[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 16 (Wednesday, February 1, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E110]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE ON ERNEST SALGADO, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JOE BACA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 1, 2012

  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to pay tribute to a great 
leader and role model Ernest Salgado, Sr. Ernest, the eldest member of 
the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians passed away on January 23, 2012 at 
the age of ninety-one.
  Ernest was born on the Soboba Indian Reservation, in Riverside 
County, California. He attended high school at Sherman Indian High 
School, where he was an outstanding athlete and played on the 
championship baseball team.
  When Indians became citizens in 1924, Ernest was the first of his 
tribe to fill out the U.S. census form. Ernest served his country 
honorably as a soldier in the Army, where he had an expert shot, having 
picked up the skill from deer hunting with his grandfather. During 
World War II, Ernest participated in the landing at D-Day in 1944 and 
would later pass on the value of service to ones country to his son, 
Richard who served in the Vietnam War.
  After serving his country, Ernest served his tribal community by 
working at Sherman Indian School and by serving on the Soboba tribal 
council during the 1970s. During his time on the Soboba tribal council, 
Ernest provided great leadership in rebuilding his tribal community and 
has fostered understanding and respect for Native People in everything 
that he did. His son Robert Salgado Sr. would later serve on the Soboba 
tribal council as Chairman of the tribe. As a young man, I have the 
privilege of knowing Robert and meeting the Soboba Tribe during 
baseball games on reservations. In my time spent with them, the Soboba 
tribe always welcomed me and treated me like family.
  Ernest is survived by his children, Ernie Salgado Jr., Robert Salgado 
Sr., Richard Salgado Sr., Lorraine ``Raina'' Maciel, Francie Diaz and 
Rose Salgado; his brothers and sisters, Nella Salgado Heredia, Frances 
Bentiste Arres, Alice Bentiste Helms, Henry ``Sonny'' Bentiste and 
William ``Billy'' Bentiste, as well as a loving family of grandchildren 
and great-grandchildren.
  My thoughts and prayers, along with those of my wife, Barbara, and my 
children, Rialto City Councilman Joe Baca Jr., Jeremy, Natalie, and 
Jennifer and are with Ernest's family at this time. Mr. Speaker, I ask 
my colleagues to pay tribute to Ernest Salgado, Sr.

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