Ernest Gallego Autobiography

The year is 2005, here sits a man by the name of Ernest E. Gallego. He currently wears prescription glasses, his hair white and receded, and very modestly dressed. A dark colored button down short sleeve shirt and light gray colored dress pants, held up by a black belt. His age 79, date of birth November 14, 1925 in East Los Angeles, CA, Hispanic male born of legally Immigrant parents, and a total of six male siblings. He being “number four in the packing order.” He attended Garfield High School in East Los Angeles; were he was involved in sports: track and cross country. “I was not fluent and I couldn 't speak English when I started Kindergarten. (smiles) Nothing but Spanish, OK.” His father passed away on the 24th of January, 1942. “Just about six …show more content…
Same Garfield High School. They were going to graduate the week after my father died. My father had bought a new suit to go to their graduation, he was buried in that suit. The two boys number two and number three had to come straight home, obviously. One week after their father died. No celebration, no nothing.” Within the year, “all three of my older brothers went into the service.” One of his brothers, Hector was sent home early form service. “He had a trick knee, so he had to come home. It was a good thing because he supported my mother all through the war.” Frank who was the oldest, “went into the sea bee 's (CB) voluntarily.” His other brother Oscar was drafted. “ He was special services, enlisted man, ended up in France during the war.” He was at the time still in high school, in the eleventh grade. “When I graduated from high school, at the age of 17 and ½.” This was the summer of '43. “A neighbor and I, same age, we went to the recruiting. We both wanted to fly. We went to the recruiting station to enlist. We were afraid the war might end, before we could get a piece of the action.” The Army couldn 't enlist anyone under 18. “It was the Army Air Force in those days, there was no US Air