Stories of Service: Joe Mendoza
By Joe Mendoza, who served August 1967-July 1969, in the Army.
I volunteered for the Draft as I felt that I needed to do my part and duty for our country. I was trained as a radio operator at Fort Huachuca after my Basic Training at Fort Bliss, Texas. I continued my training at Fort Gordon, Georgia as a radio-teletype operator at the Southeastern Signal School. I received orders for the 7th Army at the 7th Army Group Headquarters. I was there only for a short time as I volunteered and received my orders to serve in Vietnam. I landed in Vietnam in august of 1968 in Cu Chi, the home of the 25th Infantry in the third corps of South Vietnam. I was the Communication Sergeant as I was promoted to E-5 once I arrived. I was there during the second phase of the TET Offensive, and we experienced various assaults as we were within 150 yards from the Cu Chi jungle on the perimeter of the camp. I was the communications sergeant during the attacks and they were at night and all out assaults. I did make it and left Vietnam in July 1969 and went back to the states through Fort Lewis Washington. I used my GI Bill to put myself through college and I have worked in higher education from 1977 to the present. I am now close to retirement and do consider myself to be fortunate as many of my Vietnam brothers are struggling. I feel very proud to have served and would do it all over again.
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Thank you for what you did. Could not have handled my job without the effective & efficient radio operators. God Bless and enjoy your retirement. I know you have earned it.
i salute you sir
E-1 through E-5 in one year is unheard of??
My brother was at Cu Chi but he was killed in Jan. 1968 in the tet offensive! After 45 years his brothers there with him finally found us and got in touch with us! It has been such a blessing to have them in our lives after all this time! The men who served with him and lived with him have a reunion every year! It is so amazing! We have had the honor of meeting 2 of them because they made a trip to NM just to meet my brothers family it was so special! My brother George H Nuñez was with people who loved him and that was the question for 45 years wondering and thinking he was all alone far from home but these men who loved him were with him!