The Chicano Experience During the Viet Nam War

Diálogo
Volume 7 | Number 1
Article 10
2003
The Chicano Experience During the Viet Nam War
Era as seen in Chicano/a Literature
Raymundo E. Rojas
Follow this and additional works at: http://via.library.depaul.edu/dialogo
Part of the Latin American Languages and Societies Commons
Recommended Citation
Rojas, Raymundo E. (2003) "The Chicano Experience During the Viet Nam War Era as seen in Chicano/a Literature," Diálogo: Vol. 7:
No. 1, Article 10.
Available at: http://via.library.depaul.edu/dialogo/vol7/iss1/10
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Via Sapientiae. It has been accepted for inclusion in Diálogo by an authorized administrator of
Via Sapientiae. For more information, please contact mbernal2@depaul.edu, wsulliv6@depaul.edu.
The Chicano Experience During the Viet Nam War Era as seen in
Chicano/a Literature
Cover Page Footnote
This article is from an earlier iteration of Diálogo which had the subtitle "A Bilingual Journal." The publication
is now titled "Diálogo: An Interdisciplinary Studies Journal."
This article is available in Diálogo: http://via.library.depaul.edu/dialogo/vol7/iss1/10
THE CHICANO EXPERIENCE
DURING THE VIET NAM WAR ERA
as seen in Chicano/a Literature
by Raymundo Eli Rojas
The Chicano Renaissance was one o f the great literary
movements o f the late-Twentieth Century.2 Chicano w riters
exploded onto the scene p u ttin g th e ir works out in greater
numbers than ever before, reading at poetry festivals, and
ta k in g th e th e a trica l stage.
However, th e Chicano
Renaissance was also a tim e o f sadness, death, and disillusion.
Political turbulence in Southeast Asia paralleled the Chicano
literary explosion.3
The statistics are w ell-know n w hether on paper or in the
hearts o f many Chicano/as.4The Vietnam Conflict was a w ar in
which Chicano/as gave more than th e ir fa ir share. Many often
quote the studies in Mexican American Casualties in Vietnam
by Ralph Guzman. Chicanos died in higher proportions in the
Vietnam War when compared w ith other ethnic groups.5
W hether on the battlefield or on the home fro n t, the Vietnam
W ar played a m ajor role in the lives o f Chicanos in the late
1960s and early 1970s. As the first televised w ar in history, it
vividly and dramatically mired the American public in the
horrors o f war. Its effects were fe lt more subtly in another
medium th a t has received little a tte n tio n from cultural
historians: Chicano Literature.
Photo by Cesar Garza
Surprisingly, although Chicanos served and died in great
numbers in Viet Nam, the literature concerning Chicanos and
the Vietnam War is little-known outside of Chicano Literature. I
contend th a t a great amount o f prejudice and/or ignorance still
exists toward Chicano/a authors. Though many have entered the
so-called "mainstream," publishers still regard the Chicano/a
experience as something readers would find uninteresting.
In the introduction to Soldados: Chicanos In Viet Nam, Charley
Trujillo illustrates how he searched high and low fo r a
publisher fo r his book. This is reminiscent o f Raúl Morin's
e ffo rt in the 1950s and 60s to get his collection o f narratives,
Among the Valiant: Mexican-Americans in World War II and
Korea, published. M orin found th a t publishers had no interest
in publishing the work. M orin fin a lly received support from
the American G.l. Forum, a Mexican American veterans'
organization, and was able to publish his w ork. It was not
until much later th a t a larger publisher picked up Morin's
book, which is now out o f print.
In Charley Trujillo's case, more than 30 years later, there had
already been a w ealth o f ethnic-based books on the Vietnam
War. These include Bloods: An Oral History o f the Vietnam
War by Black Veterans and Vietnam and Black America: An
Anthology of Protest and Resistance, both about AfricanAmerican servicemen and Landing Zones: Southern Veterans
Remember Vietnam. This indicates that there already existed
a market for oral histories of Vietnam War veterans from
various parts of the United States. Trujillo finally followed a
tradition often seen in the Chicano Literary World: He started
an alternative publishing house. Chusma House Publications
joins the ranks of Quinto Sol, Mictla, and Abelardo Delgado's
Barrio Publications. These publishing houses enabled Chicanos
to get their works published.
concentrate on things, to take a steady job..." (99). On a
psychological aspect, Castillo portrays Francisco to be in a
"mummified state and that in his sexual encounters, while he
went about the motions, he never quite felt present." (Ibid.).
She describes Francisco's relations to women as being strained;
his family passes it off as something from his experience in
Viet Nam (195). This shows us the beginning of a pattern that
we will see in most texts dealing with returning Vietnam War
veterans. In Francisco's case, he felt the aftermath sexually, it
had repercussions on his attention span, and he seemed to
develop an avoidance of women.
Authors write concerning the influence of the Vietnam War in
various ways within the genre. However, there have been
many studies on Chicanos and the Vietnam War, few deal with
the topic within Chicano Literature. Analysis of Chicano
Literature provides helpful insight into the Chicano
experience during the war. Scholars often study the literature
of an era to get a feel of the time and experiences of the
people. However, in discussing experiences, there is not one
definite Chicano experience. Within this paper, the reader will
see a variety of experiences.
Castillo also focuses upon class status and the war. In one such
passage, she depicts a pre-Vietnam War girlfriend of Francisco
as having a "lack of encumbrance by material things like
money, that just as so many youth felt in 1969 -- at least those
who did not go to Viet Nam, or show did not live in barrios
and housing projects" (99). In this passage, Castillo implies
that the Vietnam War affected individuals of different classes
and ethnic groups in different ways. The girlfriend, who is
White in the story, seems to have no worry about Viet Nam.
Some had no worry about the war, but the typical Chicano
family worried about the military drafting their sons. Young
wives also showed that concern.
Within Chicano Literature dealing with the Vietnam Conflict,
one can see several themes. The Vietnam War becomes
synonymous with and symbolic of death. In addition, several
cultural traits in the writing of Chicano/a authors arise.
Furthermore, the aftermath of the war takes its toll. The
veterans were never the same again.
We can see the transformative influences of the war in most of
the works. In this analysis, I will survey different genres within
Chicano Literature, which include novels, short stories,
autobiographies/biographies, poetry, and theater. I will also
analyze Chicanas and their writing on the Vietnam Conflict.
Chicano scholarship often leaves out the experiences of Chicanas
and this analysis will show how the war greatly affected both
Chicanas and Chicanos. Most of the descriptions are of veterans,
or they deal with relatives or a relation who is a veteran.
THE CHICANO/A NOVEL
In Ana Castillo's So Far From God, she devotes a chapter to the
character Francisco el Penitente who carves wooden saints as
a livelihood. Her prime focus is on the aftermath of his return
from Viet Nam. After giving the reader a small summary of his
childhood, she writes about his service in Viet Nam giving
emphasis in a paragraph to the minorities serving in the war:
"But to his buddies in 'Nam he was Chico" (Castillo, 94). She
states that Francisco "didn't like Chico no more than the
Navajo who was also in his platoon went for the nickname
"Chief," or the Puerto Rican from Rio Piedras, just shy of
finishing his Ph.D. when he was drafted, liked to be called
"Little Chico" (Ibid.). Within this passage, she gives a small
hint at the unfair draft procedures in how they take a Puerto
Rican who is just about done with doctoral school.
The author comments on some of the racial mimicking that
occurred in Francisco's unit. This mimicking was probably not
serious, but could be taken serious at times. The nickname
"Chico," short for Chicano, seemed to bother Francisco though
the text never has him complaining about it. Castillo also shows
how the unit included a Navajo, Puerto Rican, and a Chicano.
Ana Castillo portrays Francisco as a character forever changed
by the war. The narrator says it "was hard for him to
Joe Rodriguez* The Oddsplayer presents several experiences of
Chicano soldiers. In one passage, he explains, "The non-coms
and officers are Blancos and we Trigueños and Spies are
expendable" (Mariscal, 73). The reader can see the surface
discrimination and how Chicano soldiers were aware that they
were expendable. Most Chicano Literature dealing with Viet
Nam portrays Chicanos with this awareness.
Some do not feel the effects of the war until it hit them
personally. In Rainbow's End, author Genaro González gives
the account of a family from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
Fela, one of the main characters, is a curandera (healer).
González illustrates how Fela has heard of the war, but is not
personally touched by it until she receives an unusual request.
Maria Valenzuela comes in asking for Fela to curse her son, so
he will not pass the medical exam for the Army: "Three weeks
later a somewhat disappointed but infinitely relieved Chato
Valenzuela was back from San Antonio after failing his
physical" (González, 154).
This draft evasion is the first example we examine in this study.
I give another in Diego Vázquez, Jr.'s book, which will be
covered later in this paper. González illustrates a mother
caring for her son not wanting him to be killed in Viet Nam.
Visiting a curandera, so a young man can fail his physical, is an
aspect original to Chicano and other ethnic groups with
alternative or non-traditional medicine.
When people hear what Fela did, she states, "Our real enemy's
across the tracks, not across the ocean. Anyway, what can the
government do? Send me to that Viet Nam?" In this passage,
the author makes a socio-economical and political point
referring to Whites by using "across the tracks" denoting how
in many towns, the Mexicans/Chicanos live on the 'other side
of the tracks' from the Whites (Ibid.). To these Chicano/as,
Whites are the real enemy not the Vietnamese. This is a
comment that brings to light many of the feelings of
Chicanos. Though some were in support of the war, others
were wondering why we were trying to solve problems across
the sea when we had our own problems at home.
w w w .c h u s m a h o u s e .c o m
f o rg o t
a b o u t
h is
s o u l"
tra n s fo rm a tio n
in
a p p ro a c h e s
g irlfrie n d
h a v in g
h is
sex
w ith
c h a ra c te r
h e r,
d is e a s e :
" 'O n e t o u r
se a so n s
in
w o m a n
w h o
H e
h e
in
v is its
re s u lt
w h o m
fin d s
h e ll* T o
b e e n
th e
a
h e
sh e
N a m !" ' h e
s m a ll
h a d
as
A g a in ,
h is
d o c to r
a n d
th e
a
in s i l e n c e .
s ta y in g
d o c to r
a fte r
v e n e re a l
" 'F o u r
th e
c la p
s a fe
lo n g
fro m
a n d
th in k s
a
D a v id
a n d
h im
to
s e e
w a r.
b e h in d
h o m e
fo r
c a n
th e
g iv e n
c u rse d
re a s o n
o f
le ft
h a s
c o m e
w e
h e
a
s a n e '"
b ro u g h t
p r o v id e d
by
(1 5 9 ).
th a t
(1 5 9 ).
th e
v e n e re a l
th is
g o in g
d o n 't
d is e a s e
h o m e
a r o u n d , '"
b rin g
b a c k
'" I
g o t
V ie t
p h y s ic ia n
s tra in
th a t
it h e r e ," "
N am .
s ta te s ,
e a ts
D a v id
th e
'" T h e r e 's
'I j u s t h o p e
b a rrio
a n g rily
fo r
a
lo t
y o u
o f
b o y s
b r e a k f a s t '"
e x p la in s
( I b id .) .
P h o to
( lb id .) ( s ic ) .
a
th e
fro m
T h e
ru m o r
o f
D a v i d 's
e m b a rra s s e s
h im
n o t jo in
F o re ig n
th e
t h e r e 's
a
so
s p e c ia l
c o n v e rs a tio n
v e n e re a l
m u c h
th a t
h e
L e g io n ? "
p la to o n
d is e a s e
c o n s id e rs
h is
fo r
s p re a d s
w ith
th e
s ta te s .
c la p "
a
" Y o u 'r e
th e
lo w
b lo w ,
o n e
g ra n d p a .
w h o 's
L e t 's
ta k in g
it
n o t
m y
c o u n t r y 's
"Y o u
m e a n
m ess.
B u t w h y
y o u r
p r i c k 's
ta k e
fa m ily
p e rs o n a l.
m o st
D ie g o
w o rk
b e
h o m e
w ith :
o n
b a ttle fro n t
th e
a n d
th e
R a i n b o w 's E n d is a f a m i l y
im p o rta n t
ro le
in
a n y
tw o
h o m e
o f
F e la ,
h e
to
th e
C h ic a n o
fa m ily
if t h e
in
im p e n d in g
C o n s id e rin g
th a t
th ro u g h o u t
th e
fa m ily
h a v e
1 9 6 0 s
h a d
re a lity
a
a n d
e a rly
fo rg e d
h is b ir th
y o u n g
m e n .
In
s ta te s :
fo llo w in g
m o n th
g ra d u a te d
fro m
p a trio tis m
a n d
s c h o la rs .
fo u r
o f
th o u g h ,
m a d e
y o u n g
" S a ig o n
C ity
p a s s a g e . A ls o
th e
h a v e
h is
in
th is
re c e iv e d
fro m
a
s o ld ie rs
se c u re :
h is
sc h o o l
H is
th e ir
th e
p a le d
in
fro m
fa th e r
h a d
th o u g h t
a lo n g s id e
m id d le -c la s s
m o tiv e s
fo r
o f
e v e n
In t h i s
o f
p a s sa g e ,
th e
in e v ita b le
h ig h
w a r
a b o u t
w e
as
a
s e e
In t h i s
c a se ,
h is f a t h e r ,
g o in g
b o th
m a le
d ra ft fo r y o u n g
s c h o o l.
fro m
jo k e
rite
to
to
th e
to
C h íc a n o s
D a v id , w h o
c h o o se s to
se rv e s
c u ra n d e ra ,
b ack :
"Y o u
h is t o u r s
d e s c rib e s
p ra y e d
a n d
h e r
fo r
re tu rn s
to
n e p h e w 's
h im
to
T ex as.
H is a u n t
c h a ra c te r
c o m e
b a c k
in
w h e n
e n lis t.
o n e
F e la , t h e
h e
c o m e s
p ie c e
o f
A s
b e
d ra ft
" ...if
a n d
H e
y o u
d o n 't
se n d
y o u
" A b u e lita
w ro n g
d ro p s
e s p e c ia lly
s ta y
in to
w a s
tim e "
o u t
o f
in
sc h o o l
a n d
I h a d
" w ro n g
s u s c e p tib le
to
o f
h is
b e in g
th e re
w ill
B uzzy.
d ra ft
it
is
a n
s p o ra d ic a lly
h is
to
b u t
fa m ily
a
y o u n g e r
th a t
A rm y
w ill
a t
a g e
o f
h ig h
ta k e
sc h o o l
m a n y
b e g a n
is
o f
w a rn s,
c h a ra c te r s ta te s
o u t
in
h a d
g e t a jo b
g ra n d m o th e r
tim e s ,"
th e
o f
im p o rta n t,
a t
m a in
d ro p p e d
w e ll-
e ffe c t o f th is f o rg e ry
h is
m i 'j o ,
(1 4 8 ). T h e
(1 4 9 ). T h e s e
th o s e
th e
s c h o o l,
w a r"
rig h t.
to
A
1 3 ). V á z q u e z
th e
a b le
W a r
o f a s o ld ie r
d a y
im m ig ra n t,
s u s c e p tib le
is
se rv e d .
c h a ra c te r
th a t
w o u ld
w e re
m e . S o o n
m e n tio n s
a n
w h o
s e n te n c e
sh o w s
n o t
in t h e
U g ly .
firs t
m a in
th a t
a ls o
th is
V ie tn a m
(V á z q u e z ,
th e
if
h e
firs t
w ith
s id e
B u zzy
N am
th in k s
o f
h is
b u t
a b o u t
V á z q u e z
sp e a k s
re a c tio n
o f
c e rtific a te ,
d o d g in g
frie n d
J o h n n y
c h illin g ly
title d
o f
y o u
la te r,
a t th e
to
fe e l,
d ra ft.
th e
b u t
in
g o
to
"T h e y
h is c a s e
to
" c o m p á s "
as
a
w a r
s u rv iv o r. A
h e ro .
s u rv iv o r
in
u s w a s
d i d n 't
ta k e
c h a n g e
b e lie v e
T h e ir
o f
I c o u ld
fa m ilie s
a
in to
a ls o
th e
b o x "
w o u ld
(1 8 5 ).
fu n e ra l
C h ic a n o
m in d .
g o
B e fo re
M a rin e s
s h a p e
to
in
H e
w a r
in
In
I
D id ,"
a n d
h is
th e
b irth
ju s t w a itin g
th e
B e c o m in g
th e
a
h e ro
(1 8 1 ).
" A fte r
re tu rn
m e
to
firs t:
N a m "
w rite s ,
a n d
a
e a rlie r th a n
w a s
w e lc o m e
V ie t
e v a d e .
fo rg e d
d y in g .
fo r
to
h a d
o f
o n e
I s ta rte d
J o h n n y 's
d e a th
to
H o m e
s ta te s ,
I tu rn e d ,
d e a th
g e t
th e
n o t
V á z q u e z
" E v e ry w h e re
th is
h im
v o lu n te e r, a
a s
d is c u s s e s
b u t
a
Jo h n n y ,
d e a d
frie n d
J o h n n y
se e
d ra ft,
C a m e
fa m ily .
w a r.
m y
th e
p ro m p ts
B u z z y 's
e ig h te e n . A g a in , w e
V á sq u e z
D a v id
b o x
a s
so
in
th e
frie n d s ,
g o in g
im p o rta n c e .
th e
th e
m y
o th e rs ,
It w a s
c e rtific a te
is
U n fo rtu n a te ly , th e
h e
I 'm
e v e n
w h o
p e rs p e c tiv e
a y o u n g e r a g e .
c h a p te r
p a s sa g e
b re a k
s te e p e d
(1 5 6 ).
( I b id .) .
is t h e
E s te b a n
f u tu r e
c a r ...B u t
a b o u t
a n d
c e re m o n y
a lre a d y
c o u n try .
d ra ft
in
s h o w n
a
D a v id
o f
n e w
id e a liz a tio n
ju s t g r a d u a te d
c o u ld
a
b o n e s
C o lle g e "
a n d
w a s
y e a rs
fo r
C h íc a n o s
g lo rific a tio n
w h o
m o re
a v o id
in
s e p a ra tio n
a n d
n o
n e p h e w s
sc h o o l
fu tu re
fig h tin g
c o lle g e : to
T h e
th e
tu itio n
s p e n d in g
g lo ry
h ig h
D a v i d 's
p ro m is e d
h e r
life
th o s e
th e
T h is
V á z q u e z
n o v e l.
g re a t
th e
s ta rts
a n d
p a rty
th o s e
w ith
m e m o ry "
th e
re m in d e r.
th e
H e
th e
fin d
T h ro u g h
in s id e th is
o f
so n ,
"I o n ly w a n t t o
a sse sse s h o w
d e a lin g
1 9 6 9 .
R a m ire z
a n
p la y e d
s ix te e n .
T h e
lik e
3 1 ,
I a m
m e m o ry
W a r
w o u ld
b u t
p e r s o n a l."
L o o k ,
in ju re d
fo r, a n d
G ro w in g
s tu c k
th e
c o u ld
w e re
c a s k e t.
" A u g u s t
V ie tn a m
th e
fro n t.
e p ic , V ie t N a m
1 9 7 0 s . T h is w a s e s p e c ia lly t r u e
s p e a k in g
c h a p te rs
w h o
J r . 's
a
M e m o ry
V á z q u e z ,
d e v o te s
in
m e m o ria ls ,
g iv e s
o n e
w o rk , V á z q u e z w rite s fro m
d e a d ....
T h e
in n o c e n t p e o p le " ( lb id .) .
re c e n t w o rk s
V á z q u e z ,
I t 's
h u m o ro u s ly
s o ld ie r,
O n e
c o m in g
G o n z á le z
th e
w a r, th o s e
w ritte n
G e n a ro
o f
h o n o r.
it o u t o n
a g a in s t th e
is
h e a r
h o n o r ..."
In t h i s p a s s a g e , G o n z á l e z
o f th e
"I
(1 6 0 ).
g e t
a g a in s t th is w a r, b u t I r e s p e c t y o u r d e c is io n ."
sa m e
"W h y
c o n tin u e s :
" T h a t 's
fig h t fo r
th is
re -e n lis tin g .
g ra n d fa th e r
m e n
a n d
b a c k
h is
h o m e
as
a
Buzzy is bisexual in the novel and when he reports to his
physical, his female cousin accompanies him yelling and
screaming to the officers that Buzzy is gay. Describing him "as
joto as the night is dark"(75). She and Buzzy get into an
argument and she states that he is doing nothing to fight the
draft and that he is a sissy who never learned to fight:
'The other day when that stupid punk was trying to rape
me, what did you do? Nothing. I hit the fucker on his huevos
and kicked his ass out of the house. You, in the meantime,
just pranced about like you need to get fucked in the butt.
You are a sissy. You fucking queer. I love you and nobody is
taking you away from me' (Ibid.).
Vázquez proceeds to suggest that the military no longer listened
to excuses as if they had heard them all already. He tells how a
mother broke a bottle of pulque over her son's head right in the
draft office. It only postponed his draft for a few days. The draft
evasion, as in many of these works, seems to be a family
collaboration; it was a collaboration that many times did not
work. After Buzzy finishes boot camp, Vázquez describes how
the soldiers get their orders. Most of the minorities are assigned
to Viet Nam and Whites assigned elsewhere.
Vázquez calls the last chapter of his book "Return to Sender."
Buzzy's cousin Red writes a letter to him, which the author
narrates in the novel, but Buzzy states he is already dead. This
is a chilling ending to Vázquez' novel, but who knows how
many similar letters were written to the already deceased.
CHICANO SHORT STORY
In Daniel Cano's short story “Somewhere Outside Due Pho,"
he depicts the defection of a Chicano soldier who is in the
main narrator's platoon to the Viet Cong. Cano describes
various reasons why the U.S. soldiers think he defected. Many
of the reasons are given comparing Chicano culture to that of
the Vietnamese. He acknowledges the discrimination and
liberation factors one can find in both ethnic groups. Cano's
work also assesses the prejudice aspect of the war (Mariscal,
90). "Someone else wanted to know," the story states, "how
come we get the worst duties. Whether it's pulling the
shittiest hours on guard duty or going into dangerous
situations, if there's a Chicano around, he's the one who gets
it (Mariscal, 95)." Again, we observe Chícanos portrayed as
being expendable and that the Chícanos are well aware of
this. One can see why so many Chícanos lost their lives in
comparison to other ethnic groups.
Estela Portillo Trambley gives us a Chicana writer's view in
"Rain of Scorpions." Within the second paragraph, she gives
us a Vietnam War veteran who has disabilities:
Fito had lost a leg in Nam. Blacks and browns dying for
their country in Nam. The poor sent out as cannon fodder
by the rich. What the common man will do in the guise of
patriotism* (Portillo Trambley, 111).
According to Portillo Trambley, the Vietnam War was a war of
the poor and of minorities. Her comments on patriotism tell us
how many were patriotic and went to war only to find their
own country had betrayed them. Later, Fito is returning from
the veteran's hospital when he meets a stranger on the bus.
He tells him of the poison gases being released by a smelter in
El Paso, Texas. Resuming the conversation with the stranger,
Fito points to his leg, "Nam. My gift to the U.S.A. who poisons
me and my people" (122). Thinking of his neighborhood
Smeltertown,6 Portillo Trambley illustrates his thoughts as he
departs the bus. She explains how nine men from
Smeltertown joined the Army and went to Viet Nam, but only
three returned home. Portillo Trambley describes the smelter
company forcing the residents who live on the companyowned Smeltertown to leave, so the residents cannot later sue
the company for poisoning them. The residents are mostly
poor Chicano/as and their evictions parallel the United States
using poor Chicanos to swell the ranks of the armed forces
and poisoning them. Their only reward was getting kicked out
of their neighborhoods. This poisoning of the people in
Smeltertown parallels the poisoning of troops in Viet Nam by
Agent Orange and other toxins.
Later, the author shows a more dramatic aftermath experience
of Fito. He is described sleeping, dreaming, "Memories running
back to Nam. Images clicked, a dull blazing orange machine
gunfire," and more. He wakes up frightened, repeating to
himself, "'The past is the past, the past is past...'" (156). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder follows the veterans portrayed in
literature. Even after years, veterans are still entering therapy
and suffering from repercussions of the war.
CHICANO AUTOBIOGRAPHY/NARRATIVES
With the exception of Charley Trujillo's Dogs from Illusion and
Daniel Cano's Shifting Loyalties, few major literary works in
Chicano Literature focus solely on the war. Instead, they only
mention the war in brief. However, within the genre of personal
narratives and autobiography, there are a number of excellent
works. These include Congressional Medal of Honor winner Roy
Benavidez' Medal o f Honor: A Vietnam Warriors Story and The
Three Wars o f Roy Benavidez with his description of his heroic
rescues of his fellow servicemen. Soldados: Chicanos In Viet Nam
by Trujillo is another work that gives personal narratives of
several veterans from Corcoran, California.
One of the most recent works of personal stories is Juan
Ramirez' A Patriot A fter All: The Story o f a Chicano Vietnam
V et Ramirez illustrates his life as a teenager who has the
Vietnam War as a constant reminder. “Juan Ramirez [sic]
always believed he would die in Viet Nam," reads the back
cover of Ramirez' book. We see how Viet Nam becomes
synonymous with death. The author describes how when
barely becoming a teenager, his family began hearing reports
about a "distant country called Vietnam" (Ramirez, 19).
Before the war, the average American did not have any idea
where Viet Nam was located, but the consciousness of the
location grew within American society.
As in Daniel Cano's short story, Ramirez is also aware of the racial
and class discrimination. When Ramirez is in Viet Nam, he is
under the orders of an officer "Jensen" who has a prejudice
against Black and Latino soldiers. Ramirez remarks, after
explaining the high casualties and lack of guidance and
leadership in his platoon: "I also know that the fact that we have
so many people of color in our squad had something to do with
Jensen's lack of concern for us" (59). Because they are Black or
brown, their superior officer has no care for their safety. Within
his platoon, he meets Anglo soldiers that had never seen
Mexicans before. One member of his platoon declares:
All I know is that I ain't never seen a Mexican before I went
to college, and even then it was in books. Beside, we beat
the hell out of y'all in a war, anyway. Right? (85).
■
in
F o r
m a n y
o u t
o f
M a n y
s o ld ie rs ,
th e
o f
p o o r
fa m ilie s
h a v e
p ro c e e d s
th e y
to
w o u ld
g e t
th e
o f
s e g re g a te
in to
th e y
"A
b o y s
lo t
b a c k .
th e
th e ir o w n
re st
( 9 9 ) ."
o f
b a c k
a t
g ro u p s .
b e c a u s e th e y
se w n
in to
w ith
th e
a
[s ic ]
in
b la c k s
s e g re g a tio n
a n d
w h ite s ,
b u t
a n d
c o n flic t.
P e o p le
th e ir
s e p a ra te
u n til
it w a s tim e
E v en w ith in
o th e r
th e
w e re
" W o rk in g
a n d
o b se rv e
to
[s ic ]
In
C h ic a n o
w ith
to
h is
to
W a r v e te ra n s
s c h o o l, w h ic h
w a r.
M a n y
w e re
o f th e
V ie tn a m
d ru g s a n d
a
h e
T h e
fro m
m id d le : A
V ie t
a
V ie tn a m
to
W a r
w ith
m o s tly
h e
R a m ire z
o fte n
n o t
a c tiv is ts
R a m ire z
a
a d m it to
v e te ra n .
h a v e
h e a v ily
h e
o th e r v e te r a n s ' ro le
in t h e
th e
1 9 7 0 s
b e in g
a
h ig h
d ro p p e d
o u t
to
u n d e rs ta n d
e v e n tu a lly
c a m e
a llo w e d
m e
w a s th is :
I, a n d
v ic tim iz e d
h o n e s t
th e
to
to
th e m .
O n e
to
a ll t h e
b y
th e
liv a b le
I s till
h e
is
w a r
d e s ire
ly in g
n e w
w ith
to
w ay . W
m y
A m e ric a n s
m a c h in e ,
b y
a
w h ic h
u s
h a t
I
w ith
P o s t-tra u m a tic
fin d s
th a t
d e s c rib e s
th e
n o t
th e
ro le
y e a rs th a t s h e
o f
R a m ire z
re v e a ls
h im
In
c o m p e lle d
p la y e d
th e
"B ro w n
th a t
p u ts u p
o n
o u r
n a tu re
o f
w ith
in
h im
h is
a fte rm a th
a n d
h o w
sh e
h is
a u to b io g ra p h y ,
a
s ta te m e n t
g ru n t,
V ie tn a m
[s ic ]
p e o p le
u s s p ie s a n d
a b o u t
e s p e c ia lly
th e
h e
in
as
a
k ill a n d
n ig g e rs
g e t
w a r
n e e d e d
h e
" fe lt
th ro u g h
h is
k ille d
w e
th e
th a t
C h ic a n o "
a re
w h e n
o f
a ls o
w a r
W a r c h a n g e d
h is
e ffe c ts
as
tw o
a u to b io g ra p h ie s ,
o f th e
w ith
V ie tn a m
E v e re tt
C h ic a n o s
w h o
R oy
W a r fro m
A lv a re z
a c h ie v e d
J r.,
a u th o r
h ig h
ra n k
d iffe re n t in te rp re ta tio n s . T h e y
th e ir
c o u n ty .
in ju ry ,
w h e re
N e v e rth e le s s ,
s o ld ie rs
a
fin d
B e n a v id e z
d iffe re n t
o f
(1 7 3 ).
life .
fo r
H e
a
o r w e re
u s u a lly
d id
h o m e "
h im
th e
in
E a g le ,
n o t fe e l
B e n a v id e z
ju n g le
G o o k '"
p o o r, s h o rt,
C h ic a n o
h o w
s o ld ie rs
p e o p le .
b e
life
s e e
C a rm e n
in
p o e m
a
h e
to
in t h e
th is
d e s c rib e s
h a d
m a n y
d u e
a n d
a ls o
fro m
n o
in
fin a n c ia l
th e
s tu d y
g iv e s
s k ills
h e
h a d
p ro b le m s
a w a y
n a rra tiv e s
T a fo lla
w h e n
C h ic a n o s ,
fie ld s o r f in d
w h ic h
T ex as,
V ie t
c a se s w ith
N am
o f
a
d re s s in g
o f
a t
o u t o f
C h a rle y
a n o th e r
I w ill d is c u s s
g iv e s
fa m ily
u p
a n d
e v e n
p ic tu re ,
b e in g
in
th e
h e
is
a
c h ild h o o d
e x a m p le
la te r.
illn e s s ,
to
"F o r
o f
a n
th is ,
h e r
to
y o u
d ie s
as
a
h o w
d ie
in
a n d
o f
s o ld ie r
V ie t
th e
h im
is a n
c h ild .
" h e 's
la te r,
(C á n tu ,
h a d
1 4 ).
a rriv a l
C a n tú
sh o w s
h is s o n 's
illn e s s
n e v e r
p la y in g
a
h e r
1 7 8 ) ."
fo r y e a rs,
o f
s u rv iv e d
(M a ris c a l
b o y
H er
p la y in g ,
y e a rs
b ro th e r
fa m ily
iro n ic
a
th e
N am .
a
h e r
g a m e "
so n
as
d e s c rib e s
te n
re m e m b e rin g
m y
th e
d e s c rib e
h e r
F ro n te ra .
w ith
as
O n ly
a
v iv id ly
s p a re d
d e s c rip tio n
n o t
o f
h a u n ts
S h e
re m in d s
s o ld ie r.
la
it d e a ls
b ro th e r
i t 's
im a g e
b ro th e r
H er
h e
o n ly
w rite rs ,
e n
s o ld ie r
to
a c c o u n ts
a u to b io g ra p h ic a l
m e m b e r.
a
a n d
a n
p la y in g
h e r
p ro c e e d s
S h e
p ra y in g
le a v in g .
h o w
s o ld ie r,
sh e
c o ffin .
a t
us
G irlh o o d
C h ic a n a
o f
C
H
N o
I C
A
N
g e n re
O
o f
m o re
fin d
a n d
T h e
re a lly
s o ld ie r
a n d
tra g e d y .
th e
la d y . T h e
o f
e s tá
d e
m e
lo
o f
(la
lo
g re a t
a n d
sh e
w ith
h e r
in
V ie tn a m
o f
s o m e w h a t
s to rie s .
g iv e s t h e
u n ifo rm
th e
a m o u n t
s h o rt
d e s c rib e s
is i n
h a rd e r
In
to
C a rm e n
re a d e r
h u s b a n d ,
a
p o e try
a s p e c ts
c h ild re n ,
p h o to . S h e te lls
us:
S o ld a d o . S e
d e , fu e
m a n d a ro n
lle v a ro n
d e a lt
b e in g
v ie jita ) ,"
" v ie jita "
u n ifo rm e
m e
a
m o st
n o v e ls
h e r so n s w h o
es, el q u e
D io s ,
5
h a s
T h o u g h
e x is ts ,
c a se
d e
m u y
s o n rie n d o , y a h o ra
H e
a
(1 7 4 ).
p a ra
V ie tn a m
b u e n o
y s a n o
m u c h a c h o
a v eces se
y
m e
y g ra c ia s
o tra
m u y
p o n e
v e z .
N o m á s
s im p á tic o
m e d io -tris te
q u e
y s ie m p re
y se
m e te
p e le a r"
(T a fo lla ,
In t h i s
6 1 ).
a fte rm a th
th a n k in g
Ju st
C a s t i l l o 's
h a d
b e tra y a l
b y
h is f ir s t
u n c o n s c io u s
p a s s a g e , T a fo lla
th e
u s u a lly
s o ld ie rs
d e s c rib e s
w a r
" L o s C o rts
o n e
L ite ra tu re
p o e try .
th e
in
o ld
E T R Y
C h ic a n o /a
"E se
a
P O
th a n
th a n
a n
/ A
m y
say s,
d e s c rib e s
c a re e r
w h e n
d a m n
s o c ie ty
p e rs p e c tiv e .
C h a in e d
F o rc es,
L ik e
sc h o o l
re m in is c in g
th e
In
S p e c ia l
s e n tim e n ta l
o f
(1 6 9 ).
s ta te s
th in k
B e n a v id e z ,'
w e re
B e n a v id e z
d ro p o u t.
a ls o
m a n y
T in o
H e
e x p e rie n c e ,
e ffe c ts
th e
h e lp .
g ro u p "
h is s p o u s e
th e y
m e rit. T h e V ie tn a m e s e
V ie tn a m e s e
in
T a f o l l a 's
" so m e
h o w
th e
S a d ly , a s
H e
b e g in s
h is m a r r ia g e , a n d
C h ic a n a
th e ra p y .
s o lic it
th e
a
a
v e te ra n s
h o w
b la c k
s till c a lls
w ith
in to
s id e ,
th e
h o w
a n d
p la y s
g o e s
is d i a g n o s e d
p a rtn e r
m a k e
o n
w ife
W a r
R a m ire z
v e te ra n s '
e x p e rie n c e s
c o m m e n ts
h is
e n d in g
to
D is o rd e r a n d
V ie tn a m
o w n
e ffe c te d
th e ra p y .
o w n
h e r
" s u r v i v o r 's g u i l t , "
S tre s s
m a n y
th e ra p y
o n
o f
n o
m a n y
h e r C a n ic u la : S n a p s h o ts o f a
W a r
b u rd e n
h im
m e, w e re
(1 6 2 ).
th e
h o w
a s p e c t in
m e n tio n in g
B e a rin g
c o n fu s e
e x p e rie n c e ,
lik e
a b o u t
c a n
C a n tú ,
fa th e r
w ith
b e lie v e , w h a t fin a lly
te rm
o th e r y o u n g
U .S .
in
th e
e ith e r
S o ld a d o s
s ta tin g ,
e x p e rie n c e
a fte r
T h a t 's
C h ic a n o s . T h e y
T ex as,
h ig h
h a p p e n in g
T i n o 's
w a r:
b e lie v e , w h a t
c o m e
p a trio tic
w a r
m y
in to
o f
It w o u l d
d e a th
I b e g a n
w ith
sc h o o l
F u rth e rm o re ,
m a rrie s
d is illu s io n e d
c a m p
b e c a u s e
'T h a t 's
h a s m u c h
a n d
S o u th
g e t
h o m e .
1 9 6 8 ,
in to
o th e rs , th a t
b e c o m e s
to
b ro th e r
in s o m e
la te r
in
s tu d y in g
d e a th
g o e s
b e fo re
g e ts
h e r, a s w e ll a s t o
R a m ire z
a ls o
e a rly
w h o m
th e
a m o n g
th a t a ro s e
u p
o u t.
th e
s te r e o ty p i c a l C h ic a n o . T h is s h o w s
in
G ro w in g
d e a d
ta g s
B E N A V ID E Z , S G T
a g a in
a V C : " 'H e y !
c ry
m a n y
s e t
th e m s e lv e s
N o rm a
o f th e
a ls o
w o m a n
H e
lik e
c o u ld
fo r
fo r
th e
jo in s
s e e n
ru ra l,
c o m p a re d
o f th is
h e ld
S o ld ie r.
C h ic a n o s .
d id
a ls o
le ft
v o ic e
b ro w n . T h e y fit th e
T r u j i l l o 's
W e
n o t f i t in w i t h
N am ,
a s
"T h e
W h ite s .
C h ic a n o
is a n o t h e r p a t t e r n
m e e ts
a g a in
s o ld ie rs
re g io n s
s o ld ie rs . T h e y
h im
a s e t o f d o g
o f h is a r r iv a l t o
re sc u e d
fa m ilia r
le a v e
to
a s s im ila te d ,"
C h ic a n o
p a tte rn
s tu d e n t
V e te ra n s .
ta lk in g
to o
d iffe re n t
o p p o rtu n ity
a u th o r
w a s
o th e r
id e n tify
C h ic a n o
W a r
is a f r a i d
h is a n d
w h o
a lc o h o l, w h ic h
v e te ra n s .
a n d
is a n
I
h o w
fro m
o ff
w e r e d iv is io n s :
o th e r. A t tim e s h e d id
re tu rn
g o
w a s
( I b id .) .
v a r i o u s a c t i v i s t m o v e m e n t s . T h i s is a
V ie tn a m
e v e r
a s s o c ia tio n
in t h e
th e re
s im p ly
n o t
th o u g h t
s o ld ie rs
o r B la c k s , b e in g
d e a lin g
o u t
s o m e tim e
p re ju d ic e s a g a in s t e a c h
W h ite s
p a tro ls ,
b a c k
re fe rrin g
h is
h o w
g o
m a rin e s
a rg u e s ,
re s p o n d e d
to
a fte r
th a t,
w o u ld
C h ic a n o s th e m s e lv e s , t h e r e
C h ic a n o
R a m ire z
g ro u p s
o f
n e a rly
a c c id e n ta lly
n e a rly
p a ja m a s , t h a t s ta te
d e s c rip tio n
is
th e y
is a V C . T h e y f i n d
( B e n a v id e z , 5 ). T h is c o n f u s io n
c a m p ,
c o n te n d s :
o u ts id e
h e
o f h is f e llo w
H e
I h e a rd
p a ja m a s ,
th in k
g iv e s a
V C .
c o n fu s io n
...f o r
(V C )
la p e l o f th e
re sc u e
s o m e b o d y
R a m ire z
C o n g
d e a d
h is h e r o ic
us
O n c e
V ie t
RP. L a te r, h e
th e
m id d le -c la s s
T h e
o n c e
e th n ic
R a m ire z
g ro u p s.
b a ttle fie ld .
b u t
b e e n
b e tw e e n
o f
c o n n e c tio n s
o n
h a d
e th n ic
d iffe re n c e
u n ite s ,
p r o b le m ,"
tim e
o th e r
o th e rs .
th e ir
p la to o n
firs t
w ith
re la tio n s h ip s
th e
t o g e t h e r w a s n 't a
a n d
k in d s
d e s c rib e
th e
re a liz e
s o ld ie rs
w a y s
b a ttle fie ld ,
w a s
in te ra c te d
s o ld ie rs
th o s e
to
w a r
o r
m in o rity
fo u n d
d i d n 't
th e
c o u n try
C h ic a n o
a n d
th e
b la c k
a n d
tim e s ,
G o d
a n d
u n lik e
m o th e rs
w h o
o f
g iv e s
h e r
th a t
s o n 's
h e
fin d
w a s
o ld
re tu rn
re tu rn e d ,
G o n z á le z '
h e
u s a n
b o o k s,
b e fo re .
th e ir
so n s
fro m
V ie t
s im ila rly
to
sh e
T h is
n o t to
C h i c a n a 's
fin d s
is
b e
p e rs p e c tiv e
N am .
th e
h im
n o tic e a b le
th e
sa m e .
to
T h o u g h
w o m e n
b e
o f
in
sa d
a t
e s p e c ia lly
to
In Tafolla's poem "and when I dream dreams . .
again focuses on the war:
Tafolla
Andthelockerofourm
inds,
are now assigned to other minds,
carry other books,
follow other rules,sile
n
co
th
r
religions,
c
Shools of
godropout
to other schools,
dropping,
Schools
prison
of pains,
Vietnam,
and
Cop car's bulleted brains.
Marcelino thought the only way
to finance college was the Air Force
(G.l. Bill and good pay!)
War looked easy compared to here)
Took his chances on a college education,
Took his pay on a shot-down helicopter
in a brown-skinned 'Nam,
(Tafolla, 96-97).
“ Schools of VietNam" [sicjanalogously shows how lifechanging education was more in the battlefields than in the
real schools. She demonstrates Marcelino not having money
to go to college, so he enters the Air Force, which sends him
to Viet Nam. Higher education was not a reality for many
Chicano/as, and unfortunately, if male, the draft was. Tafolla's
work shows not only were Chicano men drafted, but many
also volunteered. In Marcelino's case, it was to pay for college
at risk of death to do so.
Maria Herrera-Sobek, another Chicana writer, gives her
perspective in "Cinco poemes: Silver Medals":
The silver medals
Purple hearts
medals of conquering heroes
Hung on Chicano homes
Another Mexican hero
Brought home
Under the Stars and Stripes
(Herrera-Sobek, 232)
In this poem, Herrera-Sobek gives wonderful imagery.
Though not telling us the soldier has died, she lets us know by
stating, "Under the stars and stripes," hinting a flag-covered
coffin. "Another Mexican hero," she states, as if adding to the
list of the dead.
In a personal conversation with Abelardo B. Delgado (Oct. 1,
1999), one of the fathers of Chicano Renaissance poetry, he
stated that it was difficult for many of the early Chicano/a
writers to write about the Vietnam War (Delgado). He said that
if he wrote supporting the Chicano soldiers, some might see him
as supporting the war. On the other hand, he did not want to
write poems against the war because he knew many who were
in Viet Nam. Additionally, serving your country was a virtue of
honor. On the death of his friend Franciso Marin, he wrote a
poetic eulogy called, "Despedida a Kiko" parts one and two.
"Kiko," which is a nickname for Francisco, dies in the line of
duty.Delgado describes the Francisco's mother hearing the news:
LA NOTICIA FUE TOSCA. A TU MADRE DOS VECES
DESMAYÓ, FUE COMO UN RAYO QUE DEL CIELO NOs
CAYÓ. LA ESPERA POR TU CUERPO FUE LARGA Y LENTA,
PARA TU FAMILIA FUE ANGUSTIA, TE DAMOS CUENTA. DE
CALIFORNIA VOLVIÓ TU HERMANO QUE TE SEGUÍA, TRAÍA
EL CORAZÓN PESADO Y SU SANGRE ESTABA FRÍA. LLEGÓ
TU CUERPO POR UN AVIÓN AQUELLO DE LA
MADRUGADA. CON BRAZOS HABIERTOS TU PADRE ESPERÓ
LA LLEGADA.AQUELLOS MOMENTOS SE VOLVIERON
TROZOS DE PLOMO. . ANGUSTIOSOS. EL SUFRIR DE TUS
PADRES FUE ORO ADORNANDO CON SOLLOZOS.
LUZ/OSCURIDAD, VIDA/MUERTE, GOZO/DOLOR,
AMOR/OLVIDO. . .AQUÍ QUEDO EL CUERPO DE FRANCISCO
MARÍN, HOMBRE Y SOLDADO.UN CHICANO, UN
CIUDADANO, UN BATO DEL SEGUNDO.7
; ■. ■■' V '
■
'
'
-
Delgado describes the long wait for the coming home of
Kiko's coffin. Kiko's corpse deteriorates very badly, and it was
recommended not having an open casket funeral. Delgado
describes Kiko as being a victim of "nuestra epoca enferma"
(sick era), this "bad time" for Chicanos that other writers focus
upon (Delgado). The poet woefully eulogize Kiko stating that
instead of dying in Viet Nam, Kiko could have fought for the
Chicano Movement at home, that he died in vain. Delgado
writes this for a friend describing the pain of the family, Kiko's
mother clawing at the coffin wanting to see her son: "Your
poor mother, she clawed on the coffin which they entombed
you in" (Delgado). The effects on this Chicana are tremendous
as with all those who knew Kiko.
TEATRO CHICANO
Some of the founding works of contemporary Chicano theatre
concern protest against the Vietnam War. These include
Teatro Campesino's Luis Valdez' "Soldado Razo" and
"Vietnam Campesino." Within "Vietnam Campesino," the
character General Defense and Butt Anglo (an AgriBusinessman), plot ways to stop the United Farm Worker's
Union. They also plot how to send more Chicanos to Viet Nam.
In one passage, Butt Anglo and General Defense are having a
conversation:
BUTT: You know all that trouble you've been having recruiting
chicanos [sic] for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos? (sic)
GENERAL: What trouble? Mexicans are pouring into the
army. We just give 'em a pretty little uniform, a few pesos,
a blessing from mamacita, and wham-o, they're on the
frontlines. Those boys are just dying to show their
machismo. (Valdez)
In this scene, Valdez demonstrates the government exploitation
of minority soldiers. He attributes some of it to war glorification
and machismo aspects of Chicano males. When the character
Draft enters, he goes for the Butt Anglo's son:
BUTT: General Defense!
GENERAL DEFENSE ENTERS IMMEDIATELY AND STEPS
BETWEEN THE DRAFT AND BUTT.
GENERAL: Yes, what seems to be the trouble here?
BUTT: He's trying to take my boy.
GENERAL: (ANGRILY) What's the matter with you, Draft?
Haven't I told you to stick to the minorities? Go draft some
Mexicans, some Indians, some Blacks, some Asians, some
Puerto-ricans [sic] (Valdez)
Again, Váldez focuses on socio-political themes. The d ra ft is
his target here. The character bluntly states to Draft to stay
away from the rich agri-bussinessman's son and go fo r the
minorities. Váldez also emphasizes A gent Orange and other
deforestation chemicals. He, as P ortillo Trambley, makes
parallels to the poisoning o f soldiers. Váldez compares the
poisoning to the poisoning o f farm workers due to pesticides.
In "Barrio Tragedy" by Joe Olvera, Leo Rojas, and Raúl Estrada,
the main character accidentally kills a woman in Viet Nam,
only to come home and kill his mother. The main character
Johnny finds his girlfriend dating one o f his friends. In the day
o f Johnny's return from Viet Nam, his girlfriend breaks up him.
He turns to the bottle as a result. W hile fleeing the police who
come to arrest him, Johnny is killed.
A strong award w inning play, it has never been performed on
stage, many afraid o f its strong overtones and d iffic u lt slang.
W ritten before Váldez' works, the authors intertwines a
wondrous use o f pachuquismos (Spanish Caló). The saturated
El Paso pachuquismos made it a d iffic u lt play to perform. The
Viet Nam veteran in the play reminisces about how he
envisioned the United States when he was younger:
Johnny:Guacha, yo me acuerdo cuando estaban chavalo. . . .
[sicjy era uno desos Star Spangled Banner super-Americans,
que cuando tocaban esa rola me ponía la mano en el
corazón; guacha, cuando me hablaron a mí, yo no tuve
miedo venir, porque yo sabía que iba pelear por mi pais. But
now (slight pause)no se! He shakes his head and looks down.
Again, the authors have a w onderful use o f Spanish Caló.
Johnny's friend adds how he came to the United States and
had nothing and how he wanted to give something back to
his country, "Y por eso estoy aquí. Y tam bién estoy peleando
por mi patria, ese." Johnny adds:
Johnny: A mi me im porta madre. Cunado a mí me
draftiaron, I decided to come. I d id n 't go to Canada...0000 or Mexico. I came here because I w anted to stop
communism, y guacha lao que estamos haciento. (sic)
We once again see the disillusionment w ith patriotism .
One o f the most recent plays to deal w ith the Vietnam War
issue is "The Last Angry Brown Hat" by Alfredo Ramos. It
portrays an after-funeral get-together o f four form er Brown
Berets. "Rude Boy," one o f the characters, is a Vietnam War
veteran who suffers from alcoholism and drug abuse. In one
part o f the play, he undergoes a flashback and breaks into sobs.
One of the other characters holds him. In one passage he states:
'Chicano power! Hell no! Where was the movement when I
got shipped over to Viet Nam, huh? Here I am, just barely
eighteen years old, fig h tin g in some strange country. Shit,
until then, I'd never been outside o f East LA' (Ramos).
Ramos shows the experience o f many Chícanos. They had
never been out o f the barrio, much less anywhere, until going
to Viet Nam. Though a touching play, George Mariscal makes
a good point in his Aztlán and Vietnam: Chicano and Chicana
Experiences in the Viet Nam War. He states that, the play:
"erases th e Chicano a n ti-w a r m ovem ent by leaving
unanswered Rude Boy's question..J 0 J0 , a H ollyw ood
screenwriter (in "Last Angry Brown Hat"), promises he w ill
w rite a screenplay about the Brown Berets and the
Movement, but Ramos's play makes it clear that, even if J0 J0
keeps his promise, there is no place in the mass media
market fo r treatm ents o f Chicano history, especially those
th a t convey an excess o f anger" (Mariscal, 298).
Citing an article where Ramos speaks about the new Chicano
playwrights, Mariscal states that, "The 'new and improved'
middle-class Hispanic o f the 1990s can afford not to be angry
since he has never faced conscription, battlefield combat,
police and border patrol violence, or the killing of his friends"
(Ibid.). Mariscal makes us aware o f the changing perception of
the Vietnam War by Hispanics. As we move tow ard the new
century, we find youth w ho did not grow up during the tim e
of war, so it does not touch them personally. For others, the
war is still very real.
To the best of my research, I could not find a theatrical w ork by
a Chicana dealing w ith the Vietnam War. These may exist or
are yet to be published. In general, scholars give less attention
to experiences o f women in the Vietnam War or experiences
the women in the families o f service men. Some w ritin g has
been published th a t focuses on the experiences o f women,
both on the war fro n t and the home front. However, most o f
these w ritings only deal w ith non-Hispanic w hite women.8
We have seen several genres o f Chicano/a Literature and how
they portray Chicano/as in the tim e of the Vietnam War.
W ithin this study, I have shown how Viet Nam and death
became synonymous, and how the d ra ft was on the minds o f
many young Chícanos and th e ir loved ones. Several cultural
traits were also cited, some original to Chicano/as. Largely
seen in this study were the transform ative influences o f the
war. The lives o f Chícanos w ho fo u g h t were never the same
and the same could be said fo r th e ir families and relations.
The w ritin g o f Chicanas also sheds light on a view of the w ar
seldom focused upon.
The Vietnam War remains in the minds o f Chicano/as, even so
many years later. Our experiences are now beginning to see
more lig h t and it is hoped th a t mainstream literature w ill
open th e ir eyes to Chicano experience, which are many and
diverse. More studies need to be done on the influence on
Chicanas and the war. We must also seek o ut our Chicanas
Vietnam War veterans. The w ar was truly a life changing
experience and we must look at it w ith many lenses. Our
experiences are still being over looked. As an elderly Chicano
male stated concerning a largely Chicano High School called
Bowie in El Paso, Texas: "I saw Saving Private Ryan and w ith
the exception o f a name on tombstone, not one Mexican was
portrayed. Many o f my friends from la Bowie died on th a t
beach and not one was portrayed."
A native o f El Paso, Raymundo Eli Rojas is the e d ito r o f Pluma
Fronteriza, a publication dedicated to Chicano and Latino
w riters from the El Paso, Texas/Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua/Las
Cruces, New Mexico region. He publishes numerous reviews
on Chicano Literature and is currently studying law at the
University o f Kansas in Lawrence.
N
O
In
T E S
B I B L I O
n a m in g
w ith in
an d
th e
c o u n try ,
V ie tn a m
C o n flic t a r e
la n d m a rk
p u b lis h e d
lite ra ry
a rtic le
in
C h ic a n o
th e
on
s in c e
T h e o ry ,
M EC hA
a
and
V ie t
e q u a lly
to
in
w h en
V ie tn a m
W ar
on
A p ril
22,
ju s t w h e n
sam e
title .
M ay
1971,
C h ic a n o /a
M e x ic a n
" I t 's
C h ic a n o
a rtic le
A m e ric a n
(U n iv e rs ity
B e n a v id e z ,
P H
R oy.
Y
M ed al
o f
H o n o r:
A
V ie tn a m
W a r r i o r 's
S to ry .
W a s h i n g t o n , D .C .: B r a s s e y 's , 1 9 9 5 .
"T he
o f T exas
re n a is s a n c e
B e n a v id e z ,
R oy
P. a n d
G riffin ,
O sc a r.
T h re e
W a rs
o f R oy
B e n a v id e z .
S an A n to n io , TX: C o ro n a : 1 9 8 6 .
C a n o , D a n ie l. " S o m e w h e r e O u ts id e D u e P h o ." P ie c e s o f t h e H e a r t. E d.
G a ry S o to . S a n
F ra n c is c o , C A : C h r o n ic le B o o k s , 1 9 9 3 .
L ite ra ry
d iffic u lt t o
it e n d e d — if it h a s
F irs t
o f C h ic a n o /a
u n p u b lis h e d
1 9 9 9 ),
lik e t h e
th e
p ro d u c tio n
an
C ritic is m — 1 9 6 6 - 1 9 9 9 "
S e rie s ,
of
d e s c rib e th e
R e fle c tio n s
say
ex cep t
s p e llin g
C a se w o rk
s ta te s
p h en o m en o n
d iffic u lt to
N am ,
b y F e l ip e d e O r t e g o y G a s e a in
L ite ra tu re
S o c ia l
O rte g o
L e c tu re
lite ra ry
o f
te rm
1966.
c o in e d
C h ic a n o
Jo u rn a l
R e n a is s a n c e :
H is to ry ,
w h en
s p e llin g
R A
used.
is a t e r m
s c h o la rs u s e th e
L ite ra tu re
P aso
th e
q u o ta tio n s a n d title s . A s fo r th e w a r, th e
“ C h ic a n o R e n a is s a n c e "
h is
I use
G
a t
El
C a n o , D a n ie l. S h if tin g L o y a ltie s . H o u s to n , T X : A r te P u b lic o P re ss, 1 9 9 5 .
say ju s t
b eg an
en d ed
a t
an d
a ll
as
C a n tú ,
N o rm a.
C a n ic u la :
S n a p s h o ts
o f
A lb u q u e r q u e , N M : U n iv e rs ity o f N e w
a
G irlh o o d
en
la
F ro n te ra .
M e x ic o P re ss , 1 9 9 5 .
s o m e C h i c a n o c r i t i c s c o n t e n d . . . 1 9 7 5 , t h e y e a r I 'v e u s e d a s t h e t e r m i n u s
fo r
th e
C h ic a n o
a rb itra ry
d a te ,
re n a is s a n c e .
fo r
it
w as
in te lle c tu a ls (m o s tly f ro m
in
in
C h ic a n o
in te lle c tu a l th o u g h
C h ic a n o
M o v e m e n t."
" R e n a is s a n c e ,"
ja rg o n
o f C h ic a n o
" te r m in u s ,"
s ta rtin g
th a t
year
c o lle g e s a n d
C o lle g e
te rm
C a lifo rn ia
T he
to
e x a m in e
an d
som e
to
th o u g h
in
c ritic is m
a
m y o p in io n , th e
th e
sc o ff
th e o ry .
of
an
o f th e
a t
I do
" R e n a is s a n c e "
G od. N ew
Y o rk , NY: P e n g u in ,
1993.
of
D e lg a d o ,
A b e la rd o
B.
p e rso n a l
c o n v e rs a tio n
w ith
p o e t,
El P a s o , T X ,
O c t. 1, 1 9 9 9 .
e m e rg in g
th e
use
o f th e
its e lf in to th e
n o t
C a s tillo , A n a . S o F a r F r o m
C h ic a n o
c o n s p e c tu s
has em b ed d ed
an d
n o t
m e t a t O c c id e n ta l
d is c u s s
s c h o la rs
is
g ro u p
b a c k g ro u n d
I h o ld t h a t th e te r m
lite ra ry
th a t
1966,
u n iv e rs itie s )
a g a in s t th e
T hough
p o in t,
use
D e lg a d o , A b e la rd o
B. " D e s p e d id a
used
o f a u th o r.
b y p e rm is s io n
a
K ik o : P a r t e
I & I I ."
U n p u b lis h e d ,
O r t e g o 's
has e n d e d . For
R aú l E s tra d a , J o e O lv e ra , a n d
L e o R o ja s . " B a r r io T r a g e d y "
in C a r a c o l .
t h e s a k e o f d e s c rib in g c o n te m p o r a r y C h ic a n o L ite ra tu re , I u s e " C h ic a n o
R e n a is s a n c e " t o
d e s c r i b e a ll p o s t - 1 9 6 6 C h i c a n o /a
I o rig in a lly p r e s e n te d th is p a p e r a t th e V ie tn a m
lite ra ry
p ro d u c tio n .
G u z m á n , R a lp h . M e x ic a n A m e ric a n
C a s u a ltie s in
C A : U C L A M e x ic a n A m e r ic a n
P ro je c t, 1 9 6 9 .
S y m p o s iu m , O c t. 1 9 9 9 ,
H o u s to n , TX .
M a ris c a l,
G e o rg e ,
ed.
E x p e rie n c e s o f th e
W ith in
th is
p a p e r,
I
use
C h ic a n o /a
s y n o n y m o u s l y . N o t a ll a u t h o r s
W rite r J u a n
F e lip e
H e rre ra
S tu d y
V ie tn a m . S a n ta C ru z ,
a n d
M e x ic a n
A m e ric a n
C a lifo rn ia
A z tlá n
a n d
W a r. B e rk e le y
V ie t
an d
N am :
C h ic a n o
L os A n g e le s ,
B lo o m s b u ry
"H ow
w o u ld
w o u ld
h a v e to
R e v ie w
you
s ta te d
in a n
in te rv ie w
by
R ay G o n z á le z
V o l. 2 0 , N o . 2 M a r c h /A p r il 2 0 0 0 , w h e n
d e s c rib e
a
a n s w e r w ith
C h ic a n a
C A : U n iv e rs ity
o f
P re ss, 1 9 9 9 .
id e n tify th e m s e lv e s a s C h ic a n o w rite rs .
in
G o n z á le z , D e e n a . C h ic a n a I d e n tity M a tte r s . A z tlá n
T he
a n d
C h ic a n o
p o e t
to d a y ? "
H is
asked
a n sw e r:
V o l. 2 2 , N o . 2 , F a ll
1 9 9 7 : p. 1 2 3 -1 3 8 .
"I
a c o u n te r q u e s tio n : D o w e h a v e a C h ic a n o
G o n z á l e z , G e n a r o . R a i n b o w 's E n d . H o u s t o n , T X : A r t e P u b l i c o P r e s s , 1 9 8 8 .
p o e t to d a y ?
a re
n o t
I th in k w e h a v e a m u ltip lic ity o f C h ic a n o p o e ts , a n d th e y
a ll
C h ic a n o
p o e ts .
W e
have
M e x ic a n
and
L a tin
A m e ric a n
H e rre ra -S o b e k ,
w rite rs
w ritin g
in
C h ic a n o
id io m s . W e
have
C h ic a n o
w rite rs
M a ría .
W e i N a m : C h ic a n o
an d
d is c o n tin u in g
to
w rite
in
d o
th e ir
ow n
c u ltu ra l
id io m s .
" C in c o
T h e re
w rite rs
to d a y
w h o
an d
lite ra ry
m e d ia
la b e lin g th e m
th e
n o t see
th e m s e lv e s
as
b e in g
a n d
in fo rm a tio n
W ar
L a u ra
see
G e o rg e
on
M c G o v e r n 's
H ip a n o s "
in t h e
"N o t
"F ro m
1972
La L uz
C a s u a ltie s
D a v id
in
H is p a n ic
R e c o rd
A. L ópez,
8 :2 8 ,
R e m a rk s
La R aza
in V i e t n a m "
P h . D 's
" S a v in g
1 3 :3 3
in
an d
" C h ic a n o s
an d
th e
W a r"
w as
lo c a te d
n ex t to
th e
A m e ric a n
S m e ltin g
an d
R e fin e ry
C o m p a n y ( A S A R C O ) i n El P a s o , T e x a s . I t c o n s i s t e d o f S m e l t e r t o w n , S m e l t e r
T e rra c e , a n d La C a la v e ra . W h e n t h e c h ild re n o f S m e lte r to w n w h e r e f o u n d
have
h ig h
p e rc e n ta g e s
of
le a d
re s id e n ts a n d to r e d o w n th e to w n
"E l S e g u n d o "
is t h e
n am e
El P a s o , T e x a s . I t is c a l l e d
i t is u s e d
re g u la rly
B a rth y
a u th o r
an d
m a jo rity
th e
s ta te s
1997:
a re
b o o k
in
in
th e ir
b lo o d ,
p re d o m in a te ly
fro m
C h ic a n o
B a rrio o r t h e
in C h i c a n o
F ro n t:
ASARCO
th e
o f th e
W a r. e d .
G e o rg e
L os A n g e le s , C A : U n iv e rs ity o f C a lifo rn ia , 1 9 9 9 .
AZ:
B ilin g u a l
E s te la . R a in
P re ss,
1993
o f S c o rp io n s a n d
(F irs t
p u b lis h e d
by
o th e r s to rie s . T e m p e ,
T o n a tiu h -Q u in to
S o l,
1 9 7 5 ).
R a m íre z ,
Ju an . A
P a t r i o t A f t e r A ll:
The
S to ry
o f a
V e te ra n . A lb u q u e r q u e , N M : U n iv e rs ity o f N e w
C h ic a n o
M e x ic o
V ie tn a m
P re ss, 1 9 9 9 .
R o d rig u e z ,
Joe.
The
O d d s p la y e r.
H o u s to n ,
TX:
A rte
P u b lic o
P re ss,
W om en
a n d
El
T exas,
c o n ta in s
P aso,
no
a re a
S econd
a c c o u n ts
w h ic h
Id e n tity
M a tte rs "
n a m in g
w o m en
c o n s titu te s
C a rm e n .
d r e a m s ...,"
S a n ta
in
M o n ic a ,
E liz o n d o ,
e d .,
W a rd , a n d
T h o u g h
is
a
th e
C h ic a n o -
C h ic a n a s .
C o rts
S o n n e ts
CA:
5
to
L a lo
(la
H um an
P re ss,
E n c u e n tro
v ie jita )
B e in g
1992.
a rtís tic o
a n d
. . . a n d
a n d
(F irs t
w h en
O th e r S e le c te d
p u b lis h e d
fe m e n il.
A u s tin ,
in
R osa
TX:
I d rea m
W o rk s.
R aquel
C a s a /T e jid o s ,
T a y lo r,
C ly d e ,
com p.
V ie tn a m
a n d
R e s is ta n c e . G a r d e n
B la c k
A m e ric a : A n
Y o rk ; B a lla n tin e ,
o f
C i t y , N .Y ., A n c h o r P r e s s , 1 9 7 3 .
T e rry , W a lla c e , e d . B lo o d : A n O r a l H is to ry o f t h e
V e te ra n s . N e w
A n th o lo g y
V ie tn a m
W a r b y B la c k
1985.
D eena
in A z t l á n , V o l. 2 2 , # 2 ,
in c lu d in g
Los
o f S o u th
P ro te s t a n d
V ie tn a m .
fro m
T a fo lla ,
1978.
L ite ra tu re .
" C h ic a n a
" ...n o t
e v ic te d
(w ith e x c e p tio n o f La C a la v e ra ).
El S e g u n d o
H om e
p ress
th e
of a
a s a s e ttin g
B y r d 's
c ity ,
G o n z á le z
F a ll
E x p e rie n c e s
1989.
S m e lte rto w n
See
C h ic a n a
1 9 6 8 "U C L A R e p o r t: M e x ic a n -
1 :2 3 -1 3 .
to
an d
on
H i s to r y o f L a t i n o S e r v ic e in W a r t i m e "
N o. 4, M a rc h 2 0 0 0 , a n d
A m e ric a n
H n to r"
C o n g re s s io n a l
1 :4 8 -4 9 ,
P riv a te A z tlá n : P re s e rv in g t h e
D iá lo g o
W ith o u t
th e
A z tlá n
s o ."
C h i c a n o s a n d t h e i r c a s u a l t i e s in t h e V i e t n a m
F i g u e r o a 's
in
C h ic a n o
P o rtillo T ra m b le y ,
For m o re
S ilv e r M e d a ls ,"
a re
M a ris c a l. B e rk e le y a n d
C h ic a n o
P oem as:
w ritin g
th e m
by
T ru jillo ,
C h a rle y .
P u b lic a tio n s ,
D ogs
o f
Illu s io n .
San
José,
CA:
C husm a
H ouse
1994.
o m is s io n ."
© A ll r i g h t r e s e r v e d . R a y R o j a s , 2 0 0 1 . N o p a r t o f t h i s e s s a y m a y b e u s e d
or
re p ro d u c e d
p e rm is s io n
e m b o d ie d
o f
in
th e
any
m an n er
a u th o r
w h a ts o e v e r
ex cep t
in
th e
in c r i t i c a l a r t i c l e s o r r e v i e w s .
case
w ith o u t
o f
b rie f
th e
w ritte n
T ru jillo , C h a rle y . S o ld a d o s : C h ic a n o s in V ie t N a m . S a n J o s é , C A : C h u s m a
H ouse
P u b lic a tio n s ,
1990.
q u o ta tio n s
V á z q u e z , J r., D i e g o . G r o w i n g
th ro u g h
th e
U g ly . N e w
Y o rk , NY: H e n ry
H o l t & C o ., 1 9 9 7 .
W ils o n ,
Jam es
W .
L a n d in g
V ie tn a m . D u rh a m : D u c k
Z o n e:
U n iv e rs ity
S o u th e rn
P re ss, 1 9 9 0 .
V e te ra n s
R em em b er