Rudy A Salcido
- kmiller181
- Aug 11, 2010
- 2 min read
Updated: May 25, 2022
ONTARIO, CA, USA U.S. Army SFC, 1114TH TRANSPORTATION COMPANY, (13 SC), FORT BLISS, TX AL ASAD, IRAQ 11/09/2006
Sergeant First Class Rudy Augustine Salcido was born July 22, 1975 in West Covina, California. He valued his family life and made his daughter, Gabriella, his top priority. He loved music from performers like NWA and Sublime. He liked to play card games like Texas Hold’em. The second oldest of three brothers and three sisters, he grew up in La Puente and enlisted in the United States Army on 22 February 2000.
With just over 5 years as an Ammunition Specialist, SFC Salcido left active service, was transferred to the USAR Control Group (Reinforcement) and on 16 May 2005, and enlisted in the California Army National Guard as a member of Troop A, 1st Squadron 18th Cavalry in Pomona. During 2005 he worked temporarily on active duty in the Ontario California recruiting office in June and in support of Gulf Coast Relief in September. In April 2006, he transferred to the National Guard’s 1114th Transportation Company as a Motor Transport Operator Squad Leader and received orders to deploy in support of Iraqi Freedom on 5 May 2006. It would be his third tour in Iraq. He married in July and was sent to Iraq just three days after the wedding for an expected 18 month deployment.
Sergeant First Class Salcido excelled in all assignments and his awards include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal (2nd Award), Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, and the Humanitarian Service Medal.
He died at age 31 on 9 November 2006, Baghdad, Iraq as a result of injuries received when his vehicle encountered an IED. A memorial stone in his honor sits at the entrance to the new National Guard armory readiness center in Bakersfield.
Sergeant First Class Salcido is survived by his wife Jennifer, daughter Gabriella, his mother and stepfather, Maybelle and Anthony Luevano; father and stepmother, Peter and Kathy Salcido; his sisters Angelique, Monica, and Crysania, and brothers Peter and Erik.
(Sources: http://www.calguard.ca.gov/publicaffairs/Pages/FallenComrades/24salcido_bio.aspx; http://freedomremembered.com/index.php/sgt-1st-class-rudy-augustine-salcido/)
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