The Story of Texas Veteran Alfonso Gorena
Last Week, Texas Land Commissioner and Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D. introduced the next series installment highlighting the VLB's Voices of Veterans oral history program. In this episode, we hear the story of Texas Veteran Alfonso Gorena.
To listen to Mr. Gorena tell his story, visit VoicesofVeterans.org.
Mr. Gorena was born in Mexico, and his family moved to Mission, Texas. He had a brother in the U.S. Air Force and another who served during the Korean War. Mr. Gorena was in McAllen, Texas, when he learned of the Pearl Harbor bombing and was quickly drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942.
He served as a Surgical Technician for one year at the 61st General Hospital in Oxford, England. He arrived in England around the time D-Day took place on the beaches of Normandy and cared for the men fighting in France during World War II.
After leaving the service in 1946, Mr. Gorena returned to Mission, Texas, where he worked for the Monitor newspaper. He also ran his own print shop before retiring from the Edinburg High School print shop. When asked about his advice to younger people, he said, "Take care of the United States."
Veterans can email VoicesofVeterans@glo.texas.gov to tell their stories. Please note that the Veteran must be a resident of Texas at the time of their interview.
Voices of Veterans is a state agency's first Veteran oral history program. It records the stories of Texas Veterans through their time in service and after returning home from combat.
The VLB records interviews with veterans over the phone or in person. Their interviews are then permanently archived in the Office of Veterans Records at the GLO, where they join the historical documents of other Texas heroes such as Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and William Barret Travis.
Veterans' interviews are also available to researchers, historians, genealogists, and the public. These precious records inspire future generations and remind us of our Veterans' sacrifices.
To listen to the the over 500 archived stories of Veterans documented through the GLO's Voices of Veterans oral history program visit VoicesofVeterans.org.