New Mexico Vets Share Stories and Struggles on Veterans Day

By Matt Mondschein, Source New Mexico As locals lined the sidewalks in Santa Fe for a Veterans Day parade on Wednesday, some vets used the moment to reflect on their service and struggles. One of the locals taking pictures as the parade passed through was Gilbert Martinez, a native New Mexican who served aboard the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War. Martinez told Source NM he had a “very good experience” and was “grateful” to serve in the Navy. One happy moment while serving, Martinez said, was when his commanding officer granted him leave to celebrate his cousin’s birthday, who was also serving in the Navy and was aboard a nearby vessel anchored outside Danang, Vietnam. “They got me on a helicopter and flew me over there to celebrate my cousin and flew me back in the evening,” Martinez said.

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