Gracias, Mijo...
Last Patrol
by:
Patrick Camunes
(© 1998)
A
group of veterans that called themselves the Last Patrol had walked
from Dallas to the steps of the Alamo and brought together hundreds of
Vietvet brothers, who deep down, sought their own personal welcome home.
We prepared our banner and column for parade-march and walked in that
parade, four abreast. The column stretched out for six city blocks and
grew as we pulled in other Vietvets and supporters from the spectators
as we walked along! This was the first time that many of us had even admitted
to being a Vietnam veteran and here were thousand of people lining the
streets cheering us on, by many of the comments that I heard from the
sidelines, I'm sure that many of the spectators had also been touched
by the Vietnam War in one way or another.
Being
Hispanic, I was particularly touched by a comment an elderly lady was yelling
out to all of us and that was, "Gracias, Mijo" which translated means, "Thank
you, Son." Here was a woman that I didn't know, thanking us, as her sons
and it touched many of us deeply and right at that moment in time, I was
Welcomed Home. I walked the remainder of the parade with a misty
vision through tear filled eyes, and I was not the only one.
Vietnam veterans rejoicing, while others stood away alone with their own
thoughts. Many memories were awakened that day, many good and many bad,
but all memories that had torn at our hearts and needed to come out. A crowd
had also gathered for the ceremony and then Mayor Henry Cisneros' stirring
Welcome Home message (I later met him briefly). Some bystanders stayed and
just watched the veterans as if in disbelief---these weren't all drug-crazed,
gun toting stereotyped Vietnam veterans that they had all seen in the movies
and read about, but regular people, probably some that they even knew and
actually showing emotions. This was probably as much an awakening for these
people as it was for the Vietvet.
One thing that I do regret to this day is not going back and talking to
the elderly lady that was thanking me as her son. I often wonder how Vietnam
had touched her, and if maybe her son is one of the names on The Wall, and
I feel guilty for not going back and comforting her. Her Gracias, Mijo
burns in my mind and I can only pray that on that day, by her being there,
a burden was lifted from her as it was for so many of us. All I can say
is "Gracias" to her, wherever she may be, for the Welcome Home she gave
so many that day.
Gracias, Mijo
APVNV Pat(Beanie)Camunes
D/4/31 196th Lt. Inf. Bde
Tay Ninh 12/1966-04/1967
Tam Ky 04/1967-12/67
