Tony Cruz:
CLASS OF 1968
Seaside High SchoolClass of 1968
Seaside, CA
Golden Gate University - TechnologyClass of 1994
San francisco, CA
California State UniversityClass of 1988
Los angeles, CA
Monterey High SchoolClass of 1968
Monterey, CA
Fremont Junior High SchoolClass of 1966
Seaside, CA
Tony's Story
Life
I gave my life to Jesus Christ in 2003 (edited 100313 - rather the Lord God, through His Son Jesus Christ and his undeserved and unmerited grace turned around this life He has given me, from living for the world, my own selfish pride and sinful ways) ; God called me to draw close to Him as I never had been before (Previously, I had purposefully avoided anything having to do with truly accepting God's will) -- and I answered. It is the most important decision I have ever made in my life, to not trust in things of this world -- but to place all my trust, faith, and hope in Christ, the Son of God, and be guided by His Holy Spirit, in spirit and in truth. Because He loved me first, there was/is nothing I could ever do to pay for my sins. ONLY by Jesus' death on the cross, His resurrection, God's wonderful love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace, have I repented, turned from my sins, am accepted, approved, justified, sanctified, and intertwined with Christ. I found that true happiness in life is not in women, cars, doing all the things I want, rationalizing wrongs, having millions of dollars, having the most toys; pleasing my own carnal and fleshly attitudes and desires. It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing in life. True happiness is only found in Jesus Christ, the only true Saviour; who is yet to come again and set this world right. Praise God for His sovereign will. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17). It took me a very long time to realize that nothing I did or could do could ever make me right with God, for all the wrongs I had ever done -- only by the blood of Jesus am I saved. Jesus did it all on the cross; he died so I may live. What a joy I have in Christ KNOWING that HE has paid for my sins, not because I deserve it, nor by anything I have done (nor can do of myself) -- it is by the grace, mercy, and love that I have (though undeservedly) from God through Jesus Christ.
Jesus doesn't ask 'are you sorry?' nor 'will you promise never to do that again?,' Jesus Christ only wants each one of us, to obey His word (the Bible), to ask for forgiveness and therefore repentance for sins, and give Him our heart and that being given, all the rest will follow, through faith, hope, and perseverance.
And, yes, we do obey, and yes, we do repent. We know that any vows and conduct, on our part, are not what can earn us eternal live with Jesus. It is not what we do, but what Jesus has done for us. Our love from Him and for what He has done for us on the cross and His undeserved grace are what we accept, know, and live in our hearts each day. Salvation to eternal life is not by our works (what we do), we cannot earn it. Jesus, our Savior and Almighty God know our hearts.
God's works have no end, and the living in Him continues each day, as we obey Jesus' command to follow Him. As we seek Him each day, we are renewed in His grace.
I am blessed to be also married to a wonderful woman who is also saved In Christ.
School
Attended both Monterey and Seaside High Schools. I was an emanicated minor at age 16.
College
Going to Cal State Los Angeles was an adventure, while working full time and studying electrical engineering. Also attended Golden Gate University (San Francisco) to study telecommunications management.
Workplace
Career - Telecommunications, Internet, Wireless, IP Intelligence, technology consultant, analyst, and sales engineer.
Military
Viet Nam (Cu Chi - 554th Engineer Batallion, 25th Infantry Division) and drill sergeant at both Fort Ord, CA and Fort Jackson, SC
______________
*6 March 1969
Memorandum for Record
Subject: Ground attack on HOTEL Sector, Cu Chi Base Camp by NVA
Forces on 26 February 1969
02...Expand for more
00 - 1LT Stares, the Officer of the Guard, called DISCOM for flare support, received it, and reported a negative sighting.
0330 - 1LT Stares fired hand flares and M-79 rounds at enemy in wire and again reported a negative sighting.
0400 - RPG and SA fire received in A and D Company areas.
- DISCOM called alert for ground attack - 554 siren sounded.
- SP5 Johnson of D Company while enroute to showers was shot and killed by NVA.
- SP5 Jackson and SP5 Goodale of A Company were killed by enemy RPG and SA fire in company area.
- Companies were notified to reinforce secondary line on perimeter.
- Bunker 66 was blown by satchel charges from NVA forces - SP4 Koski and SP4
Tennant were KIA, SP4 Ervie WIA. This report was not confirmed until 0630.
0410 - Two NVA killed in A Company area - one of these was seriously wounded and later died about 0500.
- Two NVA killed in D Company area, one by 1LT Benson. The other was killed in motor pool area. He was carrying satchel charges -- because of this it was at first thought the body was booby-trapped. This was later disproven.
- Incoming mortar round from Vinh Cu village hit helicopter rearm point behind bunker 63 and 64. This caused secondary explosions to continue until
approximately 1300 hours.
0415 - RPG hit roof of EM barracks in C Company area.
- C Company went to man secondary positions behind bunkers 70-73. When 5-ton dump truck stopped to unload 1st platoon personnel, 2 RPGs were fired at point blank range killing 4 US: PFC Alferink, SP4 Barnett, SP4 Pearson, and SP4
Quigley. Five others were seriously wounded. Captain Calekÿs driver, SP4 Taylor, killed this NVA with SA.
- Two water trucks destroyed by RPG fire near Company A showers.
- Companies A, B, C, and D in position on secondary line.
- One NVA killed by RPG misfire as he attempted to destroy bunker in A Company.
- SP5 Williams of C Company killed one NVA moving toward perimeter road from 3/4 Cav area.
0418 - Medics called to evacuate C Company killed and wounded.
0420 - A Company barracks belonging to 515th Asphalt Platoon destroyed by PRG and satchel charges.
0430 - NVA deployed themselves between bunker 69 and 70 in drainage ditch.
SSG Covington and SSG Bailey crossed perimeter road to their front and fired at the enemy. NVA returned AK-47 fire and hit SSG Covington. At this time 1LT Titus crossed road to aid SSG Covington who later died of his wounds. SP5 Brown, SP4 Maxwell, and 1LT Titus evacuated SSG Covington, after throwing several hand grenades at the enemy position. SSG Bailey provided covering fire
this whole time.
- 1LT Stares and SP5 Brown assaulted and killed two NVA beside bunker 69 with hand grenades and SA fire.
0435 - Personnel in bunker 64 knocked out enemy machine gun firing from village with M-79 fire (no BC).
0615 - Elements of A Company were responsible for capturing several (6) prisoners of war.
0620 - Headquarters Company started sweep of battalion area for NVA stragglers, booby traps, satchel charges, etc.
0745 - DISCOM called a stand-down and all units dispersed back to their area.
- EOD team arrived on bunkerline to clear area for sweep.
0750 - D Company platoon led by 1LT Benson made a sweep of bunkerline area. Many blood trails were found leading to Vinh Cu village. Protective barbed wire was completely cut through by NVA sappers between bunker 69 and 70. At bunker 66 the two innermost wire barriers had been cut.
0800 - Headquarters Company sweep team reported negative findings.
RESULTS: 10 US KIA, 29 US WIA; 11 NVA KIA (BC); 6 NVA POW
Captured 6 AK-47s, 1 pair of wirecutters, one 9mm pistol, one RPG-2 launcher, an unknown number of SA rounds, RPG rounds, ChiCom grenades, homemade satchel charges, and several documents identifying enemy units and individual soldiers.
Signed: David D. Zaus, 1 LT, SIGC, S2
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