173rd Airborne Honors Families of Men Who Gave All

Pete Arnold was walking three feet behind Alexander D. Rodarte Jr. along a rural Vietnamese trail when they were hit by sniper fire. Rodarte was killed instantly. That was 30 years ago this year.

Next week, Arnold, who lives in Kansas, will get his first chance to meet his friend’s mother, Esther Rodarte of Whittier, at a reunion of the 173rd Airborne Brigade at the Hilton Hotel in Anaheim.

The 173rd holds a reunion each year, but this one has special meaning for its members from Southern California. It’s the first time the reunion has been held in this area. And at the encouragement of people like Pete Arnold, the Army paratrooper brigade will honor families of its members killed in Vietnam.

The 173rd Airborne was sent to South Vietnam as an advisory group. It was supposed to be there a few weeks. Instead, it remained for seven years. Nearly 500 veterans of the 173rd are scheduled to attend events at the Hilton, July 10-14.

Ray Ramirez, who works for the city of Commerce, says he’s been to all but one of the reunions in the last dozen years--he missed that one for his son’s high school graduation. This year also marks his personal 30th anniversary since his days in Vietnam.

“This reunion is a chance to see old friends, and sometimes find friends you thought had died,” Ramirez says. “It’s a bond that you just never forget.”

Gene C. McKinney, the sergeant major of the Army, its highest enlisted position, will be the keynote speaker. He proudly wears the silver wings of the 173rd. Special honors will be bestowed on 173rd Airborne vet Patrick Sheane Duncan. He’s not a household name, but he’s someone you’re bound to be hearing more about. Duncan wrote the screenplay for “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” as well as the screenplay for the upcoming “Courage Under Fire,” starring Denzel Washington and Meg Ryan.

The dinner for family members of 173rd paratroopers killed is Thursday night. Esther Rodarte says she’s looking forward not only to meeting Pete Arnold, but also for the first time, her son’s patrol leader, Frank Martinez of San Antonio, Texas. I talked with her by telephone, and she never stopped crying the entire conversation--30 years has done nothing to end the pain of losing her son to the Vietnam War.

She told me: “For years after that, when we’d be in the car, I’d tell my husband, take me home. I don’t want to be gone in case Alexander is trying to reach me. I just couldn’t accept that he was dead.”

She adds: “When my son made the paratroopers, he wrote to us, ‘I got my silver wings, Dad, with your name.’ ” His father, who died in 1988, was Alexander Sr.

Rodarte says she was so proud, because her son was among the first Latinos to make paratrooper. But she never knew he was in combat. He didn’t tell her because he didn’t want to worry her. He was the point man in his platoon.

Writes Arnold: “He was a fine soldier who has never received his due recognition.” Alexander D. Rodarte Jr. was 19 when he died.

Special Moms & Others: It’s well past Mother’s Day, but I’d like to note a couple of recent contests about mothers.

One is from Round Table West in Newport Beach, a group dedicated to getting people to read more, and write more. Its contest winner was Allison Johnson of Aliso Viejo, who wrote about her mother handling her flower garden and her granddaughter with the same delicacy.

I loved this line of Johnson’s: “In my daughter’s face I see my own. I see my mother in her eyes, my grandmother in her cheeks. I see the faces of all the women in my family--dandelion pickers, playmates, sisters, daughters, mothers, friends.”

Another contest was “Why Mom Deserves a Diamond,” from Gallery of Diamonds in Costa Mesa.

It holds the contest annually for schoolchildren. This line came from Lauren Kiang of La Paz Intermediate School in Mission Viejo, one of the two main winners:

“Silhouettes come dancing toward me

“Then suddenly they disappear

“As she flicks on the light

“Her soothing smile, her comforting voice

“And the monsters are all gone.”

No Four Stars for the Halos: Sports Illustrated this week takes a look at the food offering at all 28 major league baseball parks. Here’s how its writer and taste-tester, Steve Rushin, rated the food at Anaheim Stadium:

“Gotta Try: The cinnamon rolls, irredeemably unhealthful and spackled with frosting.

“Avoid: Any of the many piscatory offerings, which include a variety of sushi. To be safe, don’t even watch Angels outfielder Tim Salmon.”

“Beer List: Try the Corona with a wedge of lime for a quintessential SoCal experience.”

For you Dodger fans, Rushin notes the reason Dodger Dogs beat the competition: Grilled instead of steamed.

Add Moose: Dedicated Angel fans no doubt remember Moose Stubing, the once towering third base coach. Rushin in Sports Illustrated tells this one about him: “A plane buzzed the Big A trailing a banner advertising a local appearance by singer Jimmy Buffett. Stubing asked: ‘What’s the big deal about Jimmy’s buffet?”’

Wrap-Up: Jack Price of Orange County, where are you?

Price got his 15 minutes of fame in a big way when he was a lieutenant with the 173rd Airborne in Vietnam 30 years ago. After he was wounded, Playboy magazine sent its 1965 Playmate of the Year, Jo Collins, to Vietnam to deliver to him a lifetime subscription, which made headlines at the time.

Organizers of the 173rd Airborne reunion want Price back, because the 1995 Playmate of the Year, Stacy Sanches, will be a special guest. For those of you who loathe Playboy, you have to bear in mind: It was war, and these guys were a long way from home.

The reunion people had two Orange County addresses for Price, Huntington Beach and Fullerton, but he’s moved from both. If you’re a friend of Price’s, you might want to let him know he’s a wanted man.

Jerry Hicks’ column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Readers may reach Hicks by calling the Times Orange County Edition at (714) 966-7823 or by fax (714) 966-7711, or e-mail Jerry.Hicks@latimes.com