Sgt. Rafael Rodriguez of the Army’s 773rd Transportation Company, paid a visit to Local 237 headquarters last month to express his thanks to his fellow union members for their support of him — and all other U.S. service personnel — who fought to bring freedom to Iraq.

A supervisor of caretakers at Mott Haven Houses in the Bronx and an Army reserve member for 20 years, Rodriguez shipped out last November when his unit was activated to take part in “Operation Enduring Freedom,” which later became “Iraqi Freedom.”

“I arrived in Kuwait City on Thanksgiving Day at 11 o’clock and I went into Iraq March 22 for the first ground invasion,” the returning veteran recalled.

It was the responsibility of his group to stay with the invading armor and keep it supplied and fueled for the continuing battle. He remained in Iraq until he was sent home Aug. 1. Among souvenirs of his time in battle, Rodriguez has an Iraqi flag that was given him by a young U.S. Marine who was one of the first to go into Baghdad. “He confiscated it when the Iraqi troops deserted their posts outside a military compound,” Rodriguez said.

The Marine gave it to him, the Local 237 veteran recalled, “for the combat support we gave them in the front lines.” Rodriguez’s unit contained 40 trucks that kept Abrams’ personnel carriers and Bradley tanks refueled for the thrusts into Iraq and the capital, Baghdad.

“He knew I was from New York because we wore the Statue of Liberty patch on our left shoulder,” Rodriguez said. “He knew the flag meant a lot to us because of 9/11 and how much New York had suffered.”

Also among his souvenirs are photos of bombed-out bunkers that protected weapons, munitions and aircraft, scenes of city ruins that formerly held the enemy, and pictures of Iraqi residents who greeted the American troops.

There was also a photo of Rodriguez and his fellow soldiers with Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor-elect of California. “He was a great supporter of the action in Iraq,” Rodriguez insisted.

He said he wanted the mementos of the war to show his eight-year-old son, Christian Rafael, that his father had actually done something to bring freedom to the world.

Rodriguez visited Local 237 to personally thank President Carl Haynes for his support of all members in the military. He also visited Abbey Pabon, assistant to the president, with whom he spoke by phone from overseas, and Marianela DeBreaux and Jennifer Trimmer, staff members who sent e-mails to Rodriguez and sometimes spoke to him on the phone while he was overseas.

The 43-year-old Rodriguez, who had spent months in the military during the Gulf War, said he is happy to be home but found he had one problem. He must find a new housing assignment. He had been promoted to supervisor of caretakers at Mott Haven in May, 2002, but he was replaced while he was overseas.