Leandro Navarro Jr.

Leandro Navarro Jr. was drafted into the U.S. Army on Apr 24, 1968 while he was a senior in high school. Because he didn’t have time to finish school, he took his GED before going into the service.

Navarro took basic training at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas, and from there he was assigned to Ft. Lewis, Washington. After finishing his training, he received his orders for Vietnam. As Navarro put it, “Needless to say I was scared shitless not knowing if I was coming home alive or not.”

Navarro arrived first in Chu Lai, Vietnam, where he received additional training before being deployed to LZ Bayonet. From Bayonette he went into the field and joined his unit, D Company, 1st BN, 6th Infantry, 198th LIB, Americal Division.

Reflecting on this time with D Company Navarro said, “That’s where I met Frenchy and Ty. Those two took me under their wings and helped me out as much as they could. We got into a few battles here and there, walking up the hills and through rice paddies. We stayed out in the field for most of the time. Probably came back to the rear a couple of times, to LZ Fat City.”

On May 14, 1969, while serving in Vietnam, then-Specialist Navarro and his unit were repositioning in advance of a second ambush. He was on patrol with about eight other members of his unit, when the point man hit a booby trap. The point man was wounded and the second man along the path received most of the blast, ultimately causing his passing from his wounds two days later. SPC Navarro was the third member along the path, and was wounded as well.

SPC Navarro was medevaced out and then sent on to Japan for treatment of his wounds. From there, Navarro was brought back stateside to the Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Once recovered, he was sent to Ft. Hood, Texas, and after a few more months Navarro was discharged and returned home to McAllen, Texas.

Reflecting on his service years later, Navarro said, “You just never forget the time in Vietnam. There is always something that brings you back. I got PTSD and my wounds forever remind me of this time in my life. I am in touch with some of my brothers that were there that night.”

Navarro eventually married to a woman from Grand Prairie, and the couple had “one beautiful daughter.” Navarro went on to work for the United States Postal Service at the office in Grand Prairie, Texas, retiring after a 31-year career.