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http://www.neta.com/~1stbooks/defense.htm

      Hispanics in Americas Defense

Soldiers, sailors, and explorers of Spanish origin were among the first Europeans to set foot in the "New World." 

By 1980, persons of Spanish origin were the second largest and fastest growing population subgroup in the United States, constituting over 14,600,000 people or 6.4% of the total national population. 

Yet most history books in this country do not discuss the contributions of this diverse group of people of Spanish, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central and South American origin.

The military heritage of Hispanics is a proud part of the European presence in the Americas. Much of the exploration and settlement of North and South America which followed the period of discovery in the late 15th century was conducted by Spanish military personnel-- the conquistadores.

We do not attempt to detail the full range of Hispanic exploration or conquest. Nor we attempt to chronicle the full range of Hispanic contributions to the military organizations of the United States.

Rather, it presents a brief overview, which touches upon significant events in North American history, tracing the military aspects, and the role of Hispanic Americans in that history. 

It emphasizes the military contributions because this is a Department of Defense publication, and military service is an ultimate test one's belief in and contribution to the protection and building of a nation.

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