Ronchester Mananga Santiago was born on 10 February 1978 to Rogelio and Simeona Santiago. He completed requirements at Kingsville Alternative High School in December 1996, and was a 1997 graduate of H. M. King High School in Kingsville, Texas. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on 11 December 1996.

After completing Basic Training in Great Lakes, Illinois, on 19 March 1997, Santiago was a student at Surface Warfare Engineering School, also at Great Lakes, completing training on 10 April 1997. He served aboard USS Constitution from 25 April 1997 until 7 January 2000. He reported to USS Cole (DDG-67) on 7 February 2000.

Santiago was killed in the line of duty when a terrorist bomb was detonated along the port side of the ship while it was refueling in Aden, Yemen, on 12 October 2000.

Mess Management Specialist Third Class Santiago was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, and Navy Unit Commendation. He held the Meritorious Unit Commendation.

Sources: USS Cole (DDG-67) Med Cruise 2000 (August 8–November 3, 2000) Cruise Book in the collection of the Naval History and Heritage Command’s Navy Department Library. Awards and citations are sourced from the service member’s official military personnel file and listed in the Navy Department Awards Web Service site and may not be complete.

https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/ships/modern-ships/uss-cole/cole-in-memoriam.html#santiago

Ronchester M Santiago headstone and marker

RONCHESTER M SANTIAGO

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