Rafael Colon-Santos was born on September 28, 1948. His home of record is Hammonton, NJ. He was the son of Carmen Santos and Rafael Colon. He was the older brother of Arnold, Carlos, Michael, Janet, and Elizabeth. Rafael attended Vineland High School in Vineland, NJ and graduated from Comerio Superior High in Comerio, PR.

He served in the US Army and attained the rank of Sergeant (SGT).

Colon-Santos was killed in action on April 17, 1970. He is buried at Puerto Rico National Cemetery.

Whose presence has never left us abandoned and when needed we can feel his warm embrace, and see the greatest smile that always meant, don’t worry we’ll get through this together as I am with you always. [He} was taken from us way too suddenly and without warning on April 17, 1970 defending this country that he loved and protecting us from harms way at the ripe young age of 21 years old.
You made a difference Junior, in our lives but also I was able to meet and converse with the men that you protected over in the “Nam”, as they call it. They respected and loved you as well. Mom was very proud of you; you know how she loved you, and when she heard their stories, of your bravery and selfishness, that pride just burst out of her. Especially as they thanked her for sharing you with them, for that little time, but centuries for guys in a unit in a war zone.

We miss you dearly and our kids, all your nieces and nephew all say the same thing, “I wish I could have met him,” yet I think they do as we reminisce and they hear the stories of how your protected us as we grew up. How you led the way in school, so we didn’t have to put up with the prejudice and ignorance of those that we would meet as we followed you through the schools in New York and New Jersey. How you were our shining light, that always got us back on our feet and pushed us on to achieve whatever it was that we wanted to excel in. As the rest of your brothers and sisters-told me, how can we ever explain how “much” we love and cared for you. And how we all keep you in our hearts and minds so that we still share our lives with you for all time.
Written by Carlos S. Lopez, brother.

Source: NJVVMF and the Colon-Santos Family, Photo from VVMF.
12/17/2024