thedrifter
05-01-06, 04:58 AM
Hallettsville shows appreciation to veterans
BARRY HALVORSON
Victoria Advocate
Monday, May 1, 2006
HALLETTSVILLE - Veterans and their families expressed gratitude for the efforts to put on the Fourth Annual Veterans Appreciation Day as approximately 700 people showed up to enjoy a free meal and attend a memorial service honoring the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces at the Hallettsville Knights of Columbus Hall on Sunday.
In attendance were veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm and Operation Desert Freedom in Iraq. Expressing the most appreciation for the recognition were the Vietnam veterans, who didn't receive the same homecomings as other veterans did.
"I feel good about how they are handling the homecomings now," Vietnam vet Manuel Rivera of Victoria said. "When I came home, I arrived in Washington state and then went to San Diego to visit a sister. I put on civilian clothes to go back to Texas because I didn't want anyone to know I'd been to Vietnam. I was proud to have served my country, but at the time my country wasn't proud of my service."
Rivera represented the U.S. Army during the memorial service while Petty Officer 2nd Class Bobby Villarreal represented the Coast Guard.
Villarreal is currently on active duty and stationed at Port O'Connor. He said that he thinks people realized the mistake they made in not welcoming back the soldiers from Vietnam. Now people are recognizing the sacrifices those veterans made, he said.
Sgt. 1st Class Juan Benavidez represented the National Guard. Currently on active duty, he is assigned to the Texas National Guard in Victoria after having served a tour of Baghdad from December 2003 to March 2005.
"I've been overwhelmed with the show of patriotism in the country and the continued support the soldiers are receiving," he said. "When I think about it, it sometimes is hard to hold back the emotions. When things aren't going good or you've had a rough night on a patrol, to come back and find care packages sent to you by people you never met - it reminds you of how important your service is to those at home."
Benavidez believes that the U.S. is winning the war for the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people.
He was there during the week of the first elections, he said. "It was an amazingly tension-filled time. But you were constantly working to gain the confidence of the people and assuring them voting was their right,and they responded. They wanted to take control of their own destiny."
Benavides said he tries to attend all of the veterans programs held in the area. "It lets us know each other," he said. "All of us have fought for our country. The veterans of World War II picked up the flag from those who served in the first war. The men in Korea picked up the flag and then handed it over to the men who served in Vietnam, and we in turn have picked it up from them. The young guys in service now will be picking up the flag from us and carrying it into the future."
Others representing their branches of the military were Jeffrey Osterhout, U.S. Navy; Jim Smith, U.S. Air Force; and Staff Sgt. Vincent Kraft, the U.S. Marines. Osterhout and Smith are retired, while Kraft is on active duty, serving as a recruiter for the Victoria Area.
During the service, a brief passage was read about each branch and then the representative of that service extinguished a candle.
Like his contemporary Rivera, Robert Gaona also served a tour of duty in Vietnam and remembers having people throw rocks and fruit when he returned home. Now a member of the Vietnam Veterans of American Crossroads Chapter 898, he said people's changed attitudes help ease some of those painful memories.
"When we served, people blamed us for going to war," he said. "Now, since 1969, things are a lot different. I feel better about being recognized for my service. When we march in parades, people recognize us for what we've done. Little kids salute us. Years ago, they were being taught to turn their backs on us. It is coming to us late, but now we're getting recognized and being accepted as war veterans."
Lavaca County Historian Doug Kubicek was there to show his support of those who had served the country. In his role as a historian, he has spoken with many of the Lavaca County veterans at the event.
He offered the opinion that the difference in attitude about Vietnam and the military operations in Iraq is that the earlier veterans are now among those doing the greeting.
"There is a much broader appreciation for them now than there was," he said. "What happened to the Vietnam veterans has brought us back to reality. People are realizing what the men in Vietnam did was important, and it is their sons and daughters who have now walked that proverbial mile in their shoes and understand what they did and had to give up."
Kubicek added that it is important for people to learn the stories of veterans of World War II and Korea while they are still alive to tell them.
"I'm here to pay honor and tribute to everyone who served this country," he said. "And I'm here for a personal kind of thing. I've known a lot of these veterans my entire life and know the role they've played in history. But they are literally passing away before our eyes. We're losing that entire generation at an unbelievable rate. In Lavaca County, I don't think we have any more living World War I veterans. Their stories are gone and as a historian I missed them. I didn't realize what was being lost until the last one died, and I couldn't believe I hadn't spent more time learning their stories. We can't afford to lose that opportunity again."
A surprise presentation was made to Lanora Konvicka, an organizer of the Veterans Appreciation Day since its inception. District 24 VFW Commander Marvin Lockhart and past Post Commander Carlton Bolting gave her a plaque recognizing her efforts on behalf of veterans.
• Barry Halvorson is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact him at 361-798-3888 or hvilladv@vicad.com or comment on this story at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.
Ellie
BARRY HALVORSON
Victoria Advocate
Monday, May 1, 2006
HALLETTSVILLE - Veterans and their families expressed gratitude for the efforts to put on the Fourth Annual Veterans Appreciation Day as approximately 700 people showed up to enjoy a free meal and attend a memorial service honoring the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces at the Hallettsville Knights of Columbus Hall on Sunday.
In attendance were veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm and Operation Desert Freedom in Iraq. Expressing the most appreciation for the recognition were the Vietnam veterans, who didn't receive the same homecomings as other veterans did.
"I feel good about how they are handling the homecomings now," Vietnam vet Manuel Rivera of Victoria said. "When I came home, I arrived in Washington state and then went to San Diego to visit a sister. I put on civilian clothes to go back to Texas because I didn't want anyone to know I'd been to Vietnam. I was proud to have served my country, but at the time my country wasn't proud of my service."
Rivera represented the U.S. Army during the memorial service while Petty Officer 2nd Class Bobby Villarreal represented the Coast Guard.
Villarreal is currently on active duty and stationed at Port O'Connor. He said that he thinks people realized the mistake they made in not welcoming back the soldiers from Vietnam. Now people are recognizing the sacrifices those veterans made, he said.
Sgt. 1st Class Juan Benavidez represented the National Guard. Currently on active duty, he is assigned to the Texas National Guard in Victoria after having served a tour of Baghdad from December 2003 to March 2005.
"I've been overwhelmed with the show of patriotism in the country and the continued support the soldiers are receiving," he said. "When I think about it, it sometimes is hard to hold back the emotions. When things aren't going good or you've had a rough night on a patrol, to come back and find care packages sent to you by people you never met - it reminds you of how important your service is to those at home."
Benavidez believes that the U.S. is winning the war for the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people.
He was there during the week of the first elections, he said. "It was an amazingly tension-filled time. But you were constantly working to gain the confidence of the people and assuring them voting was their right,and they responded. They wanted to take control of their own destiny."
Benavides said he tries to attend all of the veterans programs held in the area. "It lets us know each other," he said. "All of us have fought for our country. The veterans of World War II picked up the flag from those who served in the first war. The men in Korea picked up the flag and then handed it over to the men who served in Vietnam, and we in turn have picked it up from them. The young guys in service now will be picking up the flag from us and carrying it into the future."
Others representing their branches of the military were Jeffrey Osterhout, U.S. Navy; Jim Smith, U.S. Air Force; and Staff Sgt. Vincent Kraft, the U.S. Marines. Osterhout and Smith are retired, while Kraft is on active duty, serving as a recruiter for the Victoria Area.
During the service, a brief passage was read about each branch and then the representative of that service extinguished a candle.
Like his contemporary Rivera, Robert Gaona also served a tour of duty in Vietnam and remembers having people throw rocks and fruit when he returned home. Now a member of the Vietnam Veterans of American Crossroads Chapter 898, he said people's changed attitudes help ease some of those painful memories.
"When we served, people blamed us for going to war," he said. "Now, since 1969, things are a lot different. I feel better about being recognized for my service. When we march in parades, people recognize us for what we've done. Little kids salute us. Years ago, they were being taught to turn their backs on us. It is coming to us late, but now we're getting recognized and being accepted as war veterans."
Lavaca County Historian Doug Kubicek was there to show his support of those who had served the country. In his role as a historian, he has spoken with many of the Lavaca County veterans at the event.
He offered the opinion that the difference in attitude about Vietnam and the military operations in Iraq is that the earlier veterans are now among those doing the greeting.
"There is a much broader appreciation for them now than there was," he said. "What happened to the Vietnam veterans has brought us back to reality. People are realizing what the men in Vietnam did was important, and it is their sons and daughters who have now walked that proverbial mile in their shoes and understand what they did and had to give up."
Kubicek added that it is important for people to learn the stories of veterans of World War II and Korea while they are still alive to tell them.
"I'm here to pay honor and tribute to everyone who served this country," he said. "And I'm here for a personal kind of thing. I've known a lot of these veterans my entire life and know the role they've played in history. But they are literally passing away before our eyes. We're losing that entire generation at an unbelievable rate. In Lavaca County, I don't think we have any more living World War I veterans. Their stories are gone and as a historian I missed them. I didn't realize what was being lost until the last one died, and I couldn't believe I hadn't spent more time learning their stories. We can't afford to lose that opportunity again."
A surprise presentation was made to Lanora Konvicka, an organizer of the Veterans Appreciation Day since its inception. District 24 VFW Commander Marvin Lockhart and past Post Commander Carlton Bolting gave her a plaque recognizing her efforts on behalf of veterans.
• Barry Halvorson is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact him at 361-798-3888 or hvilladv@vicad.com or comment on this story at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.
Ellie