Having turned 18 in 1966 did you leave high school with a fear of Vietnam?
Every boy was; it was our number one fear. Many boys were trying to get into college to get deferments.
Why didn't you try and get a deferment and go to school?
My family couldn't afford it; there were five of us and I knew even if I got accepted I couldn't pay for it.
Being at home did you see the news and see the images from Vietnam, and if so, did it frighten you?
We only had three channels and something was always on about Vietnam, but in reality, it was always too hot to be inside, we barely watched TV and all of us had part time jobs after school. I wouldn't see too much but I heard a lot of stories.
When did the realities of Vietnam first become real to you, when you were at home or once you went overseas?
When I was still in High School, in 1965 a boy who had been on the baseball team with me and had already graduated was killed. His name was Fermin Saldana.
When you graduated why did you sign up if you had heard these stories?
I knew if I didn't sign up I'd be drafted, and I didn't want to take the chance on being drafted as a Marine. I thought if I signed up with the Army Id have a better chance at getting an easier MOS (Military Occupational Specialist).
What was basic training like, knowing where you were going?
It was just something I did, I thought about my family all the time and how much the money was going to help them out. Once day I saw a poster for Jump School. It said if you wanted to be Airborne they would pay you an extra $55 dollars a month. I was only getting
$68 so I figured what the hell. I knew it could really help my parents, especially since Uncle Adrian with Down's Syndrome, he needed a lot of extra things and they wanted to build an extra room onto the house for him.
Did Grandma and Grandpa write you often?
Of Course, so did Uncle Ruben and Uncle Ernest and sometime Aunt Gracie…and my grandma wrote me all the time, as well as some friends. A lot of them were over there but in different forces.
When they wrote to you did they talk about the war?
No, they would talk about what was going on in the neighborhood; tell my gossip about the cousins, anything but the war. They tried to be optimistic.
Were you ever afraid you were going to die out there?
Yes.
Do you mind if we talk about your experience? (I know my dad's story by heart, and would never talk to anyone about it, unless it was okay with him.)
That's fine. I was shot in the stomach. I still remember the exact date, I guess its not something you forget. It was May 18, 1968. We were near Tuy Hoa and it was about 5:00 pm and we were setting up a night ambush. All of a sudden we were over run by Charlies ("Charlies" was used to refer to a member of the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War by the American military). I saw my partner shot in the head before I realized what was happening. I lasted as long as I could but I had been shot in the stomach as well. I fell to the ground and rolled into the bushes before I pass out. Apparently I had also packed my wound with mud to stop the bleeding, but I don't remember that part. They remainder of our party found me the next day, barely alive. I was helicoptered out as soon as possible; I was so in and out of it I don't know how long it took. I was taken to 91st evacuation unit, like a MASH unit, and I was there for about 30 days and then I was shipped off to a hospital in Japan, Camp Zama , its close to Tokyo and then after another 30 days I was sent on a big hospital jet to Kelly and then I was taken by helicopter to BAMC (Brooks Army Medical Center) at Fort Sam (Fort Sam Houston- San Antonio, Texas). There was so many of us they had in the hall way with partitions, it was so over crowded.
Were you sent to BAMC out of coincidence or because family was here?
Because I had family here, they tried to accommodate you as much as possible.
How did you feel when troops were pulled out of Vietnam?
I'm still not sure, I was proud because I was in the 173rd Airborne and they were the first in Vietnam and the Last out…. That's where the saying comes from, First in, Last Out.
Is there anything else you would like to add to this interview?
Response
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