LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Lubbock VFW Post 2466 has served the west Texas veteran community since 1932. VFW commander Sarah Weede says Lubbock has gone above and beyond in recent years to help serve those who served for our country and their families.
“We embrace all of the veterans and when I lived here prior to serving, I really didn’t get that, but when I came home after 12 years of being gone, it really struck me as a community that loves its veterans and they take care of their veterans,” Weede said.
Now, Weede and the rest of the Lubbock VFW are hoping you can help them return some very valuable items to two veteran families. These are items the WVF have kept for more than a year now, something Weede hopes changes very soon.
“Lance Corporal Raymond Longoria Montoya, his records are all in this binder and we have some medals that were his,” Weede said. “He was also a purple heart veteran in Vietnam.”
“Staff Sergeant Truman D. Godwin,” Weede added, “it shows an air medal he received for meritorious achievement and along with that, we also have a flag and some of his memorabilia and some of the medals he was awarded during his service, including his dog tags.”
In the case of Corporal Montoya, Weede thinks he may have family that still lives in Lubbock, as many photos and research found show a Monterey High School connection.
As for Staff Sergeant Godwin, he passed away in 2020, but in her research, Weede believes he may have had ties to Broadway Church of Christ.
If you are a family member of Mr. Montoya or Mr. Godwin, you can reach out to the Lubbock VFW post, where Weede will assist in getting those items to you.
Weede says having served in the Vietnam and Korean wars, these two veterans are not getting the closure they deserve, and she hopes by finding their family members, they can be honored for all they’ve done for this country.
“It shows their legacy, it shows their history, their sacrifice and their service,” Weede said, “and that’s why we really want to get them back in the hands of the family members.”
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