Bob's Blog

In honor of Veteran’s Day, 2018, I am posting some proud Collazo & Elizondo family history.

Gerardo and Manuelita Collazo had ten sons and one daughter, and the family all lived in Laredo, Texas. Our extended family around the world is derived from this family.

Now, during World War II, they had 3 sons serving overseas at the same time. Uncle Pete (Tio Pedro) and Uncle Rodolfo (Tio Fito), were both in the Army; and Uncle Ignacio (Tio Nacho), was in the Navy. Towards the end of WWII, Uncle Luis Manuel (Tio Meme) served in the 2nd Infantry, Army detaining Japanese POWs. Uncle George (Tio Choche) was in the Navy, AND in the Air Force (not at the same time but in back-to-back tours). Uncle Raul (Tio Rule’) was in the Air Force before Vietnam. Uncle Oscar was in the Navy during Vietnam. Uncle Fernando (Tio Nando) was in the Air Force. Proudly today, we remember all of of them, but especially, we remember our own Uncle Raul, the last surviving first generation Son, who is still with us and still going strong!

One of my fondest memories as a kid growing up in San Antonio, I clearly still recall my Tio Fernando Collazo during his time of active duty when we would go see him at Lackland AFB. He was the MP (Military Police) on duty at the gate, with the most perfect saluting I ever saw! A big salute in Heaven to him!

The daughter born to Gerardo and Manuelita, our Aunt Trine, was married to an Air Force Airman during WW II, our Uncle Oscar T. Medina, so we want to salute him on this day. An interesting quote from Cousin Jesse Medina who stated that his Dad, Tio Oscar, had it rough during the war since he never left the States and was stationed in Florida!

A big salute in heaven to our beloved Tio Oscar Collazo, who was the uncle who we would affectionately call our Collazo Submarine Man. You see our Uncle Oscar served in the Navy as a Chief Non-Commission Officer in a nuclear submarine, very specifically, he was the “Chief of the Boat” of the USS Mariano G. Vallejo, and actually is a “Plankholder” of that submarine which means he was on the original crew when it was commissioned.

A big salute this Veterans Day to our Cousin Christopher Collazo, son of Romeo and Sharon Collazo, and Grandson of Uncle Oscar, who just came off of active duty this year from the US Navy. Chris was stationed on a submarine just like his Grandpa, Oscar! He is still our very own second-generation Collazo Submarine Man! Thank-you for your years of service, Chris!

Now to show that the Collazo Family military tradition continues, we want to also salute all the Collazo Veterans, as well as our extended family, Collazo-related family Veterans that have served: My dear brother, William Collazo, Army Physician; Tio Ignacio’s Son, Cousin Orlando Collazo, Navy; Tio Joe and Daughter, Cousin Joe Collazo, Jr., Navy, and Cousin Diana’s husband, Gilbert Shely, Air Force; Tio Pedro’s Sons, Cousin Pete Collazo, Jr, Army, and Cousin Javier Collazo, Army; Tio Fito’s Sons, Cousin Rodolfo Collazo, Jr., Marine Corps, and Cousin Pablo Rene Collazo, Navy; Tio Meme’s Son, Cousin Luis George (Choche), Navy, and Choche’s son, Luis Rogelio Collazo, Marine Corps; Cousin Gina’s Son, Geronimo Villarreal, Marine Corps; Cousin Yolanda’s Son, Fabian Mendoza, III, Army. I would like to send out a big salute to our Cousin Yolanda’s husband, our very own home-grown, retired from active duty, Army Colonel Fabian Mendoza! Cousin Yolanda and Fabian’s Son-in-law, and Cousin Michelle Miroddi’s husband, Scott Miroddi, is an Army veteran, and we salute him also today. I also want to send a big salute to Chris Tipton, who is a US Naval Academy graduate, who served our country well. Chris is married to my Niece, Christina Collazo, daughter of my dear brother, Bill Collazo. Lastly, this writer, Bob Collazo, Jr., is a proud US Army Veteran, who most people do not know, served in the US Army during the Vietnam war, but was stationed in El Paso, Texas, where his Son, Rob was born.

I would also like to honor family members on my maternal, Elizondo side of my family. My Tio, Ernesto Elizondo, was my Mother’s Beloved Brother, and proudly served in the US Navy during WW II. Also, I want to honor & recognize my Cousin, Ernesto Elizondo, Jr., who served in the US Air Force back in the 1970s, and is a disabled Veteran because of his service to our Country. I also want to recognize & honor David Gonzalez, US Marines, Son of my Cousin, Raquel Velazquez, and Servando Pena, US Army, my Cousin, Mary Pena’s husband. Lastly, my maternal grandfather, Francisco Elizondo, had two brothers who served, Margarito, and Jose Efrain, that were on active duty during WWII. In fact, my Tio Efrain Elizondo was in Iwo Jima, and saw the raising of the flag there! I believe he turned 92 this year, and we salute him today!

We proudly salute all family Veterans today and send them warm regards!

Certainly, with our big family, the Collazo and Family Military legend continues…

Happy Veteran’s Day!
Bob Collazo, Jr.
11/11/18

Jack Diamond the Cat

There once lived a cat named Jack Diamond.
He adopted Sonia & Jess, you’d never guess,
The cat they thought was wild,
Was really like a child.
Now Jack was attacked & was almost dead.
But he pull through,
The cat with nine lives with only one left.
For the wild cat no more,
That was attacked & gored,
The legend of Jack Diamond lives on forevermore.

Bob Collazo,
9/29/18

Born in Laredo but moved when my brother got sick.
Then my Dad, Mom, Grandma and four brothers lived in Loma Park in San Antonio.
We spent our summers all day having fun and playing baseball
Until the street lights came on.
Best part is we were raised on a whole lot of love,
When life was simple and sweet on 38th street.

By the time I was at Holy Cross High,
I made friends there with new experiences to satisfy.
Then one year, Dad surprised me with an old car.
I worked hard after school and summers to help pay it back.
But with good friends and great times,
Life there was still simple but still a treat there on 38th street.

After Holy Cross, I went in the Army and started life’s run,
I married the love of my life,
Then came our beautiful Son.
Realized then that life was not that simple anymore;
But with a brand new little family at my side, I felt most complete.
Life there was a little more complicated but really good in that El Paso street.

After the military, I got into the USDA,
Where I started as a inspector.
However sometimes ambition or boredom took over and I would look for more,
Always trying to better myself, so we moved many times for different USDA jobs in 32 years.
But the exciting thing was the people we met along that yellow-brick road,
Which was the best part of the journey my family and I most sweetly rode.

Bob Collazo, 2/3/18

Jess grew up an only child, with a chihuahua named Tiny.
Never lacking, and feeling like he had more than he could want,
He always had a bunch of cousins to play with nearby.
When I would spend summers there, in that Laredo heat,
I always recall his Mom & Dad, and much love at his home on Stewart Street.

Now Jess has always been methodical, logical, and true;
Even at an early age,
He would create a list for this or for that;
I know him now as the first environmentalist on the world stage,
For he would get after us for littering at an early age.

Recalling the four-track tape player in his ’64 Beige Chevy, and listening to great 60s music,
Maybe it was that that got him started on his musical journey.
For he was always practicing his guitar after that.
Then Jess played in a rock and roll band while in school.
Back in our teenage years…back when we all thought we were so cool.

Now Jess has had much success in life
Due to his constant striving to do his best.
A proud Aggie, with a sweet loving wife and son.
He’s still playing his guitar on his musical quest,
But now a much contented man, who’s is still just having fun.

I can’t believe the ride we’ve had, Primo!
Happy Birthday!
Bob, 1/14/18

He is my mother’s youngest Son.
Always been a scrapper, a natural athlete,
He is the youngest of four sons.
Ed learned when at the table with his brothers
That we were thankful for our food and for everything we had in our life.

Grown up, Ed and Elizabeth raised a beautiful family,
Two Sons, and a beautiful daughter;
He was a teacher, an artist, and now loving grandpa.
For our Dad and Mom taught him well
That you give back whenever you can in your lifespan.

For to be sure you get my point, and what sets him apart,
Is that he’s always been a jewel and had a big heart.
For Ed has a lot of love is not the ordinary man that he appears to be.
It’s no wonder then that he has elected to care for his Mother,
To ensure she gets the best care and dignity for the rest of her years.

I love you, my Brother!
Bob Collazo, 8/16/17

You’ve been my Godmother and kept in touch with me since I was six.
Throughout my life, you and Abe were always my mentors, my sounding boards.
Together with my Mom & Dad, I now recognize
You all shaped, and molded me to be able to choose my correct life’s path;
So grateful to you that this guided me to a successful career prize.

Celia, I know the recent years have been difficult at best.
But you’ve been so strong and have marched through all the aches, pains and fears.
Always going forward to new rainbows,
Even though along the road of life you’ve had much heartache and tears.
Your road has been sweet and everything you’d hope for, much more than anyone could ever know.

Celia – Thank you for all your support all these years.

Much love and hugs always,
Bob Collazo, 7/13/17

The youngest of ten brothers and one sister;
My earliest recollection of him, I’m thinking I was eight,
Was of him and Dad putting our bikes together,
Him playing Santa, and all of us just happy;
For Fernando was there.

Recalling a young teenager driving us fast to school,
In his 49 Chevy, looking cool with his curly hair, and always with much flair.
Growing up with him close by, we felt warm & secure more than anywhere,
We knew we could count on him for anything,
For Fernando was there.

In my teens, recalling the good times,
As well as my rebellious hard times, he steered me on hard choices,
Sometimes at difficult cross roads of my life, when I needed more than prayers,
He always gave me direction, and kept me straight,
For my Tio Fernando was always there.

This deeply sincere, hard-working man,
A loving son, and brother; devoted husband; a great Dad, and a wonderful Grandfather,
There has been no one quite like him to compare.
Straight, and tall, a man among men, who always stood out in a crowd,
For Fernando was always there for all of us.

Now that this great Man has gone to his rest
He served his country well, made much with his life,
Living life fully, and may I add, with much zest.
For even though his last years his body was much confined,
He is flying with eagles now, we can only guess.

With much love, and until we meet again, Tio…

Bob Collazo
Updated on 4/11/17

The Son of my Mother’s Brother,
He’d give you his shirt if you needed it,
A good man who can be trusted to lead,
At whatever needed to be done,
Neto worked hard all his life to succeed.

Absolutely not one to follow the rules,
Neto has lived life as he wanted,
Going full steam,
Not wanting anyone to tell him how to do it,
As to how to achieve his dream.

With a good wife, Rosario at his side,
Raising their two role-model kids
As best as they could,
But now looking back with much pride,
With many blessing coming back with Grand-kids and parenthood.

Close to retirement now,
Not knowing what lies ahead,
Neto has picked up a paint brush out of the blue
Astounding us all with real life wonder
Painting vistas life-like with beautiful hues so true.

Bob Collazo, 11/5/16
Neto – I hope you know that the good times lie ahead!

Oscar was a first generation American who loved his country.
Twenty-four years in the Navy and in submarines he did serve;
Rising in rank to the prestigious rank of “Chief of the Boat” that he deserved,
He was mentor and friend to many.
If he knew you needed something, he’d be with you for the long haul.
Blessed by his sense of humor, he loved having a good time with all.

I always thought my Uncle Oscar was our family’s very own submarine man.
My earliest recollection of him was when I was a very young, wide-eyed young kid in awe
When he would tell us stories of his submarine adventures, underwater for months at a span;
Of course, “Run Silent, Run Deep” was the hit movie at the time;
A World War II movie about submarine warfare,
So we would imagine our Uncle Oscar as the leading man.

Romeo Oscar Collazo was husband, dad, brother, uncle, grand-dad, and more;
Or as his grandchildren called him, “Lelo”, which, I am assuming, is short for “Abuelito”,
He embodied everything that was good in the human race;
This very proud man devoted his life to his family, his country, and his God.
I, for one, look forward to seeing him again in everlasting grace,
So that he again can tell me more submarine stories and I will again be in awe.

Bob Collazo, Jr., 1/2/15
Miss you Tio! Until the next time!

Luis embodied what he felt was important in his life – God, Country, and Family.
First, he made his peace with God;
Country because he was part of the “greatest generation”, served faithfully in WWII;
Family because he would do whatever it took for family.

Luis was a very kind, and loving man,
Would gladly give you his shirt if you asked him for it, we all agree.
Worked an honest trade, and made a clean living,
To ensure his wife and five kids had everything they would need.

My Dad, Lalo, recalls the story when he asked his brother Luis to assist in a job,
It was a great example where his exceeded devotion to family shined bright;
When Luis showed up in the middle of the night with his kids, wife, mother-in-law,
and even a washing machine in the back of an old Rambler station-wagon packed oh so tight!

Now you may not know that Luis was the forth Collazo brother to fight in WWII,
His devotion and loyalty to Country is unquestioned for sure.
For on a ship to the Pacific, his ship hit a typhoon, and almost sank.
Then, in Okinawa, where he detained Japanese POWs, he very nearly starved for lack of supplies;
Ate nothing but onions and bananas as the cost of being an America Yank.

Luis loved his bingo, and of course, their Vegas trips they loved to book;
Where early in life, he and his beloved, Zulema would go;
Introducing my Mom & Dad to casinos where they were hooked,
They shared many good times together, no matter the weather.

Now Luis’s Son, Choche, has said
That what an irony in the parallels of their lives;
For his Dad detained POWs in the war,
And his Son detained illegal aliens from the country next door.

Now let it be known that a great first generation American named Luis Manuel Collazo,
The sixth child born to Gerardo and Manuelita, in Laredo, Texas,
Lived a long, and happy life, devoted to God, Country, and family that he adored,
Lies asleep in the arms of the Lord.

Bob Collazo, 3/6/14
Until we see you again, Tio!
Tio = Uncle