First Sgt. Jose San Nicolas Crisostomo, a Vietnam veteran and Bronze Star recipient who volunteered to return to the Army and serve in Afghanistan, became the oldest U.S. service member to die in combat there. He was 59: Soldier, 59, is oldest U.S. service member to die in Afghanistan.
Crisostomo was killed by a roadside bomb in Kabul last week while riding in an armored Humvee. He would have turned 60 later this month.
He joined the Army in 1969 and retired in 1993, then volunteered to serve again in 2008. His record shows he was one of the few service members who served in Vietnam and in current U.S. military operation. He also served during the first Gulf War in 1991.
He twice received the Bronze Star, which is awarded to U.S. troops for combat valor, and also received the Purple Heart for being wounded in combat. His records also indicate he received numerous other commendations, including the Kuwait Liberation Medal.
A native of Guam who settled in the Seattle area, he helped found Grupun Minagof, a group of Chamorro Americans who organize fiestas and other happenings in the local community. The group also raises money to provide scholarships for Chamorro youth. More here: Oldest coalition soldier to die in Afghanistan was 59.
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