Published Aug 13, 2026, 12:45 PM EDT
Sgt. Juan Gonzalez Castillo waited decades for his military awards. Now, he has them.
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Published Aug 13, 2026, 12:45 PM EDT
Former U.S. Army Sgt. Juan Gonzalez Castillo served honorably decades ago in one of the nation's bloodiest conflicts, but years went by without his service being properly recognized. That recently changed without his knowledge, and on his birthday no less. Castillo is a resident of the small town of Tynan, located within Bee County, Texas. He served with the 196th Infantry Brigade in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970 before leaving the Army in 1971, according to KRIS 6 TV out of Corpus Christi. He suffered multiple wounds during his military tenure but never received the medals he deserved for his actions. But with the efforts of local officials, a custom shadow box was presented to Castillo that reportedly brought him to tears. It also caught him completely off guard, culminating 56 years of waiting. "What more can I ask now that everything is finally complete with my medals that took 56 years," Castillo told KRIS TV. "I've got to keep on going. Thank you all very much, and may God bless all of you."
