Eduardo Sanchez, Jr.
Bio
Eduardo Sanchez was born in Laredo, Texas on November 23, 1931. He graduated from a Catholic High School in 1951. Because he was of age to be drafted, he chose to enlist in the United States Navy which enabled him to choose his preferred branch of service. He served with a crew that repaired ships during the Korean War. He witnessed ships being blown up which caused him to experience episodes of PTSD following the war. He served for five years and was able to complete his education using the GI Bill. He later became a history teacher and taught college history courses. He felt the Korean War was a good experience for him and was thankful for the many opportunities it afforded him.
Video Clips
Black Bean Soup
Eduardo Sanchez describes his interactions with soldiers from some of the 22 nations that participated in the Korean War. He provides specific details about one occurrence with the Colombian Navy where they shared black beans which was a rarity in the United States at the time. He recalls how much he enjoyed experiencing other cultures.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yy2XQn0los&start=316&end=451
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/eduardo-sanchez-jr#clip-1
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Flashbacks and Nightmares
Eduardo Sanchez describes witnessing the devastating loss of life when the ship in front of him hit a mine. He shares that he has experienced many flashbacks and bad dreams of the men standing on deck just before the explosion. He notes that those particular images will stay with him for life.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yy2XQn0los&start=517&end=658
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/eduardo-sanchez-jr#clip-2
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Mexican Village
Eduardo Sanchez recalls his happiest moments in the war came from meeting other men who were from his home town. He fondly remembers calling their little reunion the Mexican Village. He shares that in the end it was a sad moment when they realized they would no longer be returning to the village due to the war ending.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yy2XQn0los&start=800&end=863
Share from this page:
https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/eduardo-sanchez-jr#clip-3
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