Robert L. Crites: Forever a Coltonite

Wednesday, Nov. 19, was a special day for quite a few Coltonites. It was the day Robert L. Crites Jr. was honored with a military banner during an installation ceremony, dedicated by many of his family members, good friends and other supporters who came together to raise funds for the banner. Donations poured in from former Colton Union High school classmates to honor their fellow classmate Robert "Bobby" Lincoln Crites, who died on June 21, 1969 in Vietnam. Crites, along with nine other Marines, was on board a USMC helicopter that was attempting, for the third time, to insert Marines in Quang Nam when his aircraft was hit multiple times by ground fire. As the helicopter attempted to abort the landing, it was hit, causing the copter to crash. Six members of the team died that day. A challenge was put out to the class of 1968 via Facebook to take a pie in the face and to make a donation in Crites's name. Those who participated in the challenge included Jerry Prieto, Dick Ele, Galen Hardin, Bernard Urrea, Mike Guinnip, Olivia Rosales Tierney, Mark Winters and Charlene Dunnihue French. An outpouring of love and remembrance in donations made it possible to honor Crites with a "memorial" military banner, which now hangs in front of Colton High’s admission’s office. The ceremony was attended by Colton Mayor Richard De La Rosa, Councilmembers David Toro and Luis Gonzalez, Brian Zane, Colton High School (CHS) class of 1969, and the Patriotic Guard Riders, Sonia Sanchez Castillo, CHS class of 1968, representing the American Legion Riders Post 155, Robert Rosales, Rudy Silva, members of the class of 1968, and classmate Jerry Hernandez who also represented VFW Post 6476, former Police Chief Steve Ward and over 100 supporters. The family gave thanks to the Class of 1968 and other classmates for their donations, to Jerry Prieto for his assistance, to Councilmember Toro for expediting the process, David Brunkhorst and the Colton High School ROTC Color Guard, Colton High School Band Director Lisa Nicolay and the school choir, Colton High School Assistant Principal Victor Schiro and the Crites family for allowing the installation of the banner. Another special thank you is given to the veterans from the Class of 1968: Rudy Silva, Bernard Urrea, Jerry Hernandez, Johnny Gonzales, Garry Wehr, and Jerry Prieto and Galen Hardin, who traveled from Prescott, Ariz.