lest we forget

CABARUBIO, JAMES

Rank / Branch:

  • CORPORAL, U.S. MARINE CORP

Date Of Birth:

  • 1948-05-15

Country Of Loss:

  • SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

  • HOSTILE-ROCKET/MORTAR

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:​

  • GROUND

Other:

  • NON MARRIED

Unit:

  • THIRD MARINE DIVISION

Date Of Loss:

  • 1969-06-18

Loss Coordinates:

  • UNKNOWN

Catagory:

  • BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

  • SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

  • CABARUBIO, JAMES, CORPORAL, U.S. MARINE CORP, ODESSA, ECTOR, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

  • BRONZE STAR WITH V DEVICE, PURPLE HEART, NAVY COMMENDATIONS MEDAL WITH V DEVICE, NAVY ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM MILITARY MERIT MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

  • James Cabarubio was born in San Angelo, Texas. He was known as "Jimmy." His parents divorced and his mother moved the family to Odessa. His mother remarried and there were six children living in the home. He attended school in San Angelo and in Odessa. He attended Ector High School through his sophomore year. He worked downtown in Odessa as a shoeshine boy and also selling the Odessa American on the street corners and to downtown businesses. The family was large, and the house was small. He loved animals and always had them near him. He had a difficult time in school and was always working trying to help his family. He dropped out of high school his sophomore year and enlisted in the Marine Corp June 6, 1966, a month after turning 17. He felt that he should not be a drain on his family as there were five brothers and sisters still living at home.
  • An acquaintance, Anita Jessup of Odessa wrote of Jimmy, "I first met Jimmy when he was a shoe-shine boy on the streets of Odessa, Texas. He would come by the radio station where my husband worked and ask the DJ's if they wanted to buy a newspaper. Since they could never find the paper from their subscription, they would buy one from him. Later, after they came to care for Jimmy, they realized that he was selling them their own newspaper! Nobody minded, however, because they all liked Jimmy so much. He was a hard-working young man who told us that at home he slept in a closet with his dog. Later we heard that he worked in the K-9 Corp in the service. When I bought my first home Jimmy walked a considerable distance to my house to bring me a house-warming gift. That was about 1965."
  • Jimmy completed his recruit training at the United States Marine Corp Recruit Training Depot at San Diego, California. He completed ITR at Camp Pendleton, California. He completed a 13 month tour in Vietnam in 1967 to early 1968 as a rifleman. After his tour, he volunteered to enter K-9 training because of his love of dogs, realizing that it would mean a second tour in Vietnam as soon as the training was completed. He trained with the Army and with other Marines who were selected into this special training. He returned to Vietnam for a second tour on November 23, 1968.
  • He was assigned to the 3rd MP Company, First Force Services Regiment, 3rd Marine Division as a scout dog handler. He and his dog would work with various infantry units on patrols and in special situations where the dog could smell out the enemy and alert to possible ambushes and booby traps. Jimmy loved this duty and loved working with the dogs. He had a special affection for them. On June 18, 1969, while on patrol with an infantry unit, the marines came under intense rocket and mortar fire. Jimmy and his dog were both killed when hit by shrapnel. Jimmy died doing what he loved doing.
  • He was buried with full military honors in the Hollywood Cemetery in Houston, Texas. He was survived by his mother, Jesusita Garcia and his stepfather of Odessa. He was also survived by his sisters, Jo Ann Guiterrez of Houston, Sharon Gamboa of Laurel, Maryland and his brothers, Ritchie and Louis Cabarubio and his half-brother, Tony Garcia, all of the home.
  • ECTOR HIGH SCHOOL-1963
  • JIMMY WITH HIS DOG, 2ND TOUR
  • HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY, HOUSTON, TEXAS