Services for Armando Minor of Crosbyton were held in Ralls Wednesday afternoon. The procession stretched from Ralls to Crosbyton where burial was conducted with full military honors. On the way through Crosbyton to the cemetery, the procession halted and approximately 1,000 Latin-Americans gathered at the Crosby County Courthouse lawn to hear Andres Minor, the father, speak.
Mr. Minor, a peace loving man who has taught his children the same ideals, did not condemn the United States for their participation in the Vietnam War - rather he thanked them for the opportunities he and his family had received.
His short speech in both English and Spanish:
" My dear friends of Crosbyton, I come to you to express my feelings. I have lost a son in Vietnam, a son who belonged to me and also to this town, where he was educated and grew up. My heart aches and suffers, but at the same time, I am very proud of this son, Armando Minor, who served his country well, even unto death. Perhaps some people in Vietnam, thank him also, for he fought for their freedom." I am talking in his place, and I want to thank the town and the people of Crosbyton for the opportunities given to him to educate himself, and to serve this great country to the best of his ability.
"Everyone, under the blue beautiful skies of this country, has a duty to perform. My son, Armando Minor did perform his duty. I always taught him to respect his elders and all authority, and though my heart aches, I am very proud of him, for his honor for the family, Crosbyton and the United States.
"I am a simple man, had very little schooling, all told about 30 days with a teacher by the name of Benito Jimenez of Floresville, Tex.
"I am also a man of peace. I love peace and have taught all my children to do so. As strange as it might sound, my son died fighting for peace, fighting for the peace of unfortunate people, who have knot known peace for a very long time.
"In the name of my son, and in the name of my whole family, I would like to thank God and this country of the United States for the opportunity to serve them both, first God and then the United States, as my son has done.
"This is our ideal for me and my whole family."
Minor, 19, a member of the 101st Airborne Division, was killed in the battle for Hamburger Hill in Vietnam.
A native of Gillette, Minor had attended schools in McAdoo and Crosbyton. He had worked at a convalescent home, for the Department of Agriculture and at the Lorenzo Mills before entering the Army.
Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Andres V. Minor of Crosbyton; six brothers, John of Houston, Andres JR. of Ralls, Ignacio of Crosbyton, Adolph of Lorenzo, Joe of Deerfield, KS and Pfc. Rumaldo Minor, serving with the armed forces in Korea; four sisters, Mrs. Manuela Gonzales of Uvalde, Mrs. Marcelina Cruz of East Afton, Mrs. Juanita Candanosa of McAllen and Connie Minor of Crosbyton.
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