On this day I wanted to take some time to thank all of our veterans and the sacrifice that they have done for our country. I have heard stories from veterans that have served our country and I know for a fact that those stories have helped me shape my view points for the better. To understand that liberty and freedom is worth fighting for no matter the cost.
I know that almost everyone has or knows a family member that is a veteran. Please take the time today to thank them for their service.
I specially wanted to take the time to thank our Hispanic/Mexican American veterans of World War II, of whom not many are left, for paving the way for us. It is due to these men that U.S. Citizens of Mexican Ancestry can now enjoy the status of first class citizens.To learn more please watch PBS’s Latino Americans Episode 3 titled “War and Peace” I have included this video just bellow. Also if you have roots in the Rio Grande Valley or live in the RGV I highly recommend that you watch the video.
Latino Americans Episode 3 War and Peace
I hope that you enjoyed the video. If you would like to read about the history of veterans day you can do so here http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp
Once again if you are a veteran Thank You!
i also served in vietnam with the 9th inf div i sailed from sanfrancisco dec3 rd 1966 two stacker merchant marine troop ship i left south texas as i came home broke my dad paid for my plane trip back to ft riley from corpus christi texas it was aweful going back after two weeks leave ,its like the song says never get rich by digging a ditch u sobs ur inthe army now as draftee we hd no choice do as told i did 18 months in infantry then rotated to a trucking company 9 s n t- b company .9th inf hqs it was all white boys afew mexican americans from san antonio texas and akid from the valley ,well i arrived in vietnam dec 1966 must have been close to christmas cause we were stuck on a dirt berm with sand bags .with aponcho tied to gether for shade if the vietcong would hve attacked they could hve come thru with no effort the camp ws wide open we were green troops ,and we broke in going out at night on ptrols at bin sonh michellin rubber plantation that didnt last we hjad perimeter dug in near a creek and the life of riley swimming in the creek and the 300 piatre girls at the enf o f the camp guys frequented > we .so life ws good but no to be we arew told we are going to the delta bniot before we go to river boat training at vung tau ,and ruung st special aka killer zone well it ws what they told us the delta ws vc country no friendlies .not even the arvns were friendly they avoided us how could we fight a war if we couldn”t communicate the mamasans looked at us and s cussed us. guess, they were saying dont go to sleep gi caus we we cut your throat fromear to ear ?or plant chineses claymores on trees next to our perimeters ,they got close, and planted two popcorn kettles on trees. with wires about .1 am sky lights up and we are out 500 yards red white candle lites up the sky .we get a call to come back in grab your soicks and jocks cause 13 guys are wounded .and the whole company has injuries. well a three star general comes in in a chinook at 3 am in the morning. and takes the wounded out we dont know what happened .but what we saw we were all in sho.ck .so it goes vietnam was no cake walk then feb27 we arrive at ben luc air port and ihad never see so mny choppers in my life , the whole of vietnam us army was th lz and at the lz well we are boarded on the choppers and fly out we go round and round then head straight out to the area of operation .and every thing ws quiet till we hit the river as the blocking force
WE ARRIVE AT THE RIVER AFTER DISEMBARKING ABOUT 1000 YARDS FROMTHE RIVER WE ARE ONE ONE SIDE 2ND PLATOON C COMPANY ,2/60 AND THE REST OF THE BATTALION WAS ONTHE OTHER SIDE ,SOME ONE TOLD ME IT WAS OPERATION NUT CRACKER I WAS ON POINT OUR PLATOONLEDER TRIED TO HOOK UP WITH THE REST OF THE COMPANY ONTHE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER AND THE RIVERWS TO FAST WE COULD TRVAERSE IT WITH REPELING HOOKS AND RUCK SACKS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE .SO I,M ON POINT ND WE GO THE OTHER WAY RUNNING AWAY FROM THE RIVER IS TOUGH AND IEND UP BRINING UP THE REAR ONTHE WAY OUT THE SGT MY FIRE TEAM LEADER IS SHOT INTHE HEAD AS WELL AS LT RAY ROLND WOOLDRIDGE NOTH FROMTEXAS .IWS ONPOINT ND THEY ENDED UP GETTING KILLED INMYPLACE IF IWOULD HVE BEEN T THE RIGHT PLACE AND RIGT TIME ISTAYED BEHIND FIRING WHILE THEY RAN TO MOTT ND EVERY ONE WS EXHAUSTED SCARED LOOK ON THERE FACES ,I,M LOW CRAWLING ROUNDS COMING IN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RICE PADDIE DIKE .ICRAWLED AS SLOW S I COULD AND THEY FIRED ATUMOMATIC WEAPONS AT US ,MY HEART WAS POUNDING BUT I FINALLY MADE IT THE ONE WHO STRETCHED OUT THERE HND TO ME TO PULLME IN WAS BLCK KID CANT REMEBER HIS NAME HE CARRIED A 79 ?IWS SO GLD TO SEE THERE FCES BUT WHEN I SHOWED UP MY WEAPONWAS JAMMED AS WERE THERES .
I ASKED ABOUT LT RAY AND SGT GONZALES THEY SID BOTH OF THEM HAD BEEN KILLED AND ALL THERE GEAR DISPOSED OF .IDIDNT KNOW WHAT TO THINK MY BEST FRIENDS WERE GONE COVERED WITH BLOOD I RESTED LONG ENOUGH WHILE THEY CALLED IN A FIRE MISSION AND I WAS PUT ON POINT AGAIN AND DOING THE SAME THING RUNNING A ND ARTILLERY STARTED DROPPING BEHIND US DIDNT KNOW WHAT WAS MORE SCAREY THE ARTIE ROUNDS OR DODGING VIETCONG SUBMACHINE GUN FIRE WITH JAMMED WEAPON I,M RUNNING BACK ND FORTH AND GUYS ARE RUNNING TOWARDS C;EARANCE ARTIE SANCHEZ IS CARRYING SGT GONAZLES COVE RED W ITH BLOOD HE JUMPED ON THE CHOPPER AND I CAME IN RIGHT BEHIND THEM BOTH TROOPS KILLED INACTION WERE ON THE FLOOR. AND I COULDNT MAKE MY SELF GET ON BOARD WITH THEM IWAS SHAKING AND CRYING WE ALL GET ON THE HUEYS AND HAUL ASS ON HOME RELIEVED WE WERE ALIVE AND WITH OUT A SCRATCH .WE LANDED BACK AT BENLUC AIR BASE AND LAST TIME I WOULD EVER SEE MY BEST FRIENDS SGT GUADALUPE GONZALES FROM SANAOTNIO TEXAS AND LT RAY ROLND WODLDRIDGE FROM HOUSTON RIP BUDDIES .ED HINOJOSA ,THE WAR WENT ONWITH OUT US BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
FEB 27,1967 CAPTQIN JOE CALLOWAY WROTE BOUT THE SAME FIRE FIGHT IN
“MEKONG FIIRST LIGHT” FOR HIS KIDS BUT HAD IT PAPER BACKED HE DID TWO TOURS IN VIETNAM RIPS TROOPS OF THE 3RD BDGE 9TH INF DIV 2/60 INF BATTALION 66-67.
Eduardo, Thanks for your service. Your story is amazing and I am glad that you survived. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Hi Eduardo;
I would also like to thank you for your service. And thank your for sharing your story with us.