Page 66 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2020- Online Magazine
P. 66
Jose Casarez
A Time to Remember
by Larry A. WIlliams
lot, I got set back in school was wiped out in April 1971.
a couple of times. When There were not enough men left,
I turned 18 at the end of so Joe was moved to the 2nd
my sophomore year, I Platoon.”
enlisted in the Army in
Amarillo on July 1970. The Final Mission
My basic training was On August 6, 1971, Casarez went
in Ft. Ord, California, on this last patrol. He recalled,
followed by Advanced “We went out on another patrol
Infantry Training (AIT) to search for the enemy. By this
which finished up in time, I had learned I needed
November.” 1000 rounds of ammo belts
Vietnam across me at all times. We came
to a riverbed, and I heard the
Joe continued, “I was lead machine gun burst. My
assigned to the 1st assistant and I took off for the
Battalion of the 7th front. As I walked in to prepare
About PTSD Cavalry Regiment to return fire, I hit a trip wire
PTSD is a “mental health (Air Mobile). We flew out on for a booby trap, and it blew me
condition that’s triggered December 2, 1970 and arrived 20 feet forward. All the belts of
by a terrifying event – either at Bien Hoa, Vietnam. I was ammo I had on probably saved
experiencing it or witnessing assigned to Company A, First my life. My gun was in pieces.
it.” The symptoms range Platoon and sent via helicopter I was surrounded by wounded,
from flashback to nightmares, to ‘fire base green’. Half the time, bleeding men, everyone calling
anxiety and even avoidance. I didn’t even know where I was for a medic. One of my buddies
For Corporal Joe Casarez, his when we went out on patrols.” died. I took a lot of shrapnel to
mind used avoidance to forget Joe was involved in many my toes and my feet, and I had
the name of one of his squad skirmishes. During one particular lots of blood in my boots.”
members who died next to him. firefight in February 1971, his The Aftermath
The Early Years unit “ran into a Vietcong camp.”
Joe explained, “They opened fire, Casarez recalled the nightmare
José (Joe) Louis Casarez was born and everyone dropped to the scene: “The helicopters were
on July 2, 1952, to Leonardo and ground. The gunner and I ran called in. Our new lieutenant was
Hermina Casarez in Amherst, forward to protect a big man. He picked me
Texas. His father left when Joe our squad, and up and carried me to the
was two years old. His mother we eliminated LZ (landing zone) where
eventually married Jesus Tinoco; the problem.” I was put on a litter and
the blended family included five Both the gunner hoisted up into the Huey;
boys and five girls. An itinerant and Joe received this operation is known
farmer, Jesus moved the family the Army as a ‘Dustoff’, and it is
around the Texas Panhandle to Commendation extremely dangerous for
find work. Joe recalled, “I had Medal with a ‘V’ a pilot and his crew. A
to start work when I was very for valor. Most of severely wounded man
young. Since we moved around a his first platoon was laid next to me. He
66 Senior Link
