Tributes

MSG E8 Estrada served 22 years in military service, Serving four years in USAF with duty at Radar sites in 1956 in Japan and California as a Radar Operator After discharge Pete joined the US Army in 1960 serving 3 years with the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft Bragg North Carolina. Division Artillery as a forward observer and communications. In 1964 Pete was assigned to Germany with duty with 5th Battalion 81st Artillery Airborne under the 509th Airborne. Mainz Germany as . Pete was promoted to E4 ES And E6 staff Sgt within 13 months leaving as the S4 Battalion Supply Sgt Returning to the states in 1967 he was assigned to Company C, 50th signal battalion 18th Airborne corp. at Ft Bragg NC. Pete then volunteered for Special forces assigned to B Company 7th Special forces group Airborne C Team Logistics Ft Bragg N.C. Smoke Bomb Hill., until Jan 1969 Promoted to SFC E7 and was assigned to duty in Viet Nam. Pete was assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group Nha Trang,. Vietnam. Duty with B52 Project Delta, S4 sergeant. He served six months, then volunteered for duty on an A team A-502. As logistics and company advisor to a CIDG company conducting night combat operations . In 1970 Pete left Viet Nam and was assigned to B company 8th Special Forces Group Ft. Gulick, Canal Zone as Team logistics Sergeant with duty on Military Training missions as advisor/ instructor in El Salvador ,instructing combat communications in three location in El Salvador. While in Panama he attended the NCO academy at Ft Sherman Canal Zone. Pete was then reassigned to Viet Nam attending the Advance logistics course at Ft Lee Va. On Arriving in Viet Nam he was assigned to Studies and Observation Group MACVSOG Op 35 Gp 68 a Top Secret Assignment as a logistics advisor to ARVN Special Forces, Studies and observations Group reverted in April 1972 to STOAT 158 Tactical Directive Assistance Group MACVSOG . Pete extended his one year tour 6 months and then On Feb 19 1973 left Viet Nam The War was over reassigned to Co C 5th SFGA Ft Bragg N.C. then attended the NCOES course in Ft Lee Va. Pete then returned back to Panama with CoA Third Battalion 7th Special Forces at Ft. Gulick Canal Zone. In Jan 1976 Pete was promoted to E8 and was assigned to the 259 Field Service Co Ft Bragg N.C. as the First Sgt. Serving one year he was then assigned to the Sergeant Major slot 46th Support Group. While there Pete asked for a compassioned assignment for 12 months at Ft Sam Houston Texas, as the Post training NCO until Nov 1977, He was then assigned as chief logistics Academy of Health science. Pete compassioned assignment was halted and was then assigned to the 10th Special forces in Europe, but before departing he came out on the Sargent Major promotion list and was reassigned to a Non Special Forces slot in Europe. Pete decided not to go and instead retired from the US Army I Aug 1979. MSG Estrada was awarded many awards to include Master Parachute Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, Viet Nam Jump wings and Special Forces Tab. After retirement Pete worked for civil service at naval Station Corpus Christi, Texas until Mar 1985 he then applied and was accepted for a three year internship with The Defense Contract Management Agency he was assigned as a Quality Control Representative after he finished his internship he handled Government Quality to Defense contracts awarded to Alamo Aircraft, Pratt and Whitney, Lockheed Martein, Standard Areo. Knight Aerospace and other government contractors in South Texas. In 1995 Pete was assigned for quality assurance work assigned to the United Nations Mission in Haiti accompanying the US Army into Haiti. Assigned to a United Nations Group After Kelly AFB closed he was assigned to Kelly as the only Government employee assigned to Pratt and Whitney moving them from Alamo Downs to Kelly AFB. Pete retired from DCMA in Jan 12005 and he and his wife reside in Bandera Texas. Pete was a member of The Special Forces association, chapter 15 in San Antonio Texas. Life member of Special Operations Association, Air commando Association, Life member of Disabled American Veterans, Life member of VFW Post 8541,San Antonio Tx. Past Post Commander of VFW Post 100 Margarita Canal Zone 1974. And NRA member.

Tributes

MSG Pedro "Pete" Briones Estrada

May 26, 1939 - January 6, 2026