List of Hispanic Medal of Honor recipients

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Hispanics have participated in every conflict in which the United States has been involved, from the American Revolutionary War to the Iraq War. The following is a list of every soldier, sailor, airman or Marine of Hispanic descent who was awarded the nation's highest military decoration — the Medal of Honor, sometimes referred to as the Congressional Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor is bestowed "for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in actual combat against an armed enemy force." The medal is awarded by the President of the United States on behalf of the Congress.

Contents 1 Civil War 2 Boxer Rebellion 3 World War I 4 World War II 5 Korean War 6 Vietnam War 7 Notes 8 Photo Gallery 9 References 10 External links

[edit] Civil War

Philip Bazaar

Ordinary Seaman, Massachusetts, USS Santiago de Cuba, United States Navy. Place and Date of Action: Assault on Fort Fisher, January 15, 1865. Place of Birth: Chile, South America.

Joseph H. De Castro

Corporal, Company I, 19th Massachusetts Infantry. Place and Date of Action: At Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 3, 1863. Place of Birth: Boston, Massachusetts. De Castro was the first Hispanic-American Medal of Honor recipient.

John Ortega

Seaman, Pennsylvania. USS Saratoga, United States Navy. Place and Date of Action: USS Saratoga, December 1865. Born 1840. Place of Birth: Spain. In 1864, Ortega became the first Hispanic sailor Medal of Honor recipient.

[edit] Boxer Rebellion

France Silva

Private, California G.O. No. 55, United States Marine Corps. Place and Date of Action: Peking, China, From June 28 to August 17, 1900. Born on: May 8, 1876, Place of Birth: Hayward, California. Silva was the first Hispanic-American Marine Medal of Honor recipient.

[edit] World War I

David B. Barkley*

Private, United States Army, Company A, 356th Infantry, 89th Division. Place and Date of Action: Near Pouilly, France, 9 November 1918. Date of Award: 1919. Place of Birth:Laredo, Texas. NB: Recognized as the U.S. Army's first Hispanic Medal of Honor recipient.

[edit] World War II

Lucian Adams

Staff Sergeant, 30th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: St. Die, France, October 1944. Entered Service and Place of Birth: Port Arthur, Texas

Rudolph B. Davila

First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company H, 7th Infantry, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Artena, Italy, 28 May, 1944. Entered service at:Los Angeles, Calif. Date and Place of birth: 27 April 1916, El Paso, TX. Davila was of Hispanic-Filipino descent and the only person of Filipino ancestry to receive the medal for his actions in the war in Europe.

Marcario Garcia

Staff Sergeant, Company B, 22d Infantry, 4th Infantry Division, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Near Grosshau, Germany, November 27, 1944. Entered Service at: Sugar Land, Texas. Place of Birth: Villa de Castano, Mexico. Garcia was the first Mexican Medal of Honor recipient.

Harold Gonsalves*

Private First Class, 4th Battalion, 15th Marines, 6th Marine Division, United States Marine Corps Reserve, Place and Date of Action: Ryūkyū Chain, Okinawa, April 15, 1945. Place of Birth: Alameda, California.

David M. Gonzalez*

Private First Class, Company A, 127th Infantry, 32 Infantry Division, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Villa Verde Trail, Luzon, Philippine Islands, April 25, 1945 Entered Service and Place of Birth: Pacoima, California.

Silvestre S. Herrera

Private First Class, Company E, 142d Infantry, 36th Infantry Division, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Near Mertzwiller, France, March 15, 1945. Entered service at: Phoenix, Arizona. Place of Birth: Camargo, Chihuahua, Mexico. He is the only living person authorized to wear the Medal of Honor and Mexico's equivalent "Premier Merito Militar" (Order of Military Merit).

Jose M. Lopez

Sergeant, 2d Infantry Division, United States Army. Entered Service: Brownsville, Texas. Place and Date of Action: Near Krinkelt, Belgium, December 17, 1944. Place of Birth: Mission, Texas.

Joe P. Martinez*

Private, Company K, 32d Infantry, 7th Infantry Division, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Attu, Aleutians, May 26, 1943. Entered service at: Ault, Colorado, Place of Birth: Taos, New Mexico. He was the first Hispanic-American recipient who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for combat heroism on American soil during World War II.

Manuel Perez Jr.*

Private First Class, Company A 511th Parachute Infantry, 11th Airborne Division, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Fort William McKinley, Luzon, Philippine Islands, February 13, 1945. Entered service at Chicago, Illinois. Born: 3 March 1923. Place of Birth: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Cleto L. Rodriguez

WTechnical, Company B, 148th Infantry, 37th Division, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Paco Railroad Station, Manila, Philippine Islands, February 9, 1945. Entered Service: San Antonio, Texas, Place of Birth: San Marcos, Texas.

Alejandro R. Ruiz

Private First Class, 165th Infantry, 27th Infantry Division, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Okinawa, April 28, 1945. Entered Service at: Carlsbad, New Mexico. Place of Birth: Loving, New Mexico.

Jose F. Valdez*

Private First Class, Company B, 7th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division, United States Army. Entered Service at: Pleasant Grove, Utah. Place and Date of Action: Rosenkrantz, France, January 25, 1945. Place of Birth: Governador, New Mexico.

Ysmael R. Villegas*

Staff Sergeant, Company F, 127th Infantry, 32d Infantry Division, United States Army. Place and Date pf Action: Villa Verde Trail, Luzon, Philippine Islands, March 20, 1945. Place of Birth: Casa Blanca, California.

[edit] Korean War

Fernando Luis Garcia*

Private First Class, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, United States Marine Corps, Place and Date of Action: Korea, September 5, 1952. Entered Service at: San Juan, Puerto Rico. Place of Birth: Utuado, Puerto Rico. Garcia was the first Puerto Rican Medal of Honor recipient.

Edward Gomez*

Private First Class, United States Marine Corps, Reserve, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, United States Marine Corps. Place and Date of Action: Kajon-ni, Korea, September 14, 1951. Entered Service and Place of Birth: Omaha, Nebraska.

Ambrosio Guillen*

Staff Sergeant, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, United States Marine Corps. Place and Date of Action: Songuch-on, Korea, July 25, 1953. Entered Service: El Paso, Texas. Place of Birth: La Junta, Colorado.

Rodolfo P. Hernandez

Corporal, Company G, 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Near Wontong-ni, Korea, May 31, 1951. Place of Birth: Colton, California.

Baldomero Lopez*

1st Lieutenant, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, United Stats Marine Corps. Place and Date of Action: Inchon Landing, Korea, September 15, 1950. Entered service and Place of Birth: Tampa, Florida.

Benito Martinez*

Corporal, Company A, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Satacri, Korea, September 6, 1952. Place of Birth: Fort Hancock, Texas.

Eugene Arnold Obregon*

Private First Class, Company G, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, United States Marine Corps. Place and Date of Action: Battle of Seoul, September 26, 1950. Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California.

Joseph C. Rodriguez

Sergeant, Company F, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Near Munye-ri, Korea, May 21, 1951. Place of Birth: San Bernardino, California.

[edit] Vietnam War

John P. Baca

Specialist Fourth Class, Company D, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Phuoc Long Province, February 10, 1970. Entered service at: Fort Ord, Californica. Place of Birth: Providence, Rhode Island

Roy P. Benavidez

Master Sergeant, Detachment B-56, 5th Special Forces, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Loc Ninh, Vietnam, May 2, 1968. MOH awarded on: February 24, 1981. Raised in El Campo, Born in De Witt County, Cuero, Texas.

Emilio A. De La Garza*

Lance Corporal, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, United States Marine Corps. Place and Date of Action: Da Nang, April 11, 1970. Entered Service at: Chicago, Illinois. Place of Birth Chicago, Illinois.

Ralph E. Dias*

Private First Class, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, United States Marine Corps. Place and Date of Action: Quang Nam Province, November 12, 1969. Entered Service: Pittsburg. Place of Birth: Shelocta, Pennsylvania.

Daniel Fernandez*

Specialist Fourth Class, Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry (Mechanized) 25th Infantry Division, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Hau Nghia Province, February 18, 1966. Entered Service at: Albuquerque, New Mexico. Place of Birth: Los Lunas, New Mexico.

Alfredo "Freddy" Gonzalez*

Sergeant, Platoon Commander, Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, United States Marine Cotrps. Place and Date of Action: Hue City, February 4, 1968. Entered service at: San Antonio, Texas. Born: 23 May 1946. Place of Birth: Edinburg, Texas.

Jose Francisco Jimenez*

Lance Corporal, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, United States Marine Corps. Place and Date of Action: Quang Nam Province, August 28, 1969. Entered service: Phoenix, Arizona. Place of Birth: Mexico City, Mexico.

Miguel Keith*

Lance Corporal, Combined Action Platoon 1-3-2, III Marine Amphibious Force, United States Marine Corps. Place and Date of Action: Quang Ngai Province, May 8, 1970. Entered service in Omaha, Nebraska. Place of Birth: San Antonio, Texas.

Carlos James Lozada*

Private First Class, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 502d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Dak To, November 20, 1967. Entered Service: New York, New York. Place of Birth: Caguas, Puerto Rico.

Alfred V. Rascon

Specialist Fourth Class, Reconnaissance Platoon, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry,173d Airborne Brigade, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Republic of Vietnam, on March 16, 1966. Entered Service: Oxnard, California. Place of Birth: Chihuahua, Mexico.

Louis R. Rocco

Warrant Officer, Advisory Team 162, United States Military Assistance Command, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Northeast of Katum, Republic of Vietnam, May 24, 1970. Entered Service: Los Angeles, California. Place of Birth: Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Euripides Rubio*

Captain, United States Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Place and Date of Action: Tay Ninh Province, November 8, 1966. Entered Service at: Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico. Place of Birth: Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Hector Santiago-Colon*

Specialist Fourth Class, Company B, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (airmobile), United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Quang Tri Province, June 28, 1968. Entered Service at: New York, New York. Place of Birth: Salinas, Puerto Rico.

Elmelindo Rodrigues Smith*

Staff Sergeant, 1st Platoon, Company C, 2d Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Republic of Vietnam, February 16, 1967. Entered service at: Honolulu, Hawaii. Place of Birth: Honolulu, Hawaii.

Jay R. Vargas Jr.

Major, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade, United States Marine Corps. Place and Date of Action: Dai Do, From April 30 to May 2, 1968. Place of Birth: Winslow, Arizona.

Humbert Roque Versace*

Captain, Detachment A-23, 5th Special Forces Group, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: An Xuyen Province, From October 29, 1963 to September 26, 1965. Awarded MOH July 8, 2002. Entered service at: Norfolk, Virginia. Born on July 2, 1937, Place of Birth: Honolulu, Hawaii. First Medal of Honor given to an Army POW for actions taken during captivity in Southeast Asia

Maximo Yabes*

First Sergeant, Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division, United States Army. Place and Date of Action: Near Phu Hoa Dong, Republic of Vietnam, February 26, 1967. Entered Service at: Eugene, Oregon. Place of Birth: Lodi, California.

[edit] Notes

• N.B. An asterisk after the name indicates that the award was given posthumously.

[edit] Photo Gallery

Hispanic Medal of Honor Recipients Gallery
Adams, Lucian	Baca, John P.	Barkley, David B.	Bazaar, Philip	Benavidez, Roy
Davila, Rudolph B.	De Castro, Joseph H.	De La Garza, Emilio A.	Dias, Ralph E.	Fernandez, Daniel
Garcia, Fernando Luis	Garcia, Marcario	Gomez, Edward	Gonsalves, Harold	Gonzalez, Alfredo "Freddy"
Gonzalez, David M.	Guillen, Ambrosio	Hernandez, Rodolfo P.	Herrera, Silvestre	Jimenez, Jose F.
Keith, Miguel	Lopez, Baldomero	Lopez, Jose M. `	Lozada, Carlos James	Martinez, Benito
Martinez, Joe P.	Obregon, Eugene A.	Ortega, John	Perez Jr., Manuel	Rascon, Alfred V.
Rocco, Luis R.	Rodriguez, Cleto L.	Rodriguez, Joseph C.	Rubio, Euripides	Ruiz, Alejandro R.
Santiago-Colon, Hector	Silva, France	Smith, Elmelindo Rodrigues	Vargas, Jay R.	Valdez, Jose F.
Versace, Humbert Roque	Villegas, Ysmael R.	Yabes, Maximo

[edit] References

• U.S. Army Hispanic Medal of Honor Recipients. U.S. Army Center of Military History, United States Army. Retrieved on 2006-07-12.

• Hispanic American Medal of Honor Recipients USA. Contributions of American Hispanics/Latinos Heritage and Ancestry to the United States of America. Hispanic America USA. Retrieved on 2006-07-12.

[edit] External links

• Landa, Victor (2006-05-29). List of Latino patriots grows longer. San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved on 2006-07-12.}

• Medal of Honor Recipients. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage. GoArmy.com, U.S. Army. Retrieved on 2006-12-24.

• Hispanics and the Medal of Honor. History Channel Classroom Study Guide. The History Channel. Retrieved on 2006-07-16.. (Original air date: September 20, 2005)

• Ricardo Romo (August 22, 1997). Above and Beyond. UT Discovery Magazine. Retrieved on 2006-11-21.