Veterans Voices: Korean War veteran pins his grandson-in-law with Chief’s Anchors
LUNENBURG COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- In September, retired Master Chief Petty Officer Gus Villalobos put on his uniform for only the second time in the last 50 years. The first was on Veterans Day 16 years ago. The now 91-year-old Navy veteran was going to pin Chief’s Anchors on his grandson-in-law, Nick Swartz. “I felt, of course, honored," Villalobos said. It was a family affair. Swartz’s father also helped with the pinning. "His father put one side, I put the other,” Villalobos said. Gus Villalobos pins his grandson-in-law Nick Swartz along with Swartz's father. Fifty-four new chiefs were pinned that day. "When I made chief, I was the only one," Villalobos said. Villalobos was a junior in high school in El Paso, Texas, when he decided he wanted to join the military. He said he didn’t want to go to school anymore, and that he wanted to see the world and be able to help his parents as much as he could financially. So, in 1951, he joined. "You think you know everything, but you learn," he said. "You learn humility.” It seems like he’s been to every corner of the Earth with the Navy. He served in the Korean War, then made stops in California, Key West, Guantanamo Bay, Puerto Rico, Spain, Chile, and his favorite, Paris. "We attended President Reagan’s inauguration in Paris," he said as he recalled one of his fondest memories there. But it was in 1953 in Oahu, Hawaii, working at the Naval radio station, when he met Aggi. "From the moment I saw her, I liked her. I fell in love with her," he said. Gus and Aggi outside of their home in Hawaii in 1953. Aggi was also in the Navy at the time, and they had only known each other for six months before they were married. He said it was when they went to get their marriage license that they learned how old one another was, and that she, now 95, joked that if she'd known he was a few years younger than her, she wouldn't have gone through with it. She retired from the Navy in 1954, and he wasn't too far behind her. But it was after Aggi endured a life-threatening miscarriage that he rejoined. After moving around the world together, two kids in tow, Villalobos officially retired from the Navy in 1974. The two moved to the town of Victoria in Lunenburg County in 1990, the place they’ve lived the longest. "Joining the Navy and then staying in the Navy helped me," he said. "I learned a lot.” He and Aggi are both one of seven siblings, most of who served, and watched other relatives serve throughout their lives. Even seeing dozens get pinned at his grandson-in-law's ceremony, he’s concerned about the decrease in enlisted soldiers today. According to the Department of Defense, 40% of young people had a parent who served in the military in 1995. By 2022, just 12% had a parent who had served. Villalobos has pride in having a member of his family still actively serving. “I’m proud of that," he said. Gus and Aggi in 2024. Aggi and Gus will be celebrating their 71st wedding anniversary in late November, and he plans to spend Veterans Day at his Veterans of Foreign Wars post.
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LUNENBURG COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- In September, retired Master Chief Petty Officer Gus Villalobos put on his uniform for only the second time in the last 50 years. The first was on Veterans Day 16 years ago.
The now 91-year-old Navy veteran was going to pin Chief’s Anchors on his grandson-in-law, Nick Swartz.
“I felt, of course, honored," Villalobos said.
It was a family affair. Swartz’s father also helped with the pinning.
"His father put one side, I put the other,” Villalobos said.
Gus Villalobos pins his grandson-in-law Nick Swartz along with Swartz's father.
Fifty-four new chiefs were pinned that day.
"When I made chief, I was the only one," Villalobos said.
Villalobos was a junior in high school in El Paso, Texas, when he decided he wanted to join the military. He said he didn’t want to go to school anymore, and that he wanted to see the world and be able to help his parents as much as he could financially. So, in 1951, he joined.
"You think you know everything, but you learn," he said. "You learn humility.”
It seems like he’s been to every corner of the Earth with the Navy. He served in the Korean War, then made stops in California, Key West, Guantanamo Bay, Puerto Rico, Spain, Chile, and his favorite, Paris.
"We attended President Reagan’s inauguration in Paris," he said as he recalled one of his fondest memories there.
But it was in 1953 in Oahu, Hawaii, working at the Naval radio station, when he met Aggi.
"From the moment I saw her, I liked her. I fell in love with her," he said.
Gus and Aggi outside of their home in Hawaii in 1953.
Aggi was also in the Navy at the time, and they had only known each other for six months before they were married. He said it was when they went to get their marriage license that they learned how old one another was, and that she, now 95, joked that if she'd known he was a few years younger than her, she wouldn't have gone through with it.
She retired from the Navy in 1954, and he wasn't too far behind her. But it was after Aggi endured a life-threatening miscarriage that he rejoined.
After moving around the world together, two kids in tow, Villalobos officially retired from the Navy in 1974. The two moved to the town of Victoria in Lunenburg County in 1990, the place they’ve lived the longest.
"Joining the Navy and then staying in the Navy helped me," he said. "I learned a lot.”
He and Aggi are both one of seven siblings, most of who served, and watched other relatives serve throughout their lives. Even seeing dozens get pinned at his grandson-in-law's ceremony, he’s concerned about the decrease in enlisted soldiers today.
According to the Department of Defense, 40% of young people had a parent who served in the military in 1995. By 2022, just 12% had a parent who had served.
Villalobos has pride in having a member of his family still actively serving.
“I’m proud of that," he said.
Gus and Aggi in 2024.
Aggi and Gus will be celebrating their 71st wedding anniversary in late November, and he plans to spend Veterans Day at his Veterans of Foreign Wars post.
