Alamogordo,
Mar 6, 2004 -
Ellis Neel - A larger-than expected crowd gathers for the dedication of the Sgt. Willie Estrada Memorial Civic Center Saturday.
March 6, 2004, is a day the Estrada family will remember for a long time. And the words that are now atop the former Alamogordo Civic Center will help remind others as well.
Under the bright blue New Mexico sky, family and friends along with dozens of residents and Korean War veterans honored Sgt. Willie Estrada by renaming the Alamogordo Civic Center for him.
Sgt. Willie Estrada was killed in action, in what many consider to be one of the most heroic battles of the Korean War, on Sept. 22, 1952. For more than 50 years, Estrada’s friends and family worked for a memorial to his heroism, and on Saturday that dream came true.
Many in attendance at the ceremony were Korean War veterans themselves. Myron Stuffelbeam was wounded in action in Korea on Aug. 13, 1950, less than a month after arriving in theater. He was at Saturday’s event in hopes of speaking with Estrada’s sister, Connie Estrada Scroggins. In his hand, Stuffelbeam carried a book filled with the names of all of the recipients of the Purple Heart from the Korean War.
“I wanted to see if she has seen this,” Stuffelbeam said.
The Holloman Air Force Base Honor Guard, along with the Alamogordo High School Junior ROTC Color Guard presented the colors at the beginning of the ceremony, which was covered by KUPR radio. The event featured Alamogordo Mayor Don Carroll, City Commissioner Don Cooper and New Mexico Secretary of Veteran Services John Garcia.
In his speech, Garcia assured the Estrada family that he would do everything he could to help the family in their efforts to get a posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor awarded to Estrada. Currently, Estrada has been honored with the United States’ second highest award of honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, along with many others including the Purple Heart. Many in the audience agreed that Estrada deserved the Medal of Honor, including Stuffelbeam.
“I think he should have got the Congressional Medal of Honor,” Stuffelbeam said. “And I think he may get it yet.”
Also in attendance at the event were Brig. Gen. James P. Hunt, base commander at Holloman; Rep. Gloria Vaughn; Mayor Pro-Tem Ron Griggs; Commissioners Inez Moncada and Ed Cole; and representatives from Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.); Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.); and Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.).
Applause rang out from the audience when the curtain that covered Estrada’s name on the civic center was removed, and a tank stationed in the parking lot raised its cannon in salute.
Estrada was commanding a tank when he was killed in combat. Estrada fought so bravely that, according to reports, the enemy he fought wrote “brave fighter” on the tank in which he died.
After the blessing of the building, conducted by Father Bryant Hausfeld of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, the crowd was entertained with music until the end of the ceremony.
The city intends to see that other Alamogordo servicemen will not be forgotten. A planned “Wall of Honor” inside the Civic Center will honor all those from Alamogordo who have given their lives for their country.
