Page 106 - The History of Veterans at Highland Springs

DANIEL VASQUEZ
HIGHLAND SPRINGS SECURITY, MARINES
I was raised in the Texas Panhandle in a farming community named Cotton Center, Texas. I enlisted in the Marine Corps in March of 1983 at 17 years old while I was a junior in High School along with my older brother Ruben, who was 19. Five of the six boys in my family are Marines. My father and uncles were WWII Veterans.
I went to boot camp at MCRD San Diego, CA and then to Infantry Training School at Camp Geiger, NC and then back to MCRD San Diego CA for Sea School. I reported for duty on the Aircraft Carrier, USS Ranger CV-61 in January of 1985, traveled to several countries. And was meritoriously promoted to Corporal. I left Sea duty in May of 1987 and reported for duty at Camp Pendleton California where I was assigned to Alpha Company 1st Battalion 1st Marines. I reenlisted in November of 1987 for an additional 6 years. I was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion 4th Marines, 8th Marine Regiment in Camp Lejeune N.C. My brother was assigned to the same unit and we lived in the same barracks room for a year and deployed together to the Mediterranean. I was promoted to Sergeant during this time and my brother pinned my stripes on.
I participated in Operation Sharp Edge in August of 1990, evacuating Americans and Foreign nationals from Liberia Africa during the civil war and saw my first combat there. Returned to the U.S. in Sept of 1990 and shortly after in deployed to Desert Shield and in the ground war during Desert Storm as the Ground element for Task Force Spartan. My unit 2nd Bn 4th Marines were the last infantry unit out of Kuwait in May of 1991.
I was discharged in May of 1993 and returned home to Texas.
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