Anselmo “Memo” Santiago-Arroyo
PFC – U.S. Army
4th Inf Division, 3rd Bde LRRP
K Co, 75th Infantry (Ranger)
24 June 1950 – 21 July 1969
Penuelas, Puerto Rico
Panel 20W – Line 32
MILITARY DATA
Service: Army (Regular)
Grade at loss: E3
Rank: Private First Class
ID Number: 584329042
MOS: 11B10: Infantryman
Len Svc: 1 year
Unit: 4 INF DIV, 3rd BDE LRRP
CASUALTY DATA
Start Tour: 06/16/1969
Cas Date: 07/21/1969
Age at Loss: 19
Remains: Body recovered
Location: South Vietnam
Type: Hostile, died outright, ground casualty
Reason: Gun or small arms fire
LOCATION Pleiku Province
AWARDS:
Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal
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Link to Remembrances:
https://www.thewall-usa.com/guest.asp?recid=45535
https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/45541/ANSELMO-SANTIAGO-ARROYO
www.VirtualWall.org/ds/SantiagoAx01a.htm
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July 11, 2006
SP4 John Krone from California
Affiliation: K/75 & E/58 LRP & 4th Div. LRRP
E-mail address: nitrate66lrrp@yahoo.com
PFC Santiago was a member of a very elite unit which conducted patrols deep within enemy controlled territory. He was a member on a team led by Sgt. Art Young, PFC Dennis Crouse, SP/4 Archie Strickland and PFC Charlie Robbins. The very nature of this job required nerves of steel and courage, and yet, this gentle young man, barely 19, told of his love for our country, and how he wanted to make his country and family proud of him.
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Ramon Santiago
Brother
2331 Rosedown Drive
Reston,VA 20191 USA
A loved Hero
Your family still loves and mourns you. A day does not go by that your family around the world thinks of you. You left this world to soon as most heroes do. We know you watch over us and smile at us. You are laid to rest with many other family members that too are missed. Thank you for your bravery and for keeping your country safer. One day maybe more folks will know how brave you and your fellow army buddies have been. There has yet to be another situation as difficult as the one you all lead and we hope there never is. For God and country we thank you again.
With heartfelt love, Your loving brother Moncho.
Monday, April 26, 1999
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Jose Rodriguez
rodriguezj@zonai.com
Companeros en vietnam
Las Praderas Aguamarina 1211
Barceloneta, PR 00617 United States
AMIGO
El dia entes de partir hacia el cielo compartimos juntos unos momentos de buena amistad, lo que recuerdo con gran alegia querido amigo.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
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Posted to K Co. Facebook November 18, 2016
By Memo Jasad Santiago ~ nephew
1969 Vietnam War, where you either volunteer or were drafted to go to war. My dad, Jose A. Santiago, my uncles, Ramon L. Santiago, Héctor Santiago and Anselmo Santiago Arroyo four brothers who volunteered. They all had different stories before going to war. But this one, is one that has a sentimental value for me. My uncle Anselmo aka “Memo”, he was just 19 years old when he volunteered.
After going to basic training, he went on leave to New Jersey, Hoboken. He met a friend, a Puerto Rican who use to go to the same bar while he was on leave, The Club House. He spent almost all his money drinking that last night, before going to Vietnam.
Unfortunately uncle Memo didn’t make it back alive. He was killed in Pleiku, Vietnam on July 21, 1969. All his belongings were sent to my father, who came back from Vietnam on December 1966. He was going thru all of his stuff, he kept a few things and he tossed everything else. On 1970 my father went to Hoboken, he was trying to get a job there, so he went to his sister’s house, Sonia. After a few weeks, he finally got a job. He knew all the surroundings already, so he went to a bar to have a few drinks after a payday. After that, he regularly went to the same place to drink.
One night, a young man, Pablo C. Rivera, came up to him, just to tell him how much he looked like a good friend he met a year ago, and who was killed in Vietnam. Memo, that was my friend’s name, he said. Surprised, my father said; He was my brother, Anselmo Santiago “Memo”. Pablo, who was the name of the young man, could not believe what my father said. So, Pablo remembered that last night when he was drinking with my uncle. The last dollar uncle Memo had in his pocket, he put it over the bar, he tore the One dollar bill in half, he gave one half to Pablo and told him that whenever he comes back from war, they were going to put it back together and spend it on drinks. So Pablo took uncle Memo’s half and signed it, and kept the other half.
Pablo told my dad, that in order for him to believe that he was really Memo’s brother, he needed to show him the other half of the dollar. So my dad, found on Memo’s belongings that other half, and for some reason he kept it, and he kept it on his wallet. So, my dad took out his wallet and showed Pablo the other half, which was signed himself. At that time my father finally knew what the meaning of that half dollar he found on my uncle’s belongings. And he was glad he kept it with him everywhere he went.
So finally the one dollar bill was finally put back together at the same bar were it was torn apart. They didn’t spend it, instead, Pablo gave away his half so my dad could keep it. We never heard about Pablo again, it has been 44 years since that dollar was torn apart, so it was the hearts of everybody who knew my uncle Anselmo. So in order to remember and honor him, my father named me, Memo
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November 30, 2016
SFC Randy Alvarado, nephew~
This all started almost 30 years ago, I was having a drink at a place in our hometown of Peñuelas enjoying my leave. A fellow who happened to be a Vietnam veteran approached me and asked me if I was the son of Carmen and I replied in the affirmative. He then told me that he had served in Vietnam and that he new my uncle Anselmo (Memo). What he told me afterwards is what made me wonder who he really was. He told me that no one knew that uncle Memo was one of the first or the first “Special Forces” (words he used) to come out of our town. He was so convinced of his words that It made me think where had he served on his rather short time.
I started inquiring and found out that he had served in the 75th. All the info on the web looks and is accurate. I searched some more and that’s when I found out about the LRRP’s, what they did, and what an elite group they were. What I could not find was his name or a comment on his brief journey through the unit. I thought that it was because he didn’t spend much time on K Co. or maybe he had more of a combat support role.
I went into all of the LRRP pages but found nothing. For some reason I knew something was missing. Looking at your page a few years ago I learned of your reunions and how close you have stayed throughout the years but then again no word of our uncle.
Approximately 5 years ago I stopped inquiring until this year during the Veterans holiday when my sister contacted me and told me to please read what my cousin Memo had written on facebook. I think you already know that story of the split dollar bill.
His story motivated me to send the message to your page. Something that I should have done many years ago. Or maybe it wasn’t the time then. One of my concerns was that he didn’t have a brick at the monument and that he wasn’t recognized as a LRRP. You have taken care of both and you have no idea of how grateful I will always be for that.
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