Our Stories
It was not until 1946 that he was “allowed” to become a citizen. He earned it with blood, sweat, tears, and personal sacrifice. Juan is very guarded about his wartime experiences, for the most part. That’s because even at 98 years old, the memories are still vivid. There is one memory that still angers and saddens him, though. Ironically, it has nothing to do with the war but the battle to be accepted in his adopted country. Upon returning home, Juan’s mother was relieved and excited. To celebrate, his homecoming she held a surprise party on the day of his arrival. He was not in a mental state for a party. So, Juan politely asked his mother if she needed anything from the market. He told her, “I just need to get out of the house for a while, and walking will do me good.” She said, “Yes, mijo, get me some eggs.” Juan was in his uniform as he walked to the store a few blocks away. Once he bought the eggs, he headed for home. On the way, it started to rain, so with no umbrella, he began to run. A police unit with two officers rolled up and abruptly blocked his path. He asked, “Why did you do that?” Juan recalls one officer asking,“Why are you running, boy? Did you steal those eggs?”
Juan remembers being shocked, and it was everything he could do not to become enraged. Instead, he sternly told the officers, “Do you see this uniform? Do you see these decorations? I just spent two years fighting for this country. Do you think I survived that to come here and steal eggs?” He recalls the police officers making a snide remark about Mexicans and then went on their way. Not surprisingly, Juanito’s upbringing prepared him to overcome all the struggles he would experience throughout his life. His father was the first to arrive in the United States, securing odd jobs in and around Laredo, Texas. Impatient to join her husband, Juan’s mother brought the rest of the family across the Rio Grande from Nuevo Laredo, paying a ferryman a nickel to get across the river. When Juan was 7, the family moved to Corpus Christi, Texas. He and his brother helped the family make ends meet by shining shoes, selling newspapers, picking cotton, and diving for shellfish and selling their catch to local vendors. Despite the economic hardships of growing up, his war experiences, and the rude homecoming by the racist police officers, Juan was known then and now for his positive outlook. After the war he married his sweetheart Aurora, had seven children, and spent 39-years as a Federal Government employee, painting aircraft and relocated to North Island Naval Air Station in Coronado, California in the 1960’s. At 98, Juanito is still dapper, loves singing karaoke, and socializing with friends and relatives. He is a quiet hero, and whether he knows it or not, a civil and human rights giant in my eyes.
(Photos courtesy of Estrada family archives)
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San Diego Latino Legacy – Timeline • Milestones • Stories
Chapter 3 – Service To America, Struggles With America
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