# List of Hispanic Medal of Honor recipients

The Medal of Honor was introduced during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipient must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their own life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy of the United States. Due to the nature of this medal, it is commonly presented posthumously.
Sixty-one (61) men of Hispanic heritage have been awarded the Medal of Honor. Of the sixty-one Medals of Honor presented to Hispanics, two were presented to members of the United States Navy, thirteen to members of the United States Marine Corps and forty-six to members of the United States Army. Forty-two Medals of Honor were presented posthumously.
The first recipient was Corporal Joseph H. De Castro of the Union Army for his actions at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on July 3, 1863, during the American Civil War and the most recent recipient is Sergeant First Class Leroy Petry for his actions in Afghanistan. Corporal De Castro was a member of the Massachusetts Infantry, a militia that was not part of the "regular" army; however, Private David Bennes Barkley was a member of the regular army during World War I and has been recognized as the Army's first Hispanic Medal of Honor recipient. In 1864, Seaman John Ortega became the first Hispanic member of the U.S. Navy to receive the Medal of Honor and in 1900, Private France Silva became the first person of Hispanic descent in the U.S. Marine Corps to receive the medal. President Barack Obama awarded the Medal of Honor to 17 Hispanics on a March 18, 2014 in a ceremony in the White House. The award comes through the National Defense Authorization Act which called for a review of Jewish American and Hispanic American veterans from WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War to ensure that no prejudice was shown to those deserving the Medal of Honor.
Fifteen recipients were born outside the United States mainland, one each in Chile and Spain, five in Mexico and eight in Puerto Rico. Seaman Philip Bazaar from Chile received the medal in January 1865 and Seaman John Ortega from Spain in December 1865. The first native Mexican recipient was Staff Sergeant Marcario Garcia and the first Puerto Rican was PFC Fernando Luis Garcia. 1st Lt. Rudolph B. Davila, of Hispanic-Filipino descent, was the only person of Filipino ancestry to receive the medal for his actions in the war in Europe during World War II. Private Joe P. Martinez was the first Hispanic-American recipient to be awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for combat heroism on American soil during the same conflict. 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez, is the only Hispanic graduate of the United States Naval Academy to receive the Medal of Honor. Captain Humbert Roque Versace was the first recipient of the Medal of Honor to be given to an Army POW for his actions during captivity in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.

## Terminology

Hispanic is an ethnic term employed to categorize any citizen or resident of the United States, of any racial background, of any country, and of any religion, who has at least one ancestor from the people of Spain or is of non-Hispanic origin, but has an ancestor from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central or South America, or other Hispanic origin. The three largest Hispanic groups in the United States are the Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans.

## American Civil War

Three Hispanic Americans earned the Medal of Honor during the American Civil War, two were sailors of the Union Navy and one was a soldier of the 19th Massachusetts Infantry.
This with the * indicates that the Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously
| Image | Name | Rank | Branch | Unit | Place of action | Date of action | Notes/Reference |
| — | Philip Bazaar | Ordinary Seaman | Navy | Massachusetts, USS Santiago de Cuba | Assault on Fort Fisher | January 15, 1865 | "As one of a boat crew detailed to one of the generals on shore, O.S. Bazaar bravely entered the fort in the assault and accompanied his party in carrying dispatches at the height of the battle. He was 1 of 6 men who entered the fort in the assault from the fleet" |
| — | Joseph H. De Castro | Corporal | Army | Company I, 19th Massachusetts Infantry | Gettysburg, Pennsylvania | July 3, 1863 | Attacked a confederate flag bearer from the 19th Virginia Infantry regiment and captured their flag. |
| — | John Ortega | Seaman | Navy | USS Saratoga | USS Saratoga | December 1864 | Was a member of a landing party who made several raids in August and September 1864 which resulted in the capture of many confederate prisoners and the taking or destruction of substantial quantities of ordnance, ammunition, and supplies. A number of buildings, bridges, and salt works were also destroyed during the expedition |

## Boxer Rebellion

During the Boxer Rebellion only one Hispanic American received the Medal of Honor and that was France Silva who earned it for "distinguishing himself for meritorious conduct".
This with the * indicates that the Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously
| Image | Name | Rank | Branch | Unit | Place of action | Date of action | Notes/Reference |
| — | France Silva | Private | Marine Corps | USS Newark | Peking, China | June 28, 1900–August 17, 1900 | For distinguishing himself by meritorious conduct |

## World War I

| Image | Name | Rank | Branch | Unit | Place of action | Date of action | Notes/Reference |
| | David B. Barkley* | Private | Army | Company A, 356th Infantry, 89th Division | Near Pouilly, France | November 9, 1918 | Volunteered to swim a river to gather information on an enemy force. When he was swimming back across the river he got cramps and drowned. |

## World War II

This with the * indicates that the Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously
| Name | Rank | Branch | Unit | Place of action | Date of action | Notes/Reference |
| Lucian Adams | Staff sergeant | Army | 30th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division | St. Die, France | October 1944 | |
| Pedro Cano | Private | Army | Company C, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division | Schevenhutte, Germany | Dec. 3, 1944 | |
| Rudolph B. Davila | Staff sergeant | Army | Company H, 7th Infantry | Artena, Italy | May 28, 1944 | Risked his life to destroy three hostile machine guns. |
| Joe Gandara* | Private | Army | Company D, 2d Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division | Amfreville, France | June 9, 1944 | He destroyed three hostile machine guns before he was fatally wounded. |
| Marcario Garcia | Staff sergeant | Army | Company B, 22d Infantry, 4th Infantry Division | Near Grosshau, Germany | November 27, 1944 | "While an acting squad leader, he single-handedly assaulted two enemy machine gun emplacements" |
| Harold Gonsalves* | Private first class | Marine Corps | 4th Battalion, 15th Marines 6th Marine Division | Ryūkyū Chain, Okinawa | April 15, 1945 | Sacrificed his life to smother a grenade with his body |
| David M. Gonzales* | Private first class | Army | Company A, 127th Infantry, 32 Infantry Division | Villa Verde Trail, Luzon, Philippine Islands | April 25, 1945 | Was killed in action in the Philippines while digging out fellow soldiers who had been buried in a bomb explosion |
| Silvestre S. Herrera | Private first class | Army | Company E, 142d Infantry, 36th Infantry Division | Near Mertzwiller, France | March 15, 1945 | Injured in action while charging an enemy stronghold resulting in the capture of eight enemy soldiers |
| Salvador J. Lara* | Private first class | Army | 602d Ordnance Armament Maintenance Battalion, 45th Infantry Division | Aprilia, Italy | May 27–28, 1944 | For courageous actions during combat operations in Aprilia, Italy before he was fatally wounded. |
| Jose M. Lopez | Sergeant | Army | 2d Infantry Division | Near Krinkelt, Belgium | December 17, 1944 | Single-handedly repulsed a German infantry attack, killing at least 100 enemy troops |
| Joe P. Martinez* | Private | Army | Company K, 32d Infantry, 7th Infantry Division | Attu, Aleutians, Alaska, United States | May 26, 1943 | Killed in action while participating in the defeat of enemy forces in a snow-covered mountain. |
| Manuel V. Mendoza* | Staff sergeant | Army | 350th Infantry Regiment, 88th Infantry Division | Battaglia, Italy | Oct. 4, 1944 | For courageous actions during combat operations on Mount Battaglia, Italy before he was fatally wounded. |
| Manuel Perez Jr.* | Private first class | Army | Company A 511th Parachute Infantry, 11th Airborne Division | Fort William McKinley, Luzon, Philippine Islands | February 13, 1945 | Killed 18 enemy soldiers so his company could advance |
| Cleto L. Rodriguez | Private | Army | Company B, 148th Infantry, 37th Division | Paco Railroad Station, Manila, Philippine Islands | February 9, 1945 | With another soldier, who was killed in the action, killed more than 82 Japanese, completely disorganized their defense, and allowed for the enemy to be defeated |
| Alejandro R. Ruiz | Private first class | Army | 165th Infantry, 27th Infantry Division | Okinawa | April 28, 1945 | Risked his life to eliminate an enemy pillbox and kill the 12 enemy soldiers who were occupying it |
| Jose F. Valdez* | Private first class | Army | Company B, 7th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division | Rosenkrantz, France | January 25, 1945 | |
| Ysmael R. Villegas* | Staff sergeant | Army | Company F, 127th Infantry, 32d Infantry Division | Villa Verde Trail, Luzon, Philippine Islands | March 20, 1945 | |

## Korean War

This with the * indicates that the Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously
| Name | Rank | Branch | Unit | Place of action | Date of action | Notes/Reference |
| Joe R. Baldonado* | Corporal | Army | Company B, 1st Battalion, 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division. | Kangdong, North Korea | Nov. 25, 1950 | |
| Victor H. Espinoza* | Corporal | Army | Company A, 1st Battalion, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. | Chorwon, North Korea | Aug. 1, 1952 | |
| Fernando Luis García* | Private first class | Marine Corps | Company I 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines 1st Marine Division | Korea | September 5, 1952 | |
| Edward Gomez* | Private first class | Marine Corps | Company E 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines 1st Marine Division | Kajon-ni, Korea | September 14, 1951 | |
| Eduardo C. Gomez* | Sergeant | Army | Company I, 3d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division. | Tabu-dong, South Korea | Sept. 3, 1950 | For heroism in inflicting a heavy toll in casualties and retarding the enemy's advance. |
| Ambrosio Guillen* | Staff sergeant | Marine Corps | Company F 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines 1st Marine Division | Songuch-on, Korea | July 25, 1953 | |
| Rodolfo P. Hernandez | Corporal | Army | Company G, 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team | Near Wontong-ni, Korea | May 31, 1951 | |
| Baldomero Lopez* | First lieutenant | Marine Corps | Company A 1st Battalion, 5th Marines 1st Marine Division | Inchon Landing, Korea | September 15, 1950 | |
| Benito Martinez* | Corporal | Army | Company A, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division | Satacri, Korea | September 6, 1952 | |
| Juan E. Negrón* | Master sergeant | Army | 65th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division | Kalma-Eri, North Korea | April 28, 1951 | For courageous actions during combat operations in Kalma-Eri, North Korea. |
| Eugene Arnold Obregon* | Private first class | Marine Corps | Company G 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines 1st Marine Division | Second Battle of Seoul | September 26, 1950 | |
| Mike C. Pena* | Master sergeant | Army | Company F, 2d Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division. | Waegwan, South Korea | Sept. 4, 1950 | |
| Demensio Rivera | Private | Army | Company G, 2d Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. | Changyong-ni, South Korea | May 23, 1951 | For courageous actions during combat operations in Changyong-ni, South Korea. |
| Joseph C. Rodriguez | Private first class | Army | Company F, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division | Near Munye-ri, Korea | May 21, 1951 | |
| Miguel A. Vera* | Private | Army | Company F, 2d Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. | Chorwon, South Korea | Sept. 21, 1952 | |

## Vietnam War

This with the * indicates that the Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously
| Name | Rank | Branch | Unit | Place of action | Date of action | Notes/Reference |
| Leonard L. Alvarado* | Specialist four | Army | Company D, 2d Battalion, 12th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. | Phuoc Long province, South Vietnam | Aug. 12, 1969 | |
| Roy P. Benavidez | Master sergeant | Army | Detachment B-56, 5th Special Forces | Loc Ninh, Vietnam | May 2, 1968 | |
| Felix M. Conde-Falcon* | Staff sergeant | Army | Company D, 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry, 3d Brigade, 82d Airborne Division. | Ap Tan Hoa, South Vietnam | April 4, 1969 | |
| Emilio A. De La Garza* | Lance corporal | Marine Corps | Company E 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines | Da Nang | April 11, 1970 | |
| Ralph E. Dias* | Private first class | Marine Corps | 1st Battalion, 7th Marines | Quang Nam Province | November 12, 1969 | |
| Jesus S. Duran* | Specialist four | Army | Company E, 2d Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). | South Vietnam | April 10, 1969 | Mounting a log, he fired directly into the enemy's foxholes and eliminated four of them and several others as they fled. |
| Santiago J. Erevia | Specialist four | Army | Company C, 1st Battalion (Airmobile), 501st Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division | Tam Ky | May 1969 | |
| Daniel D. Fernández* | Specialist four | Army | Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry (Mechanized) 25th Infantry Division | Hau Nghia Province | February 18, 1966 | |
| Candelario Garcia* | Sergeant | Army | Company B, 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division | Lai Khe, South Vietnam | Dec. 8, 1968 | |
| Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez* | Sergeant | Marine Corps | Company A 1st Battalion, 1st Marines | Hue City | February 4, 1968 | |
| Jose Francisco Jimenez* | Lance corporal | Marine Corps | Company K 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines 1st Marine Division | Quang Nam Province | August 28, 1969 | |
| Miguel Keith* | Lance corporal | Marine Corps | III Marine Amphibious Force | Quang Ngai Province | May 8, 1970 | |
| Carlos Lozada* | Private first class | Army | Company A, 2nd Battalion, 502d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade | Dak To | November 20, 1967 | |
| Alfred V. Rascon | Specialist four | Army | Reconnaissance Platoon, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry,173d Airborne Brigade | Republic of Vietnam | March 16, 1966 | |
| Louis R. Rocco | Sergeant first class | Army | Advisory Team 162, United States Military Assistance Command | Northeast of Katum, Republic of Vietnam | May 24, 1970 | |
| Jose Rodela | Sergeant first class | Army | Detachment B-36, Company A, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. | Phuoc Long Province, South Vietnam | September 1, 1969 | For actions during combat operations against an armed enemy . |
| Euripides Rubio* | Captain | Army | Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division | Tay Ninh Province | November 8, 1966 | |
| Hector Santiago-Colon* | Specialist four | Army | Company B, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (airmobile) | Quang Tri Province | June 28, 1968 | |
| Elmelindo Rodrigues Smith* | Sergeant first class | Army | Company C, 2d Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division | Republic of Vietnam | February 16, 1967 | |
| Jay R. Vargas | Captain | Marine Corps | Company G 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade | Dai Do | April 30, 1968–May 2, 1968 | |
| Humbert Roque Versace* | Captain | Army | Detachment A-23, 5th Special Forces Group | An Xuyen Province | October 29, 1963–September 26, 1965 | |
| Maximo Yabes* | First sergeant | Army | Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division | Near Phu Hoa Dong | February 26, 1967 | |

## War in Afghanistan

| Image | Name | Rank | Branch | Unit | Place of action | Date of action | Notes/Reference |
| | Leroy Petry | Sergeant first class | Army | D Company, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment | Afghanistan | May 26, 2008 | |

## By military branch

Awards by branch of service :
| Military branch | Posthumously | In person | Number of awards |
| Army | 30 | 16 | 46 |
| Marines | 11 | 2 | 13 |
| Navy | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 41 | 20 | 61 |
Note: The information in "Awards by branch of service Table" is based on the sourced information on the "List of Recipients Table".