NewsWhore
07-23-2009, 04:20 PM
A US soldier from the 82nd Air Division, part of the contingent that arrived when President Lyndon B Johnson sent troops to Santo Domingo to defeat the efforts to restore Juan Bosch's government in April 1965.
Four Dominicans were on the verge of being executed, but he stopped the shooting by his fellow soldiers, despite their higher rank, and instead told the rebels to "go home".
"I was exhausted and looking ahead, a bit detached from the rest, when suddenly we were attacked by a small group of rebels. Their bullets were all around... I found myself walking down a dark alley," says Joseph Casanova, who was only 19 years old at the time, and had only heard of the country in connection with former dictator Trujillo.
"I was walking down that alley when I saw two US soldiers 30 feet from me, with their hands on their heads. I noticed four rebels behind them," he wrote in a text sent to Listin Diario.
He said that he ran around the corner quickly to get into a better position to surprise the rebels and ordered them to put down their arms.
"I was standing there with my weapon waiting for them to obey my order. It seemed to last forever, but it was only 15 seconds. 15 hellish seconds! Luckily the four rebels decided to put down their arms," he recalls.
He says he then took them prisoner and his fellow soldiers of the 82nd Division, a captain and a first sergeant, took the maps and other items that the Dominicans had confiscated, and the captain raised his weapon to execute them.
Casanova, convinced that it was not correct, chose to mediate between the unarmed rebels and the officer and his M-16 rifle. He recalls looking the captain in the eye and begging him to lower his gun.
"Sir, why don't we forget all this and let them go and we continue on our way?" he said to the officer.
The captain agreed, took a few steps back, but then again lifted the weapon and pointed at the rebels who were literally caught between life and death.
"Quickly, I used my rifle to lower his gun and to remind him about our agreement. The rebels quickly made off," he says.
But he was caught by surprise when the officer, uncomfortable about what had happened, pointed one of the confiscated guns at him. Casanova assured him that there would be no more problems, and then the captain and sergeant left. Casanova says he heard no more of the men even though he was stationed in Santo Domingo for six months in 1965.
Now Casanova would like to meet the rebels who he says were about 20 years old and Caucasian, but he was not so sure because it was dark.
"I have not been able to forget that summer of 65," recalls the soldier, who was born in the Bronx. His parents are Puerto Rican.
He says he would like to meet the men again to close a chapter in his life.
"They asked my name before taking off: "I am Casanova of the 82nd Division," he told them. "They blessed my name and humbly thanked me," he said. "They said they would never forget me."
If anyone knows of tips to find the men, he can be contacted at 50 Kipp Lane lot No. 3, Hudson, New York 12534, Tel 518-828-6912.
To follow up, write to the journalist who reported on the story in Listin Diario at javier.valdivia@listindiario.com
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#10)
Four Dominicans were on the verge of being executed, but he stopped the shooting by his fellow soldiers, despite their higher rank, and instead told the rebels to "go home".
"I was exhausted and looking ahead, a bit detached from the rest, when suddenly we were attacked by a small group of rebels. Their bullets were all around... I found myself walking down a dark alley," says Joseph Casanova, who was only 19 years old at the time, and had only heard of the country in connection with former dictator Trujillo.
"I was walking down that alley when I saw two US soldiers 30 feet from me, with their hands on their heads. I noticed four rebels behind them," he wrote in a text sent to Listin Diario.
He said that he ran around the corner quickly to get into a better position to surprise the rebels and ordered them to put down their arms.
"I was standing there with my weapon waiting for them to obey my order. It seemed to last forever, but it was only 15 seconds. 15 hellish seconds! Luckily the four rebels decided to put down their arms," he recalls.
He says he then took them prisoner and his fellow soldiers of the 82nd Division, a captain and a first sergeant, took the maps and other items that the Dominicans had confiscated, and the captain raised his weapon to execute them.
Casanova, convinced that it was not correct, chose to mediate between the unarmed rebels and the officer and his M-16 rifle. He recalls looking the captain in the eye and begging him to lower his gun.
"Sir, why don't we forget all this and let them go and we continue on our way?" he said to the officer.
The captain agreed, took a few steps back, but then again lifted the weapon and pointed at the rebels who were literally caught between life and death.
"Quickly, I used my rifle to lower his gun and to remind him about our agreement. The rebels quickly made off," he says.
But he was caught by surprise when the officer, uncomfortable about what had happened, pointed one of the confiscated guns at him. Casanova assured him that there would be no more problems, and then the captain and sergeant left. Casanova says he heard no more of the men even though he was stationed in Santo Domingo for six months in 1965.
Now Casanova would like to meet the rebels who he says were about 20 years old and Caucasian, but he was not so sure because it was dark.
"I have not been able to forget that summer of 65," recalls the soldier, who was born in the Bronx. His parents are Puerto Rican.
He says he would like to meet the men again to close a chapter in his life.
"They asked my name before taking off: "I am Casanova of the 82nd Division," he told them. "They blessed my name and humbly thanked me," he said. "They said they would never forget me."
If anyone knows of tips to find the men, he can be contacted at 50 Kipp Lane lot No. 3, Hudson, New York 12534, Tel 518-828-6912.
To follow up, write to the journalist who reported on the story in Listin Diario at javier.valdivia@listindiario.com
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#10)