On June 6, 1921, Santiago Chavez Salazar was born in a small village off of the NM map, La Palma, NM. He lived modestly with his father, Faustino Padia (Padilla) and mother, Percingula Chavez Salazar. Santiago lived on a ranch in La Palma with his sisters Melinda, Eva, Maggie, Ramona, and Soledad and one brother Trinidad, also a veteran, buried in Santa Fe, NM.

The family's daily chores consisted of washing clothes, tending to the garden of chilies and tomatoes, making homemade tortillas each night as well as other chores such as mending clothes, roasting chilies and canning vegetables. Santiago assisted his father in various ranch duties. The hills of La Palma were full of wild horses and game animals to maintain a living. Those were the simplest times but the time was full of support, prayer and happiness.

The Salazars were faithful Catholics and hard workers. Religious holidays such as Easter made a huge event as though it were Christmas. Family and friends would feast all week of homemade foods and sing religious songs. Moreover, the sheepherding and ranching was not enough income for the family therefore, Santiago did not complain when he went to work for the Civilian Conservation Corps of Estancia, NM from July 12, 1939 to December 20, 1940. In 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps. The plan was to employ 500,000 youths to work in parks, forests, and range lands. The CC camp, as members called it, was run by the United States Army. Young boys between the ages of 18-25 would live on the camps near State parks. There, they would learn a new skill by attending classes and each member would earn $30 a month.

A man from Encino, NM recalls getting paid in cigarettes. Mostly, the money made was sent home to support their families. This is how Santiago helped his father run the household. After 6 months of work, the members had the option to enroll for another 6 months. Santiago served three 6-month terms in the Civilian Conservation Corps. Santiago mostly worked in the surrounding state parks such as the Manzano State Park and the Sandia Mountains of NM.

After his term with the CC camp, Santiago continued to help his family with the ranch in La Palma, NM but soon thereafter, Santiago fell in love with a young woman who was his second cousin, Emma Elvira Trujillo. My mother says they met in Los Guagolotes, another town off of the map. The marriage took place in Villanueva, NM on June 30, 1941. Santiago and Emma moved to Encino, NM to reside and raise a family. Shortly thereafter, they had one daughter. My mother, Maria Enriqueta Salazar, was born April 15, 1942.

On June 10, 1942, Santiago received notice to report to the health office in Mountainair, NM for a physical examination as requested by the US Army. Santiago now known as James Salazar in the Army and was eventually shipped overseas to fight in WWII driving a tank. Santiago always wrote to his sweetheart Emma and always mentioned his daughter known as "Quetita." Santiago always wanted to come back to the United States to walk the streets of Encino, NM one more time, however, Santiago never made it back to the US and rests in peace in Holland since February 25, 1945. On February 25 2005, we had a 60 year commemoration mass at the last town where he lived called Encino, NM. Emma Elvira Trujillo Salazar remarried a man named Alfred Madrid in November 1945. Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Madrid currently rest in peace in Portales, NM. My mother "Quetita" currently resides in Portales, NM with her husband, Julio Rodriguez and most of her family.

This is the last letter of many letters written from Santiago to Emma. The letter was written 5 days before his death.

The letter reads:

February 20, 1945.

My Dearest Darling Wife & Daughter:

Here I get hold of this pencil to answer your most welcome letter I received last night and was sure glad to hear from you and to know that you are ok. So this leaves me the very same so thanks to our God. Well darling news down here nothing at all every thing is sad & blue well darling you say you didn't find anything else to send me for Xmas well I sure like the present you send me you know me darling if you didn't send me nothing it just be the same for me darling I'll take as much care of my self as possible cause I sure want to get back to the one I love and you know who she is. Well darling you say you hope I'll be back for the end of this month well never can tell I know it wont be soon enough to xx me but hope some day to get back home because there cant be no place like home no matter where I go until that day when I get to the door and then the lights be on again well darling as I don't have much to say I'll close for this time regards to all at home to you a million kisses and Quetita a million more good luck you Husband with my love, PFC Santiago.

Grandpa Santiago was simple, hardworking, and his devotion to God is evident in his letters. Santiago was dedicated in whatever he chose in life to the very end. I am glad to contribute to remembrance of the soldiers of WWII and any war. We know they died for us and our country. Proud to be an American of these United States. Sincerely, Granddaughter of Santiago Chavez, Rebecca Rodriguez from Albuquerque, NM.