lest we forget

JUAREZ, JOE MANUEL

Rank / Branch:

  • PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, U.S. ARMY

Date Of Birth:

  • 1948-06-17

Country Of Loss:

  • SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

  • HOSTILE-SMALL ARMS FIRE

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:​

  • GROUND

Other:

  • NOT MARRIED

Unit:

  • FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION

Date Of Loss:

  • 1968-12-10

Loss Coordinates:

  • PHUOC LONG

Catagory:

  • BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

  • SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

  • JUAREZ, JOE MANUEL, PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, U.S. ARMY, PECOS, REEVES COUNTY, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

  • COMBAT INFANTRYMANS BADGE, SILVER STAR, PURPLE HEAT, ARMY COMMENDATIONS MEDAL, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM MILITARY MERIT MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

  • Joe Manuel Juarez was born in Alpine, Texas to Jesus and Estoria Llanez. His parents separated when he was a baby and he lived with his grandmother, Elizada Juarez. He assumed his maternal last name. His parents re-united and there were 10 children born after him. As the family was large, Joe continued to live with his grandmother while his mother and father raised the others in Odessa. The younger brothers and sisters were Virginia, Francis, Pete, Chris, Mary, Oscar, Arturo, Pablo, Esmarlda, and Octavio. According to his sister, Francis, Joe was very quiet and always called his parents, "Pappa and Mamma Bear."
  • Joe attended schools in Pecos and dropped out his junior year at Pecos High School. He went to work and was drafted into the Army in April 1968. He completed basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas and infantry AIT at Fort Ord, California. He began his tour in Vietnam on October 8, 1968, and was assigned as an infantryman with A Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, First Cavalry Division. He was killed on December 10, 1968, two months after arriving in country. His platoon was on patrol, and they were caught in an ambush. PFC Juarez and two other soldiers died, and several others were wounded. PFC Juarez was buried with full military honors in his hometown of Pecos, Texas. For his actions, that cost him his life, he was awarded a posthumous Silver Star, and the Vietnamese government awarded him the Military Merit Medal along with the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm.
  • He was survived by his grandmother, his parents, and his 10 brother and sisters. His grandmother passed away in 1978, his father in 1985 and his mother in 1998. His sister, Francis lives in Pecos, Texas; Virginia lives in Portales, New Mexico; sister, Mary lives in Clovis, New Mexico and the remainder all live in Odessa.
  • PECOS HIGH SCHOOL, 1964
  • FAIRVIEW CEMETERY, PECOS, TEXAS
  • PECOS HIGH 1963