Page 60 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2023 - Online Magazine
P. 60
Quirino “Shorty” Mata Vietnam Tunnel Rat—
In His Own Words
by Shorty Mata
We got to Vietnam on December
9, 1965. I was 19 years old. I was
with the 1st Cavalry Division.
Some of my brothers called
me “Tunnel Rat” because,
while I was there, I had to go
underground several times to
search for the enemy. I never
found anyone. Thank God!
I do not mind saying I was
very scared each time I went
underground. Eventually, our
captain decided to start putting
smoke in the holes. I thanked
God for that, too.
What I liked best about the
Army was the many friends that
I made. We had some bad days,
was born February 24, 1946, Polk, Louisiana for basic training. but we had some good days. I
in San Antonio, where I went After basic, they let us go home was discharged on December 21,
I to school until I was 13. My for a week, then back to Fort 1966, at the age of 20.
first stepfather was a WWII Polk for more training. After
Veteran with the 101st Airborne. AIT in 1964, I went to Oakland, I received the following medals:
When I was seven years old, he California to get on a ship to go
showed me his scrapbook about to Korea. On the way there, we • Air Medal
his experiences in the war. To this stopped in Hawaii overnight. • Army Good Conduct Medal
day, I have never forgotten that The next day, we got hit by a • Korea Defense Service Medal
scrapbook, and it disturbs me typhoon. It was ugly, but we all • Republic of Vietnam Campaign
that some people do not believe survived. We also stopped in Medal
the atrocities that occurred Yokohama, Japan. In Korea, we • National Defense Service
during WWII. took a train to the 38th parallel, Medal
where I had to pull guard in • Vietnam Service Medal
In 1959, my mom, my sister, South Korea. Just over the line • Foreign Decoration Medal
and I moved to County Line, was North Korea. • Army Presidential Unit
Texas. It was a very small town Citation
northwest of Lubbock. It had a It was winter, and the • Army Meritorious Unit
grocery store, gas station, four temperatures got down to 40 Commendation
houses, and a church. I attended degrees below 0. I hope to never • Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit
Abernathy Independent School experience another winter like Citation
District. that again. In fact, because • Expert Badge with attachments:
of that, I still don’t like cold 81 mortar, M-14 rifle
I was 18 years old in the ninth weather. I was there for one year, • Sharpshooter Badge: 45 pistol
grade, so I felt like an old man then came back to Texas for a • Combat Infantry Badge (my
compared to the other students. month of leave. After that, I went favorite)
That was reason enough to join to Fort Hood, Texas for four
the Army, but I was also still months. We were told to go home After I got out of the Army, I did
very inspired by my stepfather’s for a week because some of us odd jobs for a while, then started
experiences. I had to go to Fort had orders to go to Vietnam. working for a vending company
60 Lubbock Senior Link
