to Sgt. Jorge L. Vazquez of Aibonito, Puerto Rico during WWII. Sgt. Vazquez was attached to the 65th Infantry Regiment. The 65th Regiment was made up of Puerto Ricans and served in Panama, North Africa, Italy and France.
Sgt. Vazquez remained in the army after WWII. The 65th Regiment took part in an amphibious exercise in Puerto Rico in 1950 as the opposing force. They performed their task so well that the Regiment was assigned to the Third Infantry Division when it went to Korea later that year.
On February 6, 1952, SFC Vazquez was leading a night-time patrol that included Pvt. Euripides A Colon, Cpl. Maximino Molina-Gerera, Pvt. Ramon Ortiz-Duran, Pfc. Reinaldo Ramirez-Ramos, Sgt. Ramon Santiago-Rosario, and Pfc. Miguel A Zayas. The patrol did not return and their remains have yet to be found.
Numismatic Notebook 