Trinidad Santiago Jr.

Battery A 4-42 Artillery

4th Infantry Division

DOI 05/02/2013

Specialist Trinidad Santiago Jr. died of injuries in a vehicle accident when the HUMVEE he was in
rolled over during training exercises in Kuwait on May 2, 2013.

Also killed in the accident was Specialist Charles P. McClure.

Specialist Trinidad Santiago Jr.

Spc. Trinidad Santiago Jr., 25, died May 2nd in Camp Buehring, Kuwait, of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident. Trinidad was born on
November 13, 1987 in San Diego, California. He attended Herbert Hoover High School, and later went on to earn an Associate’s Degree
from Coleman University.

Trinidad joined the army on October 13, 2009, after finishing his studies at Coleman. In January of 2012, Trinidad met and married the love
of his life, Belgica Santiago. His hobbies included cars, playing golf and the outdoors. Trinidad was a kind and loving husband and son
who always took care of his family and was proud to serve his country in the United States Military.

Trinidad is survived by his loving wife Belgica Santiago, step-son Benjamin Mendoza, his unborn child, his parents Trinidad and
Teresa Santiago and his sister, Anna Lisa Santiago.

Trinidad was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division,
Fort Carson, CO. Spc. Santiago was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. His military decorations include: the Joint Service
Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Meritorious Unit Commendation,
the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Ribbon, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star,
the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas service Ribbon and the NATO Medal.

The family wishes to thank all of their friends and family for their support during this difficult time.

A viewing will take place on Wednesday, May 15th from 5:00pm to 9:00pm at Funeraria Del Angel Humphrey Funeral Home
and a Funeral service on Thursday, May 16th at 10:00 am in the Serenity Chapel followed by Military Honors at
Miramar National Cemetery at 12:30pm.

From Dignity Memorial website

Decorations of Trinidad Santiago Jr.

Fort Carson remembers two soldiers killed in Kuwait crash
by Jakob Rodgers jakob.rodgers@gazette.com May 10, 2013

Capt. Marc Shim invoked the Bible's book of Ecclesiastes, while thinking of the two men pictured to his left.

He recalled how there would be a time for weeping and laughter. A time for birth. A time for death.

'Some of those times came earlier than we thought, ' Shim, a Fort Carson chaplain, said.

Shim spoke to a chapel filled with mourners who gathered Thursday to remember two Fort Carson soldiers who died May 2
when their vehicle crashed at Camp Buehring in Kuwait.

Spc. Trinidad Santiago Jr., 25, and Spc. Charles P. McClure, 21, were the first two casualties in the 4th Infantry Division's
1st Brigade Combat Team since the unit deployed in February to Kuwait.

One of the soldiers was a battle-tested veteran. The other died on his first deployment.

Santiago, of San Diego, found out shortly after leaving for Kuwait that his wife, Belgica Santiago, is pregnant.
They met while he was on leave from his first deployment, a tour to Afghanistan.

Under an ultrasound picture posted on his Facebook page, he mentioned his baby's due date.

'They (doctors) said Oct. 19th, ' wrote Santiago, who also had a stepson. 'Hopefully I'll be home by then. '

On Thursday, soldiers remembered Santiago's penchant for scoring well on physical fitness tests. He'd often finish his run
ahead of his comrades - then run back and finish with them.

'Spc. Santiago was never satisfied with his own success, ' said Capt. Joseph Paolini, of the 1st Brigade Combat Team.

McClure, who joined the Army in November 2011, was promoted posthumously to specialist. The Stratford, Okla., native recently
earned the highest score in his platoon for the crew cannoneer's written exam, Staff Sgt. Russell Pickron said.

His greatest strength, though, came in his ability to help comrades in times of strife. His most useful tool: an ever-present smile.

'He had a bright future in the United States Army, ' Pickeron said during the service.

Their deaths weighed heavily on the unit Thursday.

The nine-month tour is a change after a decade of war zone deployments. Rather than fighting insurgents, the 1st Brigade planned
to spend much of its time performing military exercises across the Kuwaiti desert.

The deployment serves as a show of force against nearby Iran, while also helping the U.S. protect its interests in the region,
say Middle East observers and experts.

Comrades thought everyone would come home this time.

'It plays with the mind, it does, ' said Sgt. Justin Bryant, who served in the soldiers' unit, the 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment.

Shim recognized that grief.

His advice: Don't fight the pain. Accept it, and those times of sadness will pass.

'We must acknowledge that grief, ' he said.

From the Colorado Springs Gazette website

BURIAL
Miramar National Cemetery
San Diego, San Diego County, California

Grave marker for Trindad Santiago Jr.

Photo by PIN from the Find A Grave website

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