Hugo Carlos Castaneda

Private First Class
C TRP, 1ST SQDN, 11TH ARMORED CAVALRY, USARV
Army of the United States
01 May 1946 - 09 July 1968
Compton, California
Panel 52W Line 002

USARV 11 ARM CAV RGT
Armor

Bronze Star, Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign
Hugo C. Castaneda

The database page for Hugo Carlos Castaneda

28 Jun 2002

You and Charles Cook, Jr., fought together side by side and died together side by side. It is conforting to know you didn't die alone. Charles would have wanted to know you were memoralized also. You both made the ultimate sacrifice - your life for your brother. I salute you, my hero.

From a friend,
Yvonne Lucille Shipp Andrades
lucille725@aol.com

25 Jun 2003

I am proud to say that you are my uncle. I don't talk about you too much with my mom, I don't want her to get upset. I'm glad that you are remembered through The Virtual Wall. I am very proud of you.

David Hugo Cisneros
mr_cisneros@yahoo.com

4 Aug 2004

I just looked at the information on the web site. Those were nice comments you made. I'm proud of you for sparing your Mom the heartache of recollecting our brother Hugo and his loss. It brings tears to my eyes as I write you this note.

You should know that Hugo was a hero to us long before he was drafted into the Army. He was five years my senior and like a second father to me.

When I was 14 years old, I was on my way to the movies on Compton Blvd. at the theater that was there (the only one downtown). As I was on my way out, my brother Hugo, who was 5 years my senior, was washing his '50 Mercury (like the one James Dean had in "Rebel Without A Cause"). When he saw me he asked where I was going. I told him I was going to see a movie. He asked me who I was going with and I told him no-one. He thought for a minute and said, "Wait for me, I'll go with you."

He didn't even ask what was showing. He simply wanted to go and watch over me 'cause he knew the theater was starting to have problems with bad customers. We didn't talk much that day but I will never forget his care and love for me and my brother Clem and sister Christina not to mention the tremendous love he had for our mother Carmen.

My brother Hugo was a hero to me long before he went to war and died in Vietnam.

From his younger brother,
Don Felipe Solis
Lynwood, Ca 90262-3623
donfelipe51@yahoo.com

September 3, 2004

I am very proud to say that you are my brother. I have two sons, David Hugo and Phillip, who sometimes do certain things that remind me of you. Perhaps you have been with us all along, watching over us. Your brother-in-law Dave talks about you with pride and the deepest respect, even though he barely knew you. You will forever be in our hearts, my wonderful brother. Your one and only sister, Christina.

From his sister,
Christina Cisneros
Norwalk, California
christinaanddave@verizon.net

25 May 2007

Dear Hugo,

I have the honor of celebrating your birthday. I have taken it upon myself to continue to serve my country as honorably as you I have been serving for the last 25yrs in the United States Army.

My mom, Toni Hernandez, is very proud of us as we do our part to preserve the freedom of every American. I have been told you are my cousin. On our birthdays I celebrate our lives. I continually take a moment to thank you, for you are my guiding light as I serve proudly. When someone asks me "Why do you serve?", I proudly say for my country and my cousin who served so proudly. You are and never will be forgotten.

I tell my daughters of you often, I tell them they have a cousin who served in Vietnam and did so very proudly.

Thank you for all that you have done for you are the embodyment, the reason we have become ARMY STRONG. You are the defintion of the words.

I would like to have someone who served with him e-mail me - or anyone for that matter; I will answer all. Thank you.

From a cousin,
Anthony J Herrera
20 Stafford Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89115
anthony.herrera@usarec.army.mil

A Note from The Virtual Wall

C Troop, 1/11 Armored Cavalry, lost two men on 09 July 1968, PFC Hugo Castaneda and PFC Charles Cook of San Francisco, California. The Commanding General, 2nd Field Force, approved posthumous awards of the Bronze Star with "V" device to both PFC Castaneda and PFC Cook for their actions on 09 July.


The point-of-contact for this memorial is
his younger brother,
Don Felipe Solis
Lynwood, Ca 90262-3623
donfelipe51@yahoo.com



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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 28 Jun 2002
Last updated 11/16/2007