Vanessa was special, like a lot of people tell me, like, i dont know what it was about her that just touches me. Reporter Vanessa Guillen was the light of her family. Shes just a joyful person. Shes very outgoing. We just had that reporter one of six children, beloved by her siblings and her parents, originally from mexico, raising their children to pursue the american dream. [ speaking in Foreign Language ] i always looked up to her since i was little, following in her steps. Reporter even from a young age, one thing was clear, vanessas sense of duty to her country. [ speaking in Foreign Language ] reporter as soon as she graduated from high school, vanessa enlisted in the u. S. Army. In her first training, she didnt even want to come back. She was unhappy. Even when she got home she was a new person. Like her skin was full of glowing. [ speaking in Foreign Languageoo ft. Hood in killeen, texas, one of the armys Largest Military installations. She worked as a small arms repair soldier
Unturned vanessa was special. Like, a lot of people tell me, like, i dont know whats with vanessa, but, like, her smile just touches me. Shes just a joyful person. Shes very outgoing. We just had that connection. Vanessas 20 years old. She was born and raised in houston, texas, one of six children. Thats vanessa right in the middle. Her parents are immigrants from mexico. Mom, gloria, took care of the kids while dad, rogelio, worked as a machine operator. The guillen family is catholic and very religious. This is the baptism. [ speaking Foreign Language ] thats your favorite . [ speaking Foreign Language ] i always looked up to her since i was little. I was, like, following her steps. And she used to be like, be like me. Be tough, and ignore everyone. [ speaking Foreign Language ] she graduated high school. Shes just in girl who dreams of a better life and then she immediately enlists. Here you have a young latina woman, out of high school, who says, this is what i want to do. I want t
Good evening. I am Lauren Rosenberg with smithsonian associates. I would like to welcome you to this program. To our members, its your support that makes events like this possible. If you are joining for the first time, and equally warm welcome and invitation to explore the wide range of programs we offer. Now is the perfect time to talk off your cell phone or anything that may make noise. This past march marked the 50th anniversary of the u. S. Navy fighter weapon program. We welcome the programs founder, dan pederson. He formed he served in combat during the vietnam war with a flying crew on the uss hancock and three on the uss enterprise. He retired as a captain, having accumulated 6000 flight hours and 1000 flight carrier landings with 39 different types of aircraft. For those of you who know his story from the 1986 movie top gun, Jerry Bruckheimer is producing a sequel in 2020. His book is available for purchase and signing. Here to keep the conversation going is larry burke, cura
I was the one that was drafted because i was a senior. I ended up being the boss man in the initial phase of this and we can get into hour it was done shortly. One of the benefits to writing this book was it allowed me to think back. I do a come pparison with what know today, and i compare what i saw and what i see in writing about the navy at it existed today, and i think it did a pretty fair job i started in 1953, two jobs going to college, and everyone was breathing on my nec, and we went in the reserves. So there is a squadron. And i worked here is the first good one. I was working for a chief named brown and he was my mentor. Mentor is a keyword you will hear a lot from me. I carried his tool box and i got his coffee when i wanted and he spent an inordinate amount of time teaching me how to maintain those airplanes. We went on and it was right down here. Im in dc tonight, forgive me i make mistakes. But we had the first jet squadron. A young lieutenant. A twin compact. And they sa
Discussing his book top gun an american story, Aerial Combat and how his book inspired the 1986 movie to the gun. Good evening. Im Lauren Rosenberg with smithsonian associates. Welcome to tonights program. To our members, im so glad youre here. Its your support that makes events like this possible. And if youre joining us for the first time, an equally warm welcome and open invitation to explore the wide range of programs we offer at smithsonian associates. Now is the perfect time to turn off your cell phone or anything else that might make noise during the program. Thank you for doing that. This past march marked the 50th anniversary of the u. S. Navy Fighter Weapons program. We are thrilled this evening to welcome the programs founder, dan pederson. He entered the u. S. Navy in 1953 and went on to become the senior officer in the group of nine men who formed the navys legendary Top Gun Program at naval station miramar in march 1969. He served in combat during the vietnam war with the