Jarbas Dias Ferreira, WWII veteran, dies at 104

Lieutenant Jarbas Dias Ferreira, a veteran of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force (FEB) during World War II, passed away at the age of 104 in São José dos Campos. In recognition of his service and legacy, the local government decreed three days of official mourning.

During the conflict, Ferreira spent approximately one year in Italy, including eight months of active combat. He served as a corporal responsible for a machine gun team of six men. He frequently recounted the hardships of the Italian campaign, including extreme cold in the trenches reaching temperatures as low as 20 degrees Celsius below zero, and the suffering endured by civilians.

Following his military service, Ferreira worked at Tecelagem Parahyba and later became a merchant running Bicicletaria Brasil. He maintained a lifelong connection to the Brazilian Army, regularly attending civic ceremonies and graduation events for the local Tiro de Guerra. He was buried at the Padre Rodolfo Komorek Municipal Cemetery.