Hernandez serves two terms in Vietnam

Veteran Frank Hernandez of Manila served four years, 1966-1970, in the U.S. Navy followed by two years of inactive reserve.

Hernandez did two tours in Vietnam which left memories that are not easy to forget by the men and women who were there in the war zones.

Hernandez was raised in Mobile, Ala., graduating high school in 1965. He was working at Mobile Shipyard when he received his Draft notice.

Veteran Frank Hernandez serves in the U.S. Navy.

“I wanted to see what there was to see and I chose to join the Navy,” Frank said.

Hernandez was always mechanically inclined. Even as a child, he enjoyed taking things apart and putting them back together. Then and now, whatever he is working on, he makes sure there are no parts left over.

Following his Navy training at Great Lakes, Ill., he became an Engineman.

He served on the ship, Terrell County, a Landing Ship Tank, which was homeported in Yokosuka, Japan, for one and a half years. He was one of about 700 crew members.

The ship would go south into the active war zone. Frank’s job was to keep anything mechanical in good working condition.

After the first tour, Hernandez was back in the states in Coronado, Calif., where he was attached to a special warfare group.

It was during this time that he met his future wife, Yvonne Zabala. While Hernandez was stationed in California he contacted his aunt who happened to be married to Yvonne’s uncle. They decided to wait until he returned to marry and the rest is history. The couple married in July of 1970, just after Hernandez’s service.

Hernandez left for his second tour in the war zone at Ben Luc in the Mekong Delta region, the southern part of Vietnam.

Most of their operations were done after midnight. One of his jobs was to service and maintain boats.

“We were all so young,” he said. “We lost two of our young men. One was among the youngest of our crew. He was only 19 years old. We were called BUDs.”

Hernandez said it was very solemn when he found their names on his visit to the Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C.

Hernandez said the Vietnam veterans did not get the respect of the American people while they were there or when they came home.

“In my opinion, we got in too deep and our government did not have the intention to win,” he said. “In World War I and World War II we got involved, ”kicked butt” to win and when we won, they came home. There was no win in Vietnam. We lost 58,000 in Vietnam. We did a lot of growing up in that era. Even our officer was probably only 23 years old.”

Hernandez said there are still times, even after 50 years, when something will come on the television and he has to shut it down.

“Really, it stays with you forever,” he said. “There are scars that can’t be seen but remain.”

When asked if he would do it again, he said he would. Hernandez said, “When you have been there you really appreciate living in America more.”

The Navy training he received has benefited him throughout his life. When he returned from the military, he used his GI Bill to go to school in Memphis to learn to work on airplanes.

From Los Angeles, Calif., to Memphis, Tenn., to Black Oak, Ark., has been quite a circle. After school in Memphis, Frank and Yvonne moved to Black Oak where Frank went to work for John Charles Bright. Bright bought wrecked airplanes and Hernandez rebuilt them to sell.

Later he worked for the Razorback Service at the Manila Airport, Sharp Aviation, and then owned and operated Aero-Tech in Blytheville Airport for 19 years. He used his experience in the Navy and his training in Memphis to go on to earn an A&P certification and also became an inspector. He mainly worked on twin engine aircraft and single engine aircraft, light corporate jets, and helicopters. After that, he worked for 12 years as an instructor teaching others how to work on airplanes at Arkansas Northeastern College.

One of his joys at ANC was sharing his knowledge with the students in the aviation classes. He retired in 2020.

Naturally, Hernandez’s hobby now includes working on outboard motors and spending time fishing.

“Right now, America is trying to get involved with this war that is going on now,” Hernandez said. “As a grandfather, I hope this does not lead to bringing back the Draft.”