Eusebio Santiago
Bio
Eusebio Santiago was born in a farming village in Puerto Rico on April 6, 1931. He was the school teacher for the area and used to ride from village to village on horseback to recruit students for the local elementary school. In 1950, Santiago had already joined the National Guard, but was activated into the regular Army when the Korean War started. Santiago was a rifleman with the 65th Infantry Regiment.
Video Clips
Night patrols
Eusebio Santiago describes bunkers and night patrols. The bunkers were about 4 feet high and 8 feet wide square. Men would live in bunkers due to the Chinese threat. While in the bunkers, soldiers did not have access to a shower for up to a month.
Loss in the Defense of Democracy
Eusebio Santiago describes the loss of a couple of fellow soldiers. The men were never found in their defense of South Korea. The soldiers of Puerto Rico were defending democracy, defending an attacked country. Eusebio Santiago describes defending against communism.
Fishing Practices
Eusebio Santiago recalls how the sight of Korean villagers catching and cleaning fish reminded him of daily life in Puerto Rico. He describes the rice fields and how villagers continued their life with war around them. Eusebio Santiago recalls his childhood while war was going on.