Like grandfather, like grandson.
Both have worn the emblem of
”
the few, the proud
”
– the Marines. The elder Bob Diaz, of Gilroy, fought in the
Korean Conflict nearly 50 years ago; following in his boot steps,
Jason Gamino, 21, is serving in Iraq near the city of Fallujah.
Like grandfather, like grandson.
Both have worn the emblem of “the few, the proud” – the Marines. The elder Bob Diaz, of Gilroy, fought in the Korean Conflict nearly 50 years ago; following in his boot steps, Jason Gamino, 21, is serving in Iraq near the city of Fallujah.
The two correspond and talk on the telephone frequently. If it’s advice Gamino is seeking, Diaz keeps it simple.
“I keep telling him, ‘Just keep your head down and you’ll be OK. Just do as you’re supposed to do,’ ” Diaz said. “So, hopefully he’ll be all right.”
Diaz already has given his grandson a lifetime membership to the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post, of which he is commander. He also helped the VFW Post 6309 sponsor Gamino, sending him pre-paid phone cards in Iraq.
Besides grandpa, Gamino’s mother, Terri Godwin, also is happy that her son is continuing the family tradition.
“I’m so glad that he’s a Marine,” Godwin said. “My dad was ‘all right, you’re a man. You joined the Marine Corps.’ ”
Gamino joined the corps in August 2002. He volunteered to serve in Iraq from April to October 2003 before being redeployed at the end of January.
“He knew going back this second tour was going to be more realistic,” Godwin said.
His deployment is supposed to be for six to seven months, but the Marines asked if he would volunteer to stay longer, Terri said.
“He said, ‘No, I just want to do my time and hope to God I never have to see this place again,” she said.
Gamino works a dangerous job, delivering ammunition as part of a transportation convoy. They’ve been attacked three or four times already, Godwin said. They work 15-hour shifts, seven days a week, and the 120-degree temperatures make it difficult to sleep.
“He has a bed, and he’s fed. At least I have that,” his mother said.
Making matters more difficult is something even a mom can’t fix – he has a girlfriend.
“He’s lovesick,” Godwin said. “That’s what he’s really missing. He says, ‘I miss my girl.’ ”
Otherwise, Godwin tries to send him packages full of anything he might miss from home: food, socks, CDs and other items. He might be the only soldier in the desert with a sparkling smile.
“I sent him Crest Whitestrips, so he could keep his teeth white,” Godwin said.
The son spares his mother most of the details of his life in Iraq to keep her from worrying too much, she said. Likewise, she pretends not be worried. She knows he will tell her more about Iraq when he returns to American soil.
“He did say, ‘When I do get home, I do have some stories,’ ” she said.
He is a good soldier, she said, and he’s a hero in her eyes, just like his grandfather.
“I know that for a fact.”
