This Military Service Page was created/owned by
John Prater (USN SCPO/E-8/Retired)-Family
to remember
Collazo, Ernesto (Ernie), CSM USA(Ret).
If you knew or served with this Soldier and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Contact Info
Home Town Vieques Island
Last Address Pembroke Pines, Florida
Date of Passing Mar 27, 2007
Location of Interment Cementerio Municipal - De Vieques, Puerto Rico
Wall/Plot Coordinates Vieques Cenetery
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity Not Specified
Other Comments:
The Brave Are Many
A Brave Young Soldier crawls through a muddy trench along a line between good and evil. The air he breathes burns his lungs. His eyes strain to see her face. And as the poisonous gas its grisly task done, rises toward the sky, his soul follows close behind.
A Brave Young Soldier marches through the Jungles of the Philippine Islands. Head held high, back straight, eyes forward, courage strong and faith unbroken. A death march to Bataan, endured.
A Brave Young Soldier survives the cruel and merciless hell War of Vietnam. Now he fights another war from a bed in a VA Hospital. A vicious microscopic demon devouring his body cell by cell. A lifetime of dreams not yet realized, as he kisses his bride of some thirty years one last time.
A Brave Young Soldier lies face down in the sand of a far away land. He is mortally wounded, his crimson blood soaked up by the desert. His tears fall like shining bits of silver, falling not for the pain nor the fear of death. As he cries he sees generations before him of Brave Young Soldiers reaching out their hands to welcome him home. Fighting to resist the flight to heaven he cries, “Am I the last?” As he passes from this life, he fears he's the last.
“Form up lads” the Sergeant barks as the Brave Young Soldier takes his place among God’s Heavenly Honor Guard.
A Brave Young bride holds the folded flag, her heart broken and bleeding. Blowing a kiss to her Brave Young Soldier one last time, she feels a kick from within her womb. “You will not be the last, my Brave Young Soldier.” She whispers softly.
Best Moment In May1958, SP3 Ernesto Collazo received a "BEST SOLIDER AWARD" Plaque from Comapny C, 2nd Brigdade, 14th Infantry at Fort Benning, GA. I have been having a hard time finding this specific unit on the Unit pull down list. I couldn't get the SP3 from the pull down list either.
Chain of Command
In 1957 the Army concluded that tactical Infantry regiments would be obsolete on the atomic battlefield and decided to replace them with Infantry battle groups. To preserve the lineage and honors of the historic combat arms regiments the Army instituted the Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS). The 14th Infantry was selected as one of the historic parent regiments in CARS. Initially the 14th Infantry fielded three battle groups and two separate rifle companies.
The 1st Battle Group, 14th Infantry (descending from Company A, 14th Infantry), was activated at Schofield Barracks on 1 February 1957 and assigned to the 25th Division. Personnel and equipment of the 14th not used to form the 1st Battle Group were used to man and equip the 2nd Battle Group, 19th Infantry one of four other battle groups being activated at Schofield Barracks at that time.
In 1963, the Army reorganized the Infantry divisions replacing the battle group with brigades and battalions. Thus, the 1st Battle Group, 14th Infantry was reorganized and redesignated as the 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry on 26 August 1963. Also activated and assigned to the 25th on that date was the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry (descending from Company B, 14th Infantry) which had previously served as the 2nd Battle Group, 14th Infantry at Fort Benning Georgia from 1957-1960. Both battalions were allocated to the newly formed 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division.
