Luis Jofre

[David J. Clement]

Luis,

Thanks for posting up. It is great to hear from you. I actually did wonder about you as the Malvinas War was going on. I'm glad you weren't on the Belgrano when she went down! I still remember you and that Ford station wagon. You would drive at warp speed up to the curb behind the band room and then slam on the brakes - screeching to a stop right at the curb. How about when we went out on the then-new KP Parkway? There were no signs up yet or anything and you were showing us the cool new road - until one of Fairfax Co's finest stopped us and warned us away from future such outings...?

Anyway - it's great to know that you are doing well in NoVA. I hope to see you next year at the reunion.

[billsiegfried]

djcwardog said:

I actually did wonder about you as the Malvinas War was going on. I'm glad you weren't on the Belgrano when she went down!

I remember thinking about Luis too when the Gen. Belgrano (former USS Phoenix) was sunk. Word had gotten around that he was serving in the Argentine navy. I had not heard anything further until now so this is good news. Glad you found us Luis!

[Luis Jofre]

Dear David and Bill:

I went into the Argentine navy in 1980 and my tour of duty was at the Naval Headquarters in Buenos Aires. Personally, I always remembered how good it was in my "civilian life" in Fairfax. I learned a lot from the military service.

With the General Belgrano (USS Phoenix) it was a tragedy. The ship was sunk on May 2, 1982 outside the "Exclusion Zone" outside the 12 mile area imposed by the British. As a matter of fact, I have become very interested in the life of this ship. As you probably know, the USS Arizona was comissioned in the 1930's and the shipbuilder was from Pennsylvania. On December 7, 1941 it was moored at Pearl Harbor. I even have a picture of the USS Phoenix with the USS Arizona in the background. Then in the 1950's it was transferred to the Argentine Navy and renamed the "ARA General Manuel Belgrano". (General Manuel Belgrano is the founder of the Argentine flag). My Commanding officer in the navy had served on that ship.

What is so remarkable is that this ship served during WWII, the Korean Conflict, was one of the escort ships when General MacArthur returned to the Phillipines. Saw every battle that it fought with formidable gallantry.

What is so remarkable and so tragic about this ship, is that the military idiots that handled the war, managed to sink it within one month of the war.

After years of reading about mistakes that happened in the war, I am glad that this war is in the past and I did not go. I was a military translator in the Communication Service Office and my post was going to be in the Argentine military garrison commanded by another Argentine Military General named of all names, General Oscar Luis Jofre. Thank God he is not related to me. ;D

I have been married for the past 13 years to Silvia. We were married at St. Mary's Catholic Church on Sideburn Road in October 1993. Kevin Gallagher performed the Wedding ceremony. It was very nice, simple and very touching.

Anyway, I am glad that we have this forum to talk. Let's get together soon.

I still remember the 1971 Ford Torino 500 Station Wagon. What a nice car.

Anyway, my phone number at home is [phone] and my cel phone is [phone]. My office at the Embassy is [phone].