FEATURED: Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen, during his tour of duty as a U.S. Marine combat squad leader in Vietnam from 1966 through 1968, and Col. Frank Plummer, during the Veterans Day event in McAllen on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. Hinojosa and Plummer are among the estimated 50,000 veterans – with about 24,000 having service-related disabilities – living in South Texas, including the Rio Grande Valley.
COURTESY PHOTOGRAPHS
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As America’s 250th anniversary approaches, combat veterans Sen. Juan Hinojosa and Col. Frank Plummer honored by the City of McAllen at Valley’s iconic Veteran’s War Memorial of Texas
“Veterans have been crucial to the United States from its founding, fighting the Revolutionary War, shaping its governance through civic leadership, driving economic growth post-WWII, and establishing key institutions like the Veterans Administration, while also influencing national policy through veteran organizations and contributing skilled labor and leadership to all sectors, cementing their role in building and maintaining the nation’s fabric.”
By DAVID A. DÍAZ
[email protected]
As America’s 250th anniversary approaches on Saturday, July 4, 2026, combat veterans Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen, and Col. Frank Plummer are among the estimated 50,000 veterans – with about 24,000 having service-related disabilities – living in South Texas, includingthe Rio Grande Valley.
On Tuesday, November 11, 2025, as part of Veterans Day, the two men were honored for their military and public service by the City of McAllen during a ceremony held at the iconic Veteran’s War Memorial of Texas, which is located at 3129 Galveston Avenue in McAllen.
McAllen City Commissioner District 6 José R. “Pepe” Cabeza de Vaca, through a city proclamation he authored, established “Col. Frank Slater Plummer and Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa Day” on Wednesday, November 5, 2025.
“The men, women and children of our community continue to honor our U.S. veterans, brave individuals who sacrificed themselves and time from friends and family, served in unfamiliar territory, during war and peace, not knowing if they would return to their family alive,” Cabeza de Vaca noted. “The McAllen City Commission would like to express deep appreciation to these two local heroes, who served our country so valiantly, and who continue to share their experiences with other generations in the name of history, education, and honor.”
Texas Regional Bank hosted the Veterans Day ceremony to honor the service and sacrifice of local veterans in McAllen. The event brought the community together in pride and gratitude for those who served in our nation’s armed forces.
Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Tuesday, November 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 making it an annual observance, and it became a national holiday in 1938. Sixteen years later, then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation changing the name to Veterans Day to honor all those who served their country during war or peacetime. On this day, the nation honors military veterans — living and dead — with parades and other observances across the country and a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
In the Rio Grande Valley, the idea, inspiration and design of the Veteran’s War Memorial of Texas were led by Plummer, who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
He was a Green Beret, Ranger, Special Forces and in Intelligence, and a Commander in the Paratroopers.
Plummer’s first tour of duty with the U.S. Army was 1943-1946. He re-enlisted again in 1948, serving in the Pacific and Philippines through 1975. During his military career, he was on active duty in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Places where he also served included Japan, Korea, Alaska, Italy and Norway. He retired from active military after 32 years of service.
Highly decorated, Plummer’s awards included the Silver Star, Bronze Star w/V device, Purple Heart, Vietnam Army Distinguished Service Order 2nd Class, seven Crosses of Gallantry, seven Air Medals, three Legion of Merit Medals, two National Service Medals, Vietnam Service Medal with silver clasp, Philippine Liberation and Independence device, Vietnam Jump Wings, U.S. Master Parachutist, Glider Wings, and Presidential Unit Citations.
A few days before Veterans Day in 2025, Plummer achieved another rare milestone, turning 100 years of age on Friday, November 7, 2025.
Hinojosa served as a U.S. Marine combat squad leader in Vietnam from 1966 to 1968.
A combat squad leader commands a 13-person squad, being responsible for their tactical movement, fire, training, welfare, and mission accomplishment, acting as the crucial link between the Platoon Commander and the squad, making real-time battlefield decisions and ensuring the readiness of their unit.
“I am very proud to be an American, very proud to have volunteered with the United States Marine Corps to serve our country, I am very proud to be a veteran,” Hinojosa said. “For me, if you look at the history of this great nation of ours, we know that men and women have always answered the call of duty, honor, country.”
First elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1980, Hinojosa – an attorney by profession – served a nonconsecutive eight two-year terms before being elected to the Texas Senate in 2002.
Since his military service, Hinojosa has used his legislative position to support fellow veterans, including but not limited to the following achievements:
• Legislator of the Year: He was named “Legislator of the Year” by the Texas chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America for his work improving the lives of veterans.
• Texas Vietnam Veterans Day: He authored Senate Bill 1903 that officially designated March 29 as Texas Vietnam Veterans Day. It commemorates the departure of the last U.S. combat troops from Vietnam on March 29, 1973, and the return of U.S. prisoners of war. The date provides a crucial opportunity to offer veterans the “Welcome Home” they often didn’t receive, recognizing their courage during a difficult time for the nation.
• Capitol Monument: He sponsored House Concurrent Resolution 36 that created the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Monument on the Capitol grounds, and which honors the 3,417 men and women of Texas who served and died in the Vietnam War (1964-1973). The bronze figures depict an infantry patrol in action and represent the racial diversity of Texas culture.
Medical Benefits: He passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 17 urging Congress and the President to restore the presumption of service connection for Agent Orange exposure for “Blue Water Navy” veterans who were not on the ground in Vietnam, but on ships near Vietnam, recognizing their exposure and advocating for benefits, pushing for recognition of diseases like prostate cancer and Parkinson’s. Agent Orange was a potent chemical herbicide and defoliant used extensively by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War as part of an herbicidal warfare program called Operation Ranch Hand. The name came from the orange stripe used on the 55-gallon storage drums.
• Military Burn Pits: He championed state legislation for a Texas Burn Pits Registry and supporting federal efforts like the PACT Act to expand healthcare for those exposed to toxic burn pits, recognizing their suffering and aiming to streamline benefits. His efforts led to passing the state-level Service Member and Veterans Open Burn Registry Act in Texas, aiming to track health data and help veterans. A military burn pit is used for burning large quantities of waste, including plastics, chemicals, medical supplies, and human waste, often using jet fuel as an accelerant, which creates toxic smoke and fumes that exposed service members breathed in, leading to potential long-term health issues like respiratory, skin, and cardiovascular problems.
“If we forget what this country stands for, we will lose our freedom, we will lose our peace, because throughout the world, there always are evil nations, evil people, who want to destroy our country, want to destroy our way of life, want to destroy and take away our freedom, to impose what they think how we ought to live,” Hinojosa said.
He praised Plummer as a role model for all Americans.
“We have people like Colonel Plummer, 100 years old. This man has served our country in World War II, Korea, Vietnam. He’s a Colonel. I’m a ‘grunt’, a corporal,” Hinojosa noted.
A Colonel in the U.S. military is a senior field-grade officer ranking above Lieutenant Colonel and below Brigadier General, typically commanding a brigade (3,000 - 5,000 soldiers) or leading large staffs, responsible for strategic planning operations, and personnel management, serving as the final authority for their unit’s success.
A Corporal in the U.S. military is a junior Non-Commissioned Officer in the Army and Marines, serving as small team leader responsible for the training, discipline, and welfare of junior enlisted soldiers or Marines, often leading fire teams or squads.
A “grunt” is military slang for an infantry soldier, the foot soldier who engages in direct ground combat, known for tough, dirty and dangerous “grunt” work like patrolling and fighting, a term that evolved from World War II and became a badge of honor for their resilience and essential role in frontline operations, particularly in the U.S. Army and Marines.
“It’s really amazing how here in our country, the United States of America, we are all equal. Some are more equal than others, no doubt about that,” Hinojosa continued. “But we all have the same opportunities because of people like (Col. Plummer), who also gave their whole life – not just one tour, two tours, three tours – his whole life committed to our military forces.”
In the U.S. military, a tour of duty (TOD) is a specific, defined period of service, often in a particular location or role, like deployment to a combat zone, an overseas assignment, a rotational assignment to gain broader experience, with lengths varying greatly from months to years depending on the mission, branch, and time period, but generally referring to time spent away from home base. It’s a system for rotating personnel, offering diverse experiences, and is distinct from a general service commitment, often involving separation from family and heightened operational tempo.
“He’s from Oklahoma, came down to the Valley,” Hinojosa further said of Plummer. “As we enjoy this wonderful tribute at this memorial to honor our veterans, he was the father and the founder who was able to get the resources, to convince people to have this beautiful memorial to honor our veterans and honor all men and women who served in the military armed forces.”
In a feature article dated April 26, 2021, Blair Drake, a contributing editor for Military Officer magazine, highlighted Plummer’s roles in bringing the Veteran’s War Memorial of Texas to life.
Drake wrote:
“In 1988, when Col. Frank Plummer, USA (Ret), began his designs for a war memorial in McAllen, Texas, he wanted to build something that honors U.S. veterans from all conflicts. ‘I could picture it perfectly,” he said.’
“But today, when he looks at the 105-foot-tall black granite spire at the center of the Veteran’s War Memorial of Texas, he admits it’s beyond what he ever could have envisioned.
“It’s so majestic, beautiful, and peaceful,” he said.
“Surrounding the spire on the memorial’s 5-acre site are statues, pedestals, granite walls, flagpoles, plaques, and other historical objects divided into sections representing the wars and conflicts in which U.S. service members have fought.
A biographical sketch of Plummer’s many contributions to the nation were presented in House Resolution 1140, authored by Rep. R.D. “Bobby” Guerra, D-McAllen, and unanimously approved by the Texas House of Representatives on Thursday, March 19, 2015.
A resolution is a formal expression of recognition, opinion, or decision, other than a proposed law, that may be offered for approval to one or both chambers of the legislature by a member of the House or Senate.
As author of House Resolution 1140, Guerra was the legislator who filed House Bill 1140 and guided it through the legislative process.
“Filed” is used to refer to a measure that has been introduced into the legislative process and given a number.
Key portions of House Resolution 1140 follow:
• Col. Frank Plummer of McAllen served his country faithfully and bravely during his 32 years in the U.S. Army, and is truly deserving of special recognition; and
• A native of Coalgate, Oklahoma, Colonel Plummer joined the U.S. Army as a private in 1943 and fought in the Pacific theater during World War II as a first lieutenant; and
• This distinguished soldier remained in the Army for three decades after the war, serving in Germany, Korea, Vietnam, Norway, Italy, Japan, and the United States; over the course of his military career, he earned the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star with “V” devise, the Silver Star, three Legion of Merit medals, seven Crosses of Gallantry, and eight Air Medals, among others; and
• Colonel Plummer retired in 1975 and move with his wife, Kathy, and their three children to McAllen, where he built a civilian career in real estate; he has remained proud of his military service, and since 1988, he has played a leading role in the design and planning of the Veterans War Memorial of Texas, which will honor the 1.4 million individuals who have given their lives in our nation’s wars.
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Highlights of Hinojosa’s remarks during the Veterans Day event in McAllen on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 follow:
“What a beautiful day today. My staff wrote a long speech for me to read, but no, I don’t want to read any speeches. I want to talk about what I feel as a veteran, what I experienced as a veteran, and what I think as a veteran.
“I am very proud to be an American, very proud to have volunteered with the United States Marine Corps to serve our country, I am very proud to be a veteran.
“For me, if you look at the history of this great nation of ours, we know that men and women have always answered the call of duty, honor, country.
“Going back to World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Desert Storm, Afghanistan, Syria, Africa – our men and women continue to serve throughout the world, making sure to protect our freedom, our country, our way of life.
“If we forget what this country stands for, we will lose our freedom, we will lose our peace, because throughout the world, there always are evil nations, evil people, who want to destroy our country, want to destroy our way of life, want to destroy and take away our freedom, to impose what they think how we ought to live.
“While we enjoy our days, like the beautiful day today, can feel the wind, feel the coolness. We barbecue on Sundays. We can go to church and express our faith, our freedom of religion with our families because of our veterans who went to serve.
“I know many of them came back with wounds – some souls scarred emotionally and scarred physically. But we need to support our veterans and show them the proper respect, and thank them for their duty, because when we served, we used to have the draft.
“What I found out when I was in Vietnam, when we still had the draft and volunteers – who are these veterans, where did they come from?
“Well I found out, they come from all over the country. From small towns out in the west rural areas, from big cities like Houston, New York, Chicago, up from Nebraska, farmers from Alabama. We served together. These veterans are our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, and our neighbors.
“Many times here in our country we argue politically with each other about this and that and what not. When we are at war, when we are together, we bond as a family, we are all Americans.
“In my squad what was so impressive to me, there I was – the frijolero (someone who likes eating beans) del Valle, the beaner (from the Valley), and I was the squad leader. In my squad, I had Anzio, an Italiano from New York, Kwoncke from Tennessee. I had a blue-eyed marine out of Alabama, the son of a preacher. I had a West Texas redneck out there with us. I had a farmer cornhusker out of Nebraska, some from California, some from Oregon. But the reality is that we are family. We bonded, we loved and cared for each other.
“It is really amazing because many of us were actually in combat. I was in Vietnam – Da Nang, Chu Lai, Hue. The sense you feel as comrades, the sense you feel as family, you share your dreams, you share your fears, because there was nobody else but us, right? Us and the enemy.
“For me, Veterans Day is a very special day. I lost three of my high school classmates who I went to school with at Mission High School: Leo Buentello, Army; Jesús Martínez, Army; Walter Merle Langford, Marines, Khe Sanh. Those are the folks who didn’t make it back, who gave and paid the ultimate price, for us to be here on this wonderful day, enjoying our freedom, enjoying our family and who we are.
“And we must always acknowledge the sacrifice of our Gold Star Mothers, who lost a son or daughter serving our country.
“I remind people that right now, on the average, 17 veterans a day commit suicide. That’s 17 a day too many. We have to support our veterans. We all served when we were young – 20 years old, 19 – and most who were drafted back then in the old days, and those who volunteered, we set aside our dreams, we set aside our career, we set aside our goals to serve our country.
“Were we afraid to die? Of course, we were afraid to die. But we were willing to die for our country and our freedom. Many times, when you look at an actual war, it is horrible. It is vicious. It is savage. We found out when we killed the enemy, well who is the enemy? Here’s what we found out – and this is really part of the hard part – because we as veterans who served in the military in combat have grown hard.
“Many times, we lose our emotions, our feelings, our sense of love, of passion, because when we kill enemy, we search them for IDs. We find out they are just another human being like us – with pictures of their families, their wife, their kids and children. So you become hard in your heart. You have to, otherwise you will not survive.
“We have people like Colonel Plummer, 100 years old. This man has served our country in World War II, Korea, Vietnam. He’s a colonel. I’m a ‘grunt’, a corporal. It’s really amazing how here in our country, the United States of America, we are all equal. Some are more equal than others, no doubt about that, but we all have the same opportunities because of people like him, who also gave their whole life, not just one tour, two tours, three tours. His whole life committed to our military forces.
“He’s from Oklahoma, came down to the Valley. As we enjoy this wonderful tribute at this memorial to honor our veterans, he was the father and the founder who was able to get the resources, to convince people to have this beautiful memorial to honor our veterans and honor all men and women who served in the military armed forces.
“Keep in mind as we move forward, we will continue facing evil countries, evil people, for our young generation who will step up and answer the call of duty, honor and country. We cannot forget that as we enjoy our lives.
“So who will defend us, who will fight for us? Nobody but us, we will defend ourselves! And protect our country and our families.
“It is really an honor for me to be here to day to share some of my thoughts with you. But I would like to end by saying freedom is not free. Freedom is paid with the blood and lives of America’s sons and daughters, remember that. Many people have died for our country, for our freedom, to protect our families.
“God bless you all, God bless America, Oorah!
“By the way, I have four brothers – one served in the army, one served in the air force, one served in the navy, I was in the marines. But we are all on the same team. God bless America.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Marines say “Oorah” as a battle cry, expression of enthusiasm, and symbol of unity, stemming from a motivational chant used by Recon Marines in the 1950s, which evolved from a submarine’s dive alarm sound, becoming an iconic part of Marine identity and culture. It signifies pride, motivation, and camaraderie, used in place of “yes,” “hello,” or “let’s go”.
The video recording of the 2025 Veterans Day ceremony in McAllen is available online at:
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For more on this and other Texas legislative news stories that affect the Rio Grande Valley metropolitan region, please log on to Titans of the Texas Legislature (TitansoftheTexasLegislature.com).
