Brothers Jose and Raul Rubio Honored with Military Banners

This past July, two brothers Jose Rubio and Raul Rubio were both honored by their families, their friends, and the city of Colton with Military Banner Installation Ceremonies on the same day. The two proud local veterans now have military banners hanging up right by alongside each other. Raul’s can be found on N Street at the first pole west of 7th Street. Jose’s banner can also be seen on N Street at the second pole west of 7th Street. Raul, born in Colton on Aug. 14, 1924, attended all Colton schools and left high school during his senior year. He unfortunately passed away from cancer on Aug. 28, 1986. Raul, inducted on July 15, 1943, served during World War II as a pilot and a gunner on the B-52 Bomber. During his service, he flew on thirty-five bombing missions. According to their niece Carolina Padilla, they have an understanding that on his last mission the plane ran out of fuel, descended, and the crew had to parachute out of the plane behind enemy lines and consequently had to find their way back. He earned two battle stars, a good conduct ribbon, and the air medal with four Oak Leaf cluster. After his service, Raul worked with the Santa Fe Railroad and also had seven children. Jose, born in 1930, was also born in their hometown of Colton. “He is with us today as a testament to his hard work, dedication, and devotion to his family,” Padilla shared. He was drafted into the US Army when he was 21, in 1951, and served for two years within the Airborne 82nd Division. Padilla shared that during his service it seemed that he had a choice. He was asked if he wanted to go to Korea to fight in the front lines or to go to special training to become a paratrooper, if he survived. “Jose thought, ‘I’d rather take my chances jumping out of airplanes than having someone shoot at me’,” she explained. Jose was then off to Fort Benning in Georgia for Paratrooper training, after surviving the training, he went to serve at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. He also has seven children. Throughout his life, he has worked as a Milk Delivery Man, a Truck Driver, and a Custodian for the school district. During the installation ceremonies, close family members for both Jose and Raul shared special words with everyone to show their support. According to Padilla, Raul’s two sons Raul Rubio Jr., Mark Rubio, and daughter Pauline Rubio shared stories about their father. Pauline also shared that the ceremony was very joyous and it brought a very positive feeling to the whole family especially considering the remembrance of their father toward the end of his life when he was sick with cancer. Jose’s son Lupe Rubio, and two daughters Rosalinda and Martha Rubio also shared a few happy memories. “They have happy memories of living in the grandparent’s home and also a place where all the brothers, sisters, and families of Raul and Jose would gather,” she explained that even their sister Elena Rubio Padilla lived next door with her husband Manuel Padilla and their children. “The most memorable part to me is that their banners are on the street where the Rubio family’s home was located when the Rubio family lived in South Colton,” Padilla shared. “The family home was on the North side of the street almost the exact location of the two banners.” Her home is also adjacent to the pocket park that is also adjacent to where the banners hang on N Street. Therefore, she can look at the banner from her back fence.