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The 158th Infantry Regiment "Bushmasters" are an Arizona National Guard unit that served in both World Wars and in Afghanistan. Gen. Douglas MacArthur referred to the Bushmasters as the "greatest combat team ever deployed in battle" during World War II. The regiment, which has had a high concentration of Latinos, saw combat in New Guinea, the Philippines and Yokohama, Japan. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Army)![Richard_Cavazos]()
The U.S. Army's first Hispanic four-star general was Gen. Richard E. Cavazos, a decorated platoon and company commander in the Korean War, who was a battalion commander during the Vietnam War. He received 13 outstanding decorations throughout his career. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Army)![Al_Cisneros_Blue_Angels]()
In 1975, Lt. Al Cisneros became the first Latino pilot to serve the Navy's famed Blue Angels flight demonstration squad. (Photo: U.S. Navy)![The Last Ace Of World War II]()
The last "Ace in a Day" of World War II was the Mexican-American 1st Lieutenant Oscar Perdomo, who earned the title when he recorded five kills on Aug. 13, 1945. Lt. Perdomo received the Air Medal and the Distinguished Service Cross. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Army)![Carmelita]()
The First Hispanic Female General: Brig. Gen. Carmelita Vigil-Schimmenti became the first Latina to reach the rank of general in 1985. She joined the Air Force as a hospital nurse in 1958 and served during the Vietnam War. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Air Force)![Guy_Gabaldon]()
U.S. Marine PFC Guy Gabaldon is known for capturing more enemy soldiers than anyone in the history of the U.S. military. Gabaldon captured more than 1,000 enemy soldiers as a Japanese interpreter on Saipan. He obtained vital information and convinced the men to surrender during battle. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Marine Corps)![France_Silva]()
Mexican-American Pvt. France Silva served aboard the U.S.S. Newark during the Spanish-American war, seeing action in the Philippines. He became the first Hispanic U.S. Marine to receive the Medal of Honor for his heroic action in Beijing, China, during the 1900 Boxer Rebellion. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Navy)![de_Galvez]()
Col. Don Bernardo de Gálvez was a captain in the Spanish militia from 1769 to 1771. He supported the U.S. in America's fight for independence against Great Britain. De Gálvez secured Florida for the Spanish. Galveston, Texas, is named after him. (Image courtesy U.S. Army)![Marcelino_Serna]()
Pvt. Marcelino Serna became the most decorated soldier from Texas during World War I, and he became the first Hispanic to receive the Distinguished Service Cross for single handedly captured 24 German soldiers and prevented his comrades from killing the captives. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Army)![Baldomero_Lopez]()
U.S. Naval Academy graduate Baldomero Lopez received the Medal of Honor posthumously for sacrificing himself during the Inchon assault in the Korean War on Sept. 15, 1950. According to the U.S. military, Latinos have the highest proportion of Medal of Honor recipients of any ethnic group. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Army)![first_hispanic_females_naval_academy]()
Lilia Ramirez, Carmen Gilliland, Trinoria Pinto, and Ina Gomez (from left) were the first Hispanic women to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1981. (Photos: Courtesy U.S. Navy)![Edward_Hidalgo]()
Edward Hidalgo, a Mexican-American, became the first Secretary of the Navy (1979-80). During his time in the office he put together new recruiting techniques and advertising campaigns targeted to the Latino community. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Navy)![Vday_1_Loreta_Velasquez]()
Cuban-born Loreta Janeta Velázquez disguised herself as a male Confederate soldier during the Civil War. She enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861 without her soldier-husband's knowledge and fought at Bull Run, Ball's Bluff and Fort Donelson. She was discharged when her identity was revealed. Later she became a spy for the Union side. (Image: Courtesy U.S. Army)![yvette_marie]()
Cmdr. Yvette Marie Davids took command of the guided missile frigate Curts in 2010 and became captain in 2011 and became the first Latina skipper of a surface combat vessel. (Photo: U.S. Navy)![Everrett_Alvarez]()
Cmdr. Everett Alvarez Jr. was held prisoner in North Vietnam longer than any other U.S. pilot. He was kept captive at the notorious "Hanoi Hilton" prison camp from August 1964 to February 1973. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Navy)![Jorge_Anthony_Magin]()
Born Jorge Anthony Magin Farragut on the Spanish island of Minorca, Farragut came to New Orleans as a merchant marine, changed his name to George Farragut and joined the South Carolina Navy during the Revolutionary War and also fought in the War of 1812. (Image: Courtesy U.S. Navy)![Farragut_son]()
David Gaslow Farragut, George or Jorge Farragut's son, became the greatest naval officer of the Civil War and greatest American naval officer of the 19th century. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Navy)![Borinquineers]()
The 65th Infantry Regiment "Borinqueneers" were based in Puerto Rico, the only all-Hispanic unit to serve in the Korean War. The unit fought in nine major campaigns from 1950 to 1953 earning 124 Silver Stars and four Distinguished Service Crosses. The unit was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 2014. (Photos: Courtesy U.S. Army)![Eugene_Valencia]()
Lt. Eugene A. Valencia is the third-ranking Navy ace of all-time. He scored 23 victories in the Pacific during World War II flying Hellcat fighter planes. Valencia led the most successful fighter plane division in American naval history. (Photo courtesy U.S. Navy)![Sgt__Jose_Lopez]()
Sgt. José Lopez single-handedly killed more than 35 Nazi soldiers in Belgium on Dec. 17, 1944, manning a heavy machine gun by himself and holding off two units of German soldiers. He and his outnumbered company later escaped safely. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Army)![Horacio_Rivera]()
Puerto Rican Adm. Horacio Rivero Jr.became America's first four-star admiral in 1964. He served aboard the USS Pennsylvania, USS Chicago, USS New Mexico, USS California, and USS Northampton. In 1968, he became commander of NATO forces in Southern Europe. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Navy)![Marion_Ramirez]()
In April 1944, Captain Marion Frederick Ramírez de Arellano became the first Hispanic commanding officer of a submarine when he took the helm of the U.S.S. Balao. Ramírez de Arellano also received two Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star for his actions during World War II. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Navy)Veterans' Day slideshow: Latinos who have achieved landmarks in the U.S. military
The contributions of Hispanics to the U.S. military dates back to the Revolutionary War. In terms of dedication to duty and bravery, these men and women take a back seat to no one.
Move Forward
- Veterans' Day slideshow: Latinos who have achieved landmarks in the U.S. military
