Selected Interview Segments: Wanda F. Garcia

  
  
  

Wanda F. Garcia,
Wife of Dr. Hector P. Garcia
Copyright 2007 South Texas Public Broadcasting System, INC.

Q: Do you remember the day when you first met Hector?

A: Oh, yes! Yes. It was strange. I was working in my office and one of my girlfriends told me that she wanted to introduce somebody to me. So I went there after work, and there he was. And ever since then, he never let me alone. He kept on coming, and he took us to picnics, driving a big ambulance because he was in the medical corps. And then we were all going together, my brothers, myself, my girlfriends, boyfriends. We had a lot of fun.

Q: What did you think about him? You had met this American in the medical corps, what made you interested in him?

A: I learned things from him that I could never get any place else in the entire world. He was so intelligent, and he had a way about him that I think I learned things on how to deal with people, from every single class of life, from the very rich to the very poor. He treated everyone the same. And, I think I learned a lot from him about how to deal with people and how to treat everyone and treat everyone with respect.

Q: And, on the other side, what about the worst part of having him as founder of the American G. I. Forum?

A: I don't know, maybe his character. Maybe because he loved to talk about things I was interested in. Well, he was a little intimidating in the beginning, because he was older. And we were all young people. But anyway, we started to like him very much, but as far as coming here to America, I didn't make up my mind that suddenly. I had to have some time to think. But finally I decided, yes, I would give him a chance. In fact, he left and then he came back from Germany. Bringing his permit of marriage. I didn't know anything about it. He said he had already got the army permit so we were going to get married. So I did marry him.

Q: Was there any consideration by your family members or any discussion about the fact that he was a Mexican-American?

A: No, we didn't know that. We never talked about that. We knew that in this country there were people that came from different part of Europe. We thought he had come from Spain. So, but we--he never said and he never mentioned Mexico. I thought he was from Spain.

Q: When did he begin to explain to you what his mission was, and how did he explain it?

A: He didn't. He just started to work about it. In the beginning, he didn't do much. He was just a doctor trying to establish himself. And then we started going out and visiting the United States because he wanted me to learn this country. And then, of course, things just fell in place. And I understood what he wanted to do. I loved him to do everything he wanted.

Q: How was life different before 1948 when the G.I. Forum didn't exist and after 1948?

A: Well, he was only a doctor at that time, I enjoyed that. Then after the G.I. Forum, well, he didn't do too much at the beginning. It was later, especially after that incident of the Private Longoria that was denied burial. But that's when he really started to work. And he really got into civil rights because of that. But he was just at the beginning he just wanted to assure the veterans admission to the veteran hospital. But after the private Longoria case, then he started to work on civil rights.

Q: Why do you think he made that change from just being a doctor, to fighting for civil rights? Was it because he was so angry?

A: I think he was very angry, but he thought that he could do something. It wasn't just to get revenge or something. It was because he really wanted to help people. All kinds of people. Those that were even the blacks, you know, not only the Mexican-Americans. He wanted to do for all minorities.

Q: You accompanied him, went out with him to set up the new chapters of the G.I. Forum.

A: yes

Q: Can you tell me about that? Where did you go and what did you do when you were on the road?

A: We were just married and we wanted to be together. He was going out of town almost every Sunday, every weekend. Instead of having a vacation for himself, he would go and organize. I would go with him. And we went to all these little towns around the city, talking to so many people. I couldn't even understand because they didn't speak any English. And I started to help him because I wanted to. Well, I would go the meetings, I would pass out leaflets and things. But I cannot claim that I've done that much. He was the one.

Q: I'm sure it meant a great deal to him that you were helping him.

A: Oh, yes! He enjoyed it. In fact, he would confide in me and tell me at times his frustration, or the joys and things. But he would tell me all about it and I loved him, so I would go along.

Q: Many people only know Hector from his public image, going to the White House, and making people think about new ideas. You knew him as a husband, and as a father. What was the difference between the Hector that everyone saw, and the Hector that you knew?

A: Well, I don't think there was much difference, really. He was a father for the children and a husband. But there was not much difference. He was not really full of himself or anything. He was a very modest man. He was no different from anybody.

Q: This is sort of a philosophical question, what did it mean to be an American to him?

A: To him? He loved this country, really. And to be an American meant to him just about what he has done. You know, to help others to achieve the American dream. And be able to buy a house and, you know, have a good job and retire with some money set aside. He loved this country. He loved the flag. I was really impressed because he wasn't born here in the United States. But he loved the United States, as if it was his own country. And he got his citizenship and he fought-the war-for four years of his life. And he was very happy.

Q: So was the opportunity for freedom the opportunity to be free, that's what made him-

A: Yes, yes. That's what he liked about this country. Freedom is for everybody. Everybody's equal. Everybody is entitled to a good life and to be free. That's what he liked the most, you don't find that in any other country I don't think, not to the point that this country has.