Soldier Honored: Ramon A. Villatoro

U.S. Army Private First-Class Ramon A. Villatoro, 19, of Bakersfield, Calif., was assigned to 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, Colo.  He was serving as a Cavalry Scout in Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom. On July 24, 2005, PFC Villatoro and three additional soldiers were killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Bradley fighting vehicle.

With a dream of becoming a doctor, PFC Villatoro wanted to help those in need in his hometown of Bakersfield, Calif. He, like many others, saw the U.S. Army as the best way to achieve that dream. He graduated high school in 2004 and joined the Army in July of the same year.  PFC Villatoro loved softball, cars, singing, and dancing.

PFC Villatoro attended Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Knox, Ky. Shortly thereafter, he reported to his first assignment at the Replacement Detachment. Within a few days, PFC Villatoro's leadership and dedication was recognized. He was committed to his role in his Primary Military Occupational Specialty, as a 19D, Cavalry Scout. He was charismatic and friendly, and was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal.

PFC Villatoro is survived by his wife and son, both of whom are Folds of Honor scholarship recipients.