Honor your hero with thoughts, memories, images and stories.
I humbly submit my thoughts about my brother Angel Luis Sanchez (Colon). As one of two brothers he was exceptionally happy even though we endured really horrible and tragic events growing up in the worst slum in Puerto Rico specially so after our mother Juanita Colon Rodriguez passed away at the age of 33-34 we were moved to Lorain, Ohio. After I served four years in the USMC I came back to Lorain and my wife and I bought a home and Angel Luis my brother came to live with us. Luisito (that is what we called him when he was a child) could not find a job even though he was a certified welder and felt he needed to serve his country like I had done so he joined the Army. He finally ended up in Vietnam but unfortunately he was killed in combat when his platoon was ambushed. So, even though the Army awarded him several distinguished medals, I believe Angel Luis Sanchez deserves the Congressional Medal of honor for his heroism, bravery, and gallantry in the face of massive fire power wherein he charged and destroyed several enemy positions and strongholds. Had our mother being alive when he was gunned down she would have suffered immensely like a real mother would. My brother was killed on My 22, 1968 and I without hesitation I joined the Navy SEABEES, requested assignment to RVN and flew in to Danang RVN for a one year tour on December 30, 1968, that was after SEABEE training in Gulfport, MS... I wanted to see what kind of people killed my brother but not looking for revenge. What makes me sad most of all is that many draft dodgers and people that avoided military service in times of war and during peace times, are basking in the heroic acts of glory my brother Luisito and others performed in the defense of the USA. It is not fair and it reminds me of the saying, "stolen valor." I remain blessed I made my tour in Vietnam safely, but my brother Angel Luis Sanchez-Colon is more blessed because it was there he gave up his life fighting to protect other Americans in his platoon. Frankly, he rose to the occasion and faced the challenge, and more. America could not ask him for more... he gave all. Puerto Ricans are like that and they do not appreciate their brothers getting killed in a foreign land. Angel Luis Sanchez-Colon is the epitome of a true "Patriot".... nothing more, nothing less!!! In late 2019, just before the corona virus pandemic hit World wide my daughter Mimi Marie, her best friend, Elena Huele Sanchez, and I participated in a tour of the now united Vietnam, we did it to honor my brother Angel Luis Sanchez Colon (nicknamed Luisito). I believe that the soldiers that killed my brother were regular fighters that hid in the tunnels of Cuchi located in Binh DuoNg, Binh Thanh Long An Province. According to a book titled, "The Tunnels of Cuchi" the Vietcong and the North Vietnam Army built tunnels underneath the Army's Central Headquarters located in Bihn DuoNg and thereabouts... tunnels all under neath and they would come out and set up ambushes and traps. Although I did not tour the tunnels because that would have been too much pain for me, we toured the Mekong Delta in sampans, walked through the jungles, visited Ho Chi MInh City (Saigon), visited Hanoi, and many tourist spots throughout Vietnam. During my tour of Vietnam when I was on active duty status and while assigned to the Transportation Department in Chu Lay, and on my days off (I was working 16 days straight with one day off) I volunteered to fly with the helicopters of the Americal Division as an observer when they replenished forward base (outposts) located out in the mountains with ammunition, food, and other essentials. Thank you Americal Division. We would hover above them and lower the stuff to them. I came back with the impression that Vietnam has a long way to go before they can forget that war. We call it the Vietnam War, but they call it the American War. I call it the war that killed Angel Luis Sanchez Colon.