Today is Veteran's Day in the United States. Every country has a similar day - a time when we remember the young men and women who served their country, whether in war or peace.
The Mystery Guest Blogger and I currently call deep south Texas our home. Near our home is Edinburg – and in fact, I used to work in Edinburg. Like most towns in south Texas, it is intensely patriotic. One of Edinburg’s heroes is Sergeant Alfredo “Freddy” Gonzalez, United States Marine Corps. Sergeant Gonzalez was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary bravery in combat. There is an elementary school named after him, as well as a main street. A city park has a bronze plaque dedicated to him. The U.S.S. Freddy Gonzalez is a naval warship named in his honor.
Sergeant Gonzalez met his death while assaulting North Vietnamese troops inside the St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church compound in Huê on February 4, 1968 during the famous Tet Offensive. The building does not exist anymore. The area has been developed, but it is remembered by some of the “old timers”. It is in the tourist area of town where the Mandarin Café sits today.
I find it incredibly ironic that as an old soldier who served as a grunt in Việt Nam a long time ago, I am on the holy ground where a genuine hero from my home town met his fate.
There is a tradition that applies to holders of the Medal of Honor. That tradition says that the Medal of Honor winner is saluted by any other soldier regardless of rank. That means a General salutes a Private if the Private won the Medal of Honor.
I was an Army Infantry Captain, and Freddy was a Marine Sergeant. Sergeant Gonzalez: consider yourself honored by the sharpest salute you have ever seen. I salute you from Huê.
Beautiful!
Posted by: Ram | November 11, 2005 at 09:17 AM
What a touching tribute for Veteran's Day! I have been hoping that more people would take time to honor our veterans today, but haven't seen or read much until your words. (Our school website does acknowledge it in a "colorful" way, however. See http://www.swosu.edu/.)
Posted by: Cindy C. | November 11, 2005 at 12:42 PM
Interesting comment by Cindy C. Love you two and thanks for your service.
Posted by: The Hoppy Mailman | November 11, 2005 at 03:14 PM
That was a beautiful salute in honors of the veterans. Happy Veterans Day. Thank you to all the veterans out there and for the men and women that are fighting for our country so that we can sleep peacefully at night.
Posted by: Thuy | November 13, 2005 at 10:37 PM