By Jim Estrada

 Millions of Latinos are proud of their history of military service to our nation. To discover they have defended the USA against all enemies, from the Revolutionary War to the current conflicts in Afghanistan, one must cull through volumes of research, academic dissertations, or tomes of Spanish-language and Latino literature, because this history is not common knowledge.

 Among the earliest military contributions were those of General Bernardo de Galvéz de Madrid, governor of the Spanish colony of Louisiana. He and his troops captured the critical ports of Mobile (Alabama) and Pensacola (Florida) from the British in 1780 and 1781, greatly aiding the cause of this new nation. Galvéz receives little mention for his contributions, but is credited with founding the city of Galvéz Town, Texas in 1778.

 During the Civil War, 2,500 Tejanos sided with Confederate forces, while nearly 1,000 more for served in the Union Army. They were part of the South’s 10th Texas Cavalry, the 55th Alabama Infantry, and the 6th Missouri Infantry. Colonel Santos Benavides of Laredo, TX, became the highest-ranking Latino in the Confederate army. In 1864, as Commander of the 33rd Cavalry, he was responsible for repelling Union forces in Brownsville, TX.

 The Union enlisted four companies of Californianos for their “extraordinary horsemanship” and at least 469 of them were assigned to Major Salvador Vallejo to defeat a Confederate invasion of New Mexico. By the end of the civil war, nearly 10,000 Latinos had served in military units for both sides of the Civil War.

 In 1866, David G. Farragut was the first U.S. naval officer ever awarded the top ranks of Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral and Admiral. He was also the most senior naval officer during the Civil War. Although mentioned in U.S. historical accounts for his bravery (“Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”), few historical references were made about his Spanish ancestry.

 During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln established the Congressional Medal of Honor (MOH), the nation’ highest military award to recognize uncommon valor in combat. It was awarded to military heroes who distinguished themselves “conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his/her life above and beyond the call of duty.” Among the first MOH recipients were:

 • Joseph H. de Castro, a Spaniard serving with the 19th Massachusetts Infantry, for bravery at the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1863.

 • Philip Bazaar, a Chilean serving in the U.S. Navy, for bravery during the assault on Fort Fisher, NC, January 1865.

 • John Ortega, a Spaniard serving in the U.S. Navy, for bravery aboard the USS Saratoga, December 1865.

 Latinos have been substantially represented and awarded more citations and medals for “valor in combat” than most U.S. Americans realize:

 • In World War I, David Bennes Barkley (Laredo, TX), served in Company A, 89th Division, 356th Infantry. He lost his life on a reconnaissance mission after swimming across the icy River Meuse in France and drawing maps of German artillery positions, which led to their destruction. He was awarded France’s Croix de Guerre, Italy’s Croce Merito di Guerra, and the MOH.

 • U.S. Air Force Captain Manuel J. Fernandez, Jr. (Key West, FL) flew 125 combat missions with the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing in Korea and is credited with 14 solo victories, making him one of the first “aces” of the Korean War. Captain Fernandez was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross and a Silver Star during his tour of duty.

 • U.S. Army Private First Class (PFC) Joseph Charles Rodriguez (San Bernardino, CA) was awarded the MOH for heroic actions on May 21, 1951, near Munye-ri after he single-handedly took on enemy forces occupying well-fortified positions. Private Rodriguez retired from the Army after attaining the rank of Colonel. He died November 1, 2005.

 • U.S. Army Corporal Rodolfo “Rudy” P. Hernandez (Colton, CA) received the MOH for heroic actions on May 31, 1951, near Wonton-ni. When a numerically larger force attacked his platoon, diving them into retreat. Cpl. Hernandez was critically wounded, but single-handedly engaged the enemy allowing his comrades to regroup and re-take the position.

 • Army Staff Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez (Cuero, TX), Navy Lieutenant j.g. Everett Alvarez, Jr. (Salinas, CA), Army Specialist 4th Class Daniel Fernandez (Albuquerque, NM), and Army Captain Euripides Rubio (Ponce, PR) represent the geographic diversity of the 14 Latinos awarded the MOH during the Viet Nam conflict.

 Despite their heroics, Latinos served in obscurity. The 1960 movie “From Here to Eternity” was based on the story of Marine PFC Guy Gabaldon. The movie accurately portrayed his single-handed capture of nearly 1,500 Japanese in the South Pacific islands of Saipan, Tinian and the Marianas. However, movie’s producers ignored the fact this hero was a U.S.-born Latino and cast Jeffrey Hunter as an “Italian” Gabaldon.

 PFC Gabaldon was nominated for the MOH, but was awarded the Silver Star — later upgraded to the Navy Cross. He still has the distinction of capturing more enemy personnel than anyone else in the annals of U.S. military conflicts. He died August 11, 2006, his MOH pending.

 Another example of overlooking Latino contributions was the 2008 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) series “The War.” The original 14.5-hour series on WWII failed to feature any of the half-million Spanish-surnamed soldiers and sailors who served the USA in the “Big One.”
The U.S. foreign legion

 Involvement in our wars has not been limited to U.S.-born Latinos. During WWI, a Mexican immigrant became an international war hero. Marcelino Serna, born in the state of Chihuahua in 1896, volunteered for the U.S. Army at the age of 20 and participated in some of the most rigorous campaigns of the European theater:

 • At Ste. Mihiel (France), Serna’s unit ran into a German machine gun post, losing 12 U.S. soldiers. Serna charged the nest, killing six Germans and capturing eight others. On another mission, he single-handedly captured 24 enemy soldiers and killed 26 — using only his rifle, pistol, and grenades.

 • The Allies awarded him their highest medals: Two French Croix de Guerre, Italy’s Croce al Merito di Guerra, the French Medaille Militaire, along with French Commemorative Medal, WW I Victory Medal (5 stars), the Victory Medal (3 campaign bars), the St. Mihiel Medal, and the Verdun Medal. The U.S. awarded Serna the DSC — its second highest combat award and two Purple Hearts. Serna died at the age of 95, a naturalized citizen and remains one of the most decorated soldiers in Texas.

 • Mexico supported the USA in WWII with 300 members of its 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron. The 201st flew 59 combat missions from the Philippine Islands and became the only veterans of a foreign war in Mexican history. Five P-47 pilots from the 201st died in the Pacific theater.

 • Marine Lance Corporal Jose Gutierrez of Guatemala was among the first to make the ultimate sacrifice for his “country of choice.” He died March 21, 2003 in combat near the Iraqi port city of Umm Qas. Cpl. Gutierrez was granted citizenship under a 2002 Executive Order allowing families of those “killed in action” to apply for posthumous citizenship — a symbolic gesture that provides no benefits for families of those killed serving our country.

 In 2006, the U.S. Department of Defense reported 35,000 non-citizen immigrants were actively protecting us from the “threats of terrorism” in the Middle East. The Pew Hispanic Center found Latinos constituted 9.5 percent of active military forces, yet were 17.5 percent of combat troops serving in Iraq.

 It is time our friends and families (especially our children) to recognize that Latinos helped to ensure “all” Americans have the opportunity to pursue their dreams — regardless of skin color, ethnicity, country of origin, or language spoken.

 Jim Estrada is a U.S. Air Force veteran and former television journalist and corporate marketing executive.  He is a nationally recognized practitioner of ethnic marketing and communications with over 30 years of advertising, marketing and public relations experience. “A Tribute to a Forgotten Force” is excerpted from his upcoming book, “The GIANT Stirs: The ABCs and Ñ of America’s Cultural Evolution.”