PFC ELIAZAR EFRIEN GARZA 54374720 U.S. ARMY 9 JANUARY 1946-2 JULY 1966

“C” COMPANY, 2ND BATTALION, 18TH INFANTRY, 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION KILLED IN ACTION: SROK DONG, BINH LONG PROVINCE, SOUTH VIETNAM

Eliazar was born in Benavides, Duval County, Texas. His parents were Samuel and Guadalupe Delbosque Garza. His siblings: Umbelina, Adriana, Samuel Jr, Juan Manuel, Jose, Elva, Manuela and Ludivina. Eliazar attended primary and grammar schools in Benavides and was a 1965 graduate of Freer High School, Freer, Duval County, Texas. He lived in the ranching/farming community known as Pila Blanca Community. Eliazar was drafted around August 1965, went through U.S. Army basic training and arrived for Combat Duty at the Republic of South Vietnam on 15 June 1966. PFC Eliazar Garza was assigned to “C” Company, 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Records show that he was an Infantryman Indirect Fire Crewman. The Regiment to which he was assigned (18th Infantry) was already in the midst of operation El Paso in the Binh Long Province battling the 9th Viet Cong Division. The following is an extract from “Notes from the Virtual Wall”: http://www.virtualwall.org/dp/PeekRJ01a.htm The "El Paso" operations in Binh Long Province during the period 19 May - 03 Sep 1966 were intended to locate, pin, and destroy the 271st, 272nd, and 273rd Regiments of the 9th VC Division and by so doing secure Highway 13 and protect the city of An Loc from enemy attack. The battles of Ap Tau O (08 June), Srok Dong (30 June - 02 July), and An Hoa (09 July) were fought in this campaign. In the first major encounter on 08 June, the 272nd VC Regiment ambushed A Troop, 1/4 Cavalry, on Route 13. The infantry arrived too late to be a factor, but did kill around 100 of the enemy. Later, the 2/28th Infantry fought the 273rd VC Regiment northwest of Loc Ninh. On 30 June, an ambush by the 271st VC Regiment at Srok Dong along Route 13 heavily damaged B Troop, 1/4 Cavalry. C Troop, 1/4 Cav, and the infantrymen of 2/28 Infantry joined what became a three-day battle. Thirty-seven American soldiers are known to have died in the fight, but the VC left 270 bodies on the field and there were 15 VC POWs. The three day battle (30 June-2 July 1966) became known as the Battle of Srok Dong.

On 02 July 1966 the 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry, lost 18 men - five from Headquarters Company, ten from A Company, and three from C Company. They were:

A Company: SGT Charles V. Howard, Brimley, MI SP4 Michael F. Jack, Monson, MA SP4 James E. Vause, Wenonah, NJ PFC Gerald L. Berg, Reading, PA PFC Hansel Brown, Council, NC

PFC Anthony Capriglione, Ozone Park, NY PFC Bernard E. Curtis, Upper Marlboro, MD

PFC Gary L. Newport, Roseburg, OR PFC Frank Ogburn, Burlington, NJ

PFC Jay W. Reynolds, Indianapolis, IN C Company:

SP4 Dennis L. Burton, West Lafayette, IN PFC Charles L. Chatmon, Ailey, GA PFC Eliazar E. Garza, San Antonio, TX

HQ Company:

SGT James B. Bartlett, Portsmouth, NH CPL David E. Herbert, Rupert, ID

PFC John E. Hopkins, Washington, DC PFC Linwood B. Krug, Baltimore, MD PFC Russell J. Peek, Pensacola, FL

PFC Eliazar E. Garza remains were received by his next of kin (father) Mr. Samuel Garza, Sr. The wake for PFC Garza was at his parents’ home in the ranching community known as Pila Blanca Community. The morning of the funeral the procession started from the Pila Blanca Community and proceeded to the Santa Rosa de Lima Catholic Church in Benavides where a Funeral Mass was held.

PFC Eliazar E. Garza, Serial Number 54374720 United States Army, the first of three Hero’s from Benavides, Texas that gave their all for their Country in those perilous jungles of the Republic of South Vietnam was laid to rest at the Benavides Cemetery, Benavides, Texas with full military honors.

Rest in Peace, Soldier! Your Country, Family and Your Community of Friends are Proud of You; You Gave it All, Sir!

PICTURES, COMMENTS, MAPS, ETC ., FOLLOW

PFC Garza’s memorial on the Virtual Wall

The Combat Infantry Badge

Medals: The Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, U.S. Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal

Distinctive Unit Insignias:

U.S. ARMY VIETNAM 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION 18TH INFANTRY REGIMENT

REMEMBERING AN AMERICAN HERO

ELIAZAR EFRIEN GARZA

http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/18025/ELIAZAR-E-GARZA#flag-remembrance-346513

Posted on 7/2/13 Dear Mr. Eliazar E Garza, sir As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned. May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you. With respect, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir Posted on 5/8/06 FOREVER REMEMBERED "If you are able, save for them a place inside of you....and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go.....Be not ashamed to say you loved them.... Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own....And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind...." We Nam Brothers pause to give a backward glance, and post this remembrance to you, one of the gentle heroes lost to the War in Vietnam: Slip off that pack. Set it down by the crooked trail. Drop your steel pot alongside. Shed those magazine-laden bandoliers away from your sweat-soaked shirt. Lay that silent weapon down and step out of the heat. Feel the soothing cool breeze right down to your soul ... and rest forever in the shade of our love, brother. From your Nam-Band-Of-Brothers

Posted on 7/2/03 - Who Shall We Send

"And God said who shall we send. I answered I am here, send me." Isaiah 6:8 Et Lux Perpetua Luceat Eis Requiescat in Pace

Other Remembrances: http://thewall-usa.com/info.asp?recid=18034 Jan 9, 2009-Honoring the memory of a hero, on his birthday. Thank you, for your dedication, courage and service, to our nation. May God bless and keep you. Rests in Peace, Eliazar Efrien Garza, YOU, ARE NOT FORGOTTEN!!! Jul 2, 2007- “You are Remembered” Peace and Condolences to the family and friends. “He which hath no stomach, to this fight, let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” Rest in Peace, brave soldier, you have not been forgotten. (W. Shakespeare) May God Bless you, for your Sacrifice!!! Feb 27, 2007- Thank you so much, for fighting, for this country. You are truly, a hero and are not forgotten. March 26, 2006- From a fellow, San Antonian, I salute you and thank, PFC Garza, for his dedication, to his country. You will not be forgotten.

CASUALTY DATA

Full Name: Garza, Eliazar Efrien Casualty Type: Hostile Died Rank: Private First Class Died of: Multiple Fragmentation Wounds Grade: E3 Ground Air Sea: Ground Casualty Specialty: Infantry Indirect Fire Crewman (Army) Body Recovery: Recovered Hometown: San Antonio Country: South Vietnam Home State: TX Province: Binh Long Race: Caucasian Casualty Location: Battle of Srok Dong Religion: Roman Catholic Service: Army Marital Status: Single Enlistment Type: Selective Service Gender: Male Years Served: 0 Date of Birth: 1946-01-09 Major Command: 1st Inf Div Tour Start Date: 1966-06-15 Company: C Co Casualty Date: 1966-07-02 Battalion: 2nd Bn Death Date: 1966-07-02 Regiment: 18th Infantry Death Date: 1966-07-02 Age: 20 ==============================================================================

PFC GARZA KIA BATTLE OF SROK DONG 2JUL1966

Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 About Eleazar Efrain Garza

Corsicana Daily Sun (Corsicana, TX) Fri Jul 15, 1966 The Odessa American (Odessa, TX) Fri. Jul 15,

1966

The Corpus Christi Caller Times Wed, Jul 6 1966 The Eagle (Bryan, Texas) Fri, Jul 15, 1966

PILA BLANCA COMMUNITY

The (within the Pila Blanca Community) Ranch owned by Mr Samuel Garza, Sr

Eliazar Garza 1965 Eliazar Garza 1960

Parents: Samuel, Sr and Guadalupe Garza Father/Brother: Samuel Sr/Jr.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=garza&GSiman=1&GScid=1255029&GRid=137726769&

PFC Eliazar Efrien Garza

Birth: Jan. 9, 1946 Benavides Duval County Texas, USA

Death: Jul. 2, 1966, Vietnam [Edit Dates]

Eliazar was born in Benavides, Duval County, Texas. His parents were Samuel and Guadalupe Delbosque Garza. His siblings: Umbelina, Adriana, Samuel Jr, Juan Manuel, Jose, Elva, Manuela and Ludivina. Eliazar was raised in the Pila Blanca Community, Duval County, TX Eliazar attended primary and grammar schools in Benavides and was a 1965 graduate of Freer High School, Freer, Texas.

Eliazar joined the U.S. Army around August 1965. He arrived for Combat Duty at the Republic of South Vietnam on 15 June 1966. PFC Eliazar Garza was assigned to “C” Company, 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. PFC Garza was killed in action during the Battle of Srok Dong, BINH LONG PROVINCE,

SOUTH VIETNAM on 2 July 1966. [Edit Bio] Family links: [Edit] Parents: Samuel S. Garza (1913 - 1979) Guadalupe D. Garza (1921 - 2007) [Add Marker Transcription] [Add Note] Burial: [Edit] Benavides Cemetery

Benavides Duval County Texas, USA [Add Plot] Edit Virtual Cemetery info [?] Created by: Amando Gonzalez Record added: Oct 24, 2014 Find A Grave Memorial# 137726769

Added by: Amando Gonzalez

Added by: Amando Gonzalez

Added by: Amando Gonzalez

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KIA while serving with C CO, 2ND BN, 18TH INFANTRY, 1ST INF DIV, USARV, Army of the United States from San

Antonio, Texas. ELIAZAR E GARZA is on the Wall at Panel 8E, Line 119. May his sacrifice not be forgotten. - Billy M. Brown Added: Jan. 4, 2015

There were two Garza’s (Eleazar and Eliazar) that were casualties of War. Eliazar's uncle Eleazar was lost at sea on 30 January 1946 as follows:

Motor Machinist's Mate, Third Class Eleazar Garza, U.S. Navy October 16, 1922 Lost at Sea *January 12, 1945 *Changed to Presumed Dead: January 30, 1946

SUBMARINE: USS SWORDFISH (SS-193)