Korean War veteran finally gets medals

RedlandsDailyFacts: Korean War veteran finally gets medals

SAN BERNARDINO - There are three years in 82-year-old Rudolph Cebalos Guzman's life that he can't remember anything good about.
They fall between 1950 and 1953 and include what was known as the Truman Year after President Harry S. Truman reinstituted the draft.

"It was just a lot of bad experience," said the white-haired, white-mustachioed San Bernardino man, from his draft notice and basic training at Fort Ord to his service in the Korean War to his discharge at Camp Stoneman, another California base.

The reminiscing Tuesday afternoon was brought on by his daughter, Donna Guzman of Tucson, Ariz.

She wanted to surprise her father with the gift of his medals, which he did not receive when he was honorably

Rudolph Guzman, 82, stands outside his home in San Bernardino on Tuesday. Guzman was awarded three medals for his service in the Korean War. (Gabriel Luis Acosta/Staff Photographer)discharged from his life in the Army. But she had second thoughts and "didn't want to open a can of worms," so she called dad first and asked his permission.
"I really love my dad," she said.

He gave his OK and she said he was pleased by her interest in his earlier life.

She contacted her congresswoman, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who started the machinery going to get the elder Guzman's hard-earned medals - the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with two bronze service stars and United Nations Service Medal.

This was before the Jan. 8 tragedy in Tucson that killed six people and wounded 13, including Giffords with a through-and-through bullet wound to her head.

C.J. Karamargin, a spokesman for Giffords' office, said helping veterans obtain their medals and records of service is one of Giffords' favorite activities and she usually presided over the ceremonies.

Karamargin said Giffords' district is home to the ninth largest group of veterans among the members of the House.

On Tuesday afternoon in Tucson, retired Gen. John Wickham, a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars and Army chief of staff under President Ronald Reagan, presented Guzman's medals to Donna.

While the ceremony was under way, her father was at his home of 50 years, a residence he bought with a Cal-Vet loan in June 1960. It's probably the best thing he remembers about his service.

"The interest was low and they helped," he said.

His memories as an infantryman in the 2nd Division - the soldiers called it the "second-to-none" - are dark.

"The way the people were treated. The terrible conditions," he said.

"We were sleeping in bunkers and eating out of cans," he said.

And he carried the M-1 rifle and sometimes a carbine.

"It was a bad experience. Everything was hurry up and wait. You stand in line for breakfast and then it's time to get in line for lunch and sometimes you didn't get lunch."

There wasn't time to make friends, he said, "It was all passing through. They kept us on the move."

He and his wife have three daughters and a son, with Donna the youngest, and seven grandchildren.

After his discharge he worked at Norton Air Force Base and after it closed, he worked as a plasterer.

He didn't use the GI Bill for education and Cal-Vet was a better deal than the GI Bill if you entered service from California.

"No, I didn't use (the GI Bill)," he said. "I just got my discharge and mustering out pay."

His memories hold no pleasure for him but they have given his daughter plenty to be proud of.