Our Take: Everyone has a Sgt. Zapata to help them

  Everybody has someone in their life who special to them. A certain someone who can be counted on to get them through the tough times in life.

For U.S. Army veteran Gus Albritton, who recently retired from being a volunteer at the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center, that person was Sgt. Carlos Zapata. Albritton talked about his sergeant during last Monday’s Memorial Day program held at the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center.

Sgt. Zap, which is the name they usually called him, made a frightening first impression on Albritton, telling him to do what he said or he would send him home in a body bag.

Albritton did what he was told, walking point, setting up an ambush and walking flank. But he hated Sgt. Zap.

Before he knew it, Albritton’s time was up and he returned to America. Three weeks after Albritton left Vietnam, his sergeant was killed while getting off a helicopter to lead his men. Sgt. Zap had saved Albritton’s life eight times during his year in Vietnam.

On Monday, Albritton said his name was not on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall in Washington, D.C. because of Sgt. Zap.

“I’m amazed at how God puts people in your path,” Albritton said. “God gave me the best. He gave me a man who knew what he was doing and never told me wrong. He gave all of his tomorrows so that you and I could have (Memorial Day).” 

As we remember those who died serving our country, let us not forget those who stormed the beaches in Normandy almost 80 years ago this Thursday (June 6). There is no doubt that there were men like Sgt. Zap leading their men forward to fight that day.

Albritton’s story is a reminder that we all have that special someone who pushed us to be more than we thought we could be. We may not understand at the time, but we eventually come around to seeing how much they meant to us. It is our job to salute them and tell their story, one that should continue to push us through any trial we come upon because we have been taught by the best.