Americans of Hispanic Heritage

Hispanic AmericaUSA Hispanic Contributions Copyright © 1996-Present
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- Americas Defense - American Revolution

Recommened Books:

Click here for Book entitled, Hispanics in America's Defense, includes the American Revolution, Mexican Americans, Spaniards, Cubans, Puerto Ricans...

.Lincoln's Admiral : The Civil War Campaigns of David Farragut (Father is Spanish, came to America 1776))

Bernardo De Galvez: Hero of the American Revolution (Spanish Governor of Louisiana, helped provide funds, et to the American Rebels)

Spanish Observers and the American Revolution...(This book gives a good insight of the role Spain had in the days of George Washington and America)

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CONTRIBUTIONS OF AMERICANS OF HISPANIC HERITAGE
http://www.neta.com/~1stbooks/content.htm
Courtesy of DoD

Hispanic-Americans made significant contributions to the development of our great nation even before the days of Admiral David Farragut and the Civil War. Farragut’s father, a Spaniard, came to America in 1776 and fought for this country during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. More recently, Hispanics have made their mark in politics, public service, the entertainment industry, organized sports, business, and science, as well as the military service. In the November 1992 elections, because of redistricting and greater political awareness, Hispanics counted an unprecedented number of 18 members of Congress and two delegates within their ranks. The eight new freshmen congressmen overcame overwhelming odds in some cases to win in ‘92.This includes California Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (the eldest daughter or Representative Edward Roybal), who is the first Hispanic woman to directly follow her father in Congress, from an entirely different district. Other historical political firsts are discussed below. It is important to remember that with their representation election, Hispanics now have twice the political clout.

Henry Cisneros, former Mayor of San Antonio, Texas, was a member of the Clinton administration, holding the cabinet post of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

In the entertainment world, Hispanic-Americans came to the forefront in the late 1980s and early 1990s.Edward James Olmos, known for his role on the television show Miami Vice, launched a successful movie career and also starred in Stand and Deliver, a movie about Los Angeles educator Jaime Escalante, and American Me, which concerns crime and violence in the Hispanic community.Gloria Estefan is a top contender in the record industry, and Rubin Blade recorded his first album in English for non-Hispanic audiences.

Dr. Antonia Novello was appointed in 1990 by President George Bush to be the Surgeon General of the

United States. Dr. Novello was the first Hispanic person and the first woman to become Surgeon General,

the highest ranking doctor in the U.S. government.

.Ellen Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman astronaut.

Like David Farragut.David Farragut, Hispanics continue to distinguish themselves in the military service of their country. Hispanics have been awarded 39 Medals of Honor to date -- more of the nation’s highest military honor than any other identifiable group. Some 20,000 Hispanics served in Operation Desert Shield/Storm, and many unsung Hispanic heroes emerged from the ground war with Iraq. In his autobiography, General Norman Schwarzkopf refers reverently to his former commander, Hispanic General Richard E. Cavazos, U.S.A. (Ret.), as one of the finest division commanders that he ever worked for. During Operation Restore Hope, the relief effort in Somalia, this nation mourned for the family of Domingo Arroyo, a Hispanic Marine and the first casualty in the region killed in a fire fight with Somali warlords.

Hispanic-Americans have made a difference in the history of this country. They leave a proud heritage for future Hispanic leaders of the 21st century to emulate.Additional noted Hispanic-Americans and their contributions are listed below.

Politics

Nydia Velazquez --First Puerto Rican woman to serve in the House of Representatives.

Lincoln Diaz-Balart -- Florida Congressman.

Robert Menendez -- New Jersey Congressman who is the first Cuban-American to serve in the House and first Cuban representative from the state of New Jersey.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen -- First Cuban-American woman in the House of Representatives.

Luis Gutierrez -- Illinois’ first Hispanic in Congress.

Henry Bonilla -- First Republican from the state of Texas.

Frank Tejeda -- First member of the 103rd Congress elected when he emerged from the March 1992 filing period unopposed by Democrat or Republican.

Bill Richardson -- First Hispanic as Chief Deputy Majority Whip.

Joseph M. Montoya -- U.S. Senator.

Dennis Chavez -- First American-born Hispanic elected to the U.S. Senate.

Herman Badillo -- First Puerto Rican elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Henry Gonzales -- Texas Congressman and Chairman of the House Banking Committee.

Ed Pastor -- First Hispanic Congressman from the state of Arizona.

Bob Martinez -- Former Governor of Florida and head of the Drug Enforcement Agency under President George Bush.

Rual Castro -- Governor of Arizona, resigned in 1977 to accept appointment as U.S. Ambassador to Argentina.

Ramona Acosta Banuelos, Katherine D. Ortega, and Catalina Vasquez -- Former U.S. Treasurers.

Lena Guerrero -- Member of the Texas State Legislature and first woman or ethnic minority to be appointed to the Texas Railroad Commission.

Xavier Suarez -- First Cuban-American mayor of Miami in 1985.

Fernando Ferrer -- Bronx, N.Y. borough president since 1987, possible candidate in New York mayoral race.

Nelson Merced -- First Hispanic elected to the Massachusetts State Legislature.

Jose Serrano -- Bronx Democrat Congressman and champion of inner-city educational reform.

Federico Pena -- First Hispanic mayor of Denver.

Gloria Molina -- First Latina on the City Council of Los Angeles.

Laura Cavazos -- First Hispanic to occupy a cabinet position, as Secretary of education for the Reagan Administration.

Bert Corona -- Mexican-American Political Associations.

Cesar Chavez -- United Farm Workers.

Jose Angel Gutierrez -- La Raza Unida Party.

Jerry Apodaca -- Former Government of New Mexico.

Baltasar Corrada -- Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico.

Science

Jamie Escalante -- Los Angeles educator credited for his role in improving the math and science skills of Los Angeles-area high school students -- the improvement in Escalante’s students’ scores on the Calculus Advanced Placement Exam for college entrance was so dramatic that the group was accused of cheating by the Educational Testing Service in Princenton, N.J. The movie Stand and Deliver tells his story.

Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Ellen Ochoa, and Sid Gutierrez -- NASA space shuttle astronauts.

Luis W. Alverez -- Nobel Prize winner in physics for work with subatomic particles.

Severo Ochoa -- Nobel Prize winner in medicine and physiology for laboratory synthesis of DNA and RNA.

Entertainment

Edwards James Olmos, Anthony Quinn, Gilbert Roland, Martin Sheen, Raquel Welch, Imogene Coca, Freddie Prinze, Jose Ferrer, Erik Estrada, Paul Rodriquez, Richardo Montalban, Saundra Santiago, Esai Morales, Marcia Conchita Alonso, Jimmy Smits and Raul Julia -- Actors.

Rita Moreno -- First Hispanic actress to win an Oscar.

Brunilda Ruiz --Ballerina.

Trini Lopez, Joan Baez, Tony Orlando, Xavier Cuggat, Desi Arnaz, Carlos Montoya, Vickie Carr, Chita Ricera, Jose Feliciano, Graciela Rivera, Tito Puente -- Entertainers.

Truman Capote and Anais Nin -- Authors.

Geraldo Rivera -- Talk Show Host.

Luis Valdez, writer of La Bamba--the Richie Valens -- Story Writer/Director.

Lourdes Lopez --Principle Dancer, New York ballet.

John Benitez -- Record producer best known for producing Madonna’s first hit record.

Kenny Ortega -- Choreographer.

Ernesto Lecuona -- Composer.

John Secada -- Musician.

Scholars/writers

Nicolas Guillen -- Poet inspired by African rhythms.

Carlos Montenegro -- Novelist.

Wilfredo Lam and Manuel Martinez -- Painter.

Piri Thomas -- Writer.

Eduardo Seda, Ernesto Galarza, Octavio Romano, Richard Duran, Julian Samora and George Sanchez -- Scholars.

Luis Valdez, Guadalupe de Saavedra and Abelardo Delgado -- Poets.

Sports

Angelo Cordero -- Jockey.

Chi Chi Rodriquez, Nancy Lopez, and Lee Trevino -- Golf.

Jim Plunkett -- Football.

Jose Torres, Hector (Macho) Camacho and Kid Chocolate -- Boxing.

Juan Marichal, Luis Tiant, Pedro Ramos, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Clemente and Luis Aparicio -- Baseball.

Albert Salazar -- Boston Marathon winner.

Business

Roberto C. Goizueta -- Former president and current chairman of the board of Coca Cola.

Prudencio Unanue -- Founder of Goya, a corporation producing Hispanic food products.

Oscar de la Renta and Adolfo Sardina -- Fashion designers.

Elwood Quesada -- First head of the Federal Aviation Agency and former vice-president of Lockheed Aircraft Corporation.

Cesar Chavez -- Head of the National Farm Workers’ Association (United Farm Workers of America).

Military

Hispanics have served as general and flag officers in the military. Admiral Horacio Rivero was the first Hispanic four-star admiral in the Navy; General Richard E. Cavazos was the first Hispanic four-star general in the Army; and Lieutenant General Elwood R. Quesada was the first Hispanic general officer in the Air Force.Brigadier General Luis R. Esteves was the first Puerto Rican graduate of West Point and founder of the Puerto Rican National Guard.

Contributions

Mexicans showed Californians how to pan for gold and introduced the technique of using mercury to separate silver from worthless ores. Certain foods commonin the U.S. are of Hispanic origin: tacos, tortillas, Caesar salad, and chili con carne, which was invented about 1880 by Mexican-Americans living in Texas. In 1992, salsa outsold ketchup for the first tine in the United States.

Some Hispanic words which have become part of the American language: redo, cabana, macho, bonanza, mosquito, chocolate, tobacco, adobe, burro, corral, desperado, incommunicado, patio, plaza, poncho, vigilante, cafeteria, canoe, hurricane, cannibal, manatee, tomato, canyon, armada, bronco, and barbecue.

Six state names are of Hispanic origin: Texas (from tejas, land of tile roofs), Nevada (land of snow), Colorado (red land), and California (an imaginary island in Spanish folklore, “an earthly (state of flowers).Throughout the United State there are many cities and towns with Hispanic-origins names. In California, alone, there are more than 400. Other contributions include poinsettias, Chihuahuas, chewing gum, canasta, and rummy.

Military participation

Although Spain was a strong colonial power in North America in the 1700s, the Spanish defeat in the Seven Years War led to the parceling of lands to the English in the Spanish Colony of Florida. Spain, therefore, felt no loyalty to the British Monarchy during the course of the American Revolution.Despite negotiations with the Continental Congress, neither side could agree on the fate of Florida and therefore Spain played no overt role in aiding the American colonist.Nevertheless, several Hispanic forefathers, like the father of David Farragut, provided discrete or covert aid to the colonists.Another such man was Bernardo de Galvez, a Spanish army officer and Governor of Louisiana in 1777.

From 1775-77, de Galvez provided rations and weapons to the Continental Army. In 1777, he arranged safe passage for James Willing, an American agent of the Continental Congress, who had led a successful campaign along the Mississippi harassing British shipping, plantation owners and military outpost.

Taking advantage of weakness in the British defenses and Spanish recognition of American independence in 1779, de Galvez captured all the British forts along the Mississippi from Lake Pontchartrain to Baton Rouge. He later defeated all British forces in Florida and restored control of this region to Spain.For his contribution, de Galvez has been memorialized on a U.S. stamp and a statue in Washington, D.C. and in his namesake city of Galveston, Texas.

Post-Revolutionary War

One of de Galvez’s officers, Franciso de Miranda, also played an important role in the defeat of the British on the Mississippi and the capture of the port of Pensacola.Ultimately a revolutionary himself, de Miranda left the Spanish army and lead a campaign against Spanish colonialism while living in North America and Europe. In 1805, he led an American-sanctioned invasion of Venezuela and is credited with the title of “Precursor of Latin American Independence.” During the 1800s, the sale of all Spanish lands west of the Mississippi to France was made under the proviso that these lands not be in turn relinquished to the United States.France reneged on its agreement and President Jefferson negotiated the Louisiana Purchase for $15 Million in 1803.

Texas-American frontier

The next conflict involving Hispanics in American history took place over territorial disputes between Mexico and the “Lone Star State” of Texas. When Mexican General and self-proclaimed President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna attacked the Alamo on March 6, 1835, 183 Texans were killed and six of them were Mexican.

One Hispanic survivor of the Alamo was Lieutenant Colonel John Nepomuncene Seguin.Selected as a courier to leave the fort, sneak through Santa Anna’s lines and obtain reinforcements, Seguin succeeded in escaping but could not obtain relief in time. After the war, he returned to San Antonio where he served two terms as the city’s mayor.

California-Mexican frontier

One of the most interesting Hispanic figures of this period in American history is Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo.Born of the upper class in 1808, Vallejo grew up during the turbulent years of the Mexican Revolution.An accomplished Mexican army officer by the age of twenty-one, he gained the confidence of the Mexican governor and was named military commander of northern California. During the same period, he became a member of the territorial legislature an delegate to the Mexican Congress.

Despite these ties to his native Mexico, Vallejo believed it would be in the best interests of the California territories to yield their sovereignty to the United States.He shifted loyalties and discretely helped Americans secure California. Later appointed as an agent for the U.S. government, he became one of eight California’s to write the State’s first constitution and became one of the first members of the state westward expansion of America, Vallejo has been highly recognized.The city of Vallejo, California, was named in his honor, a vineyard produces wines with his name, and in 1965, the U.S. Navy commissioned the nuclear powered fleet ballistic missile submarine U.S.S. M. G. Vallejo (SSBN-658), one of “the forty-one for freedom,” in honor of this distinguished Hispanic.

The Civil War

When the Civil War broke out, the Mexican-American community was divided in loyalty.Approximately 1,000 joined the Union Army and another 2,550, the Confederate Force.

By the end of the war, as many as 9,900 Mexican-Americans fought. Most served in the regular army or volunteer units which were integrated. Some, however, served in predominately Mexican-American units with their own officers.Of the 40,000 volumes written about the Civil War, only one, Vaqueros in Blue and Gray, has been written about their contribution.

In 1863, the U.S. government established four military companies of Mexican-American Californians (the First Battalion of Native Cavalry) to utilize their “extraordinary horsemanship.”At least 469 Mexican-Americans served under Major Salvador Vallejo, helping to defeat a Confederate invasion of New Mexico.

Colonel Miguel E. Pino established the Second Regiment of New Mexico Volunteers. At least six independent militia companies commanded by Mexican-Americans were raised in New Mexico.Approximately 4,000 Mexican-Americans volunteered in these companies. In Texas, the Union established 12 Mexican-American companies (the First Regiment of Texas Cavalry).By and large, the officers were non-Hispanic, although there were some Mexican Texans serving as captains and lieutenants.

David G. Farragut was the most famous Union Hispanic. When he was nine years old he was appointed as a midshipman in the U.S. Navy. At 13 he served aboard the U.S.S. Essex during the War of 1812. In 1862, he successfully commanded Union forces and captured the city of New Orleans.In the Battle of Port Hudson (135 miles north of New Orleans) Farragut’s tactics for attacking fort gained accolades.After orchestrating the capture of Mobile, Alabama, Farragut was commissioned Admiral of the Navy on July 26, 1866.He took the command of the European Squadron and while in the Mediterranean, he visited the birthplace of his father in Ciuddela, Minorca, where he received a hero’s welcome.

Other Hispanics served in such Confederate units as the Benavides Regiment, the 10th Texas Cavalry, the 55th Alabama Infantry, Manigault’s Battalion of South Carolina Artillery, the 6th Missouri Infantry, the Chalmette Regiment of Louisiana Infantry, and the Second Texas Mounted Rifles. Colonel Santos Benavides was the highest ranking Mexican-American in the Confederate Army.He was one of the first to take up arms and one ofthe last to surrender.

Loretta Janet Velasquez, a Cuban-born woman, enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1860, masquerading as a man, without her soldier husband’s knowledge. She fought at Bull Run, Ball’s Bluff, and Fort Donelson, but was detected while in New Orleans and discharged. Undeterred, she re-enlisted and fought at Shiloh until unmasked once more. She then took duty as a spy, working in both male and female guise. Her husband died during the war and she married three more times, widowed in each instance.She later traveled throughout the West settling in Austin, Nevada.

The Spanish-American War

The catalyst for the Spanish-American War was the sinking of the battleship Maine on February 15, 1898.Historians have debated the cause of the Maine’s demise for almost 100 years. Was it sabotage or was it an accident? Was the incident engineered by the American side to give the country an excuse for war?The loss of 260 American lives makes the latter theory unlikely.Admiral Hyman G. Rickover wrote a scholarly thesis on the subject, claiming that the explosion that ripped through the Maine’s lower decks was caused by oily rags which led to an uncontrollable fire that ignited a magazine full of ammunition.Whatever the reason, the United States declared war on Spain on April 11, 1898, with the avowed purpose of freeing the oppressed Cubans.

During the Spanish-American War in 1898, there were several Hispanic members of Theodore Roosevelt’s “Rough Riders.” Captain Maximiliano Luna was the most distinguished Hispanic “Rough Rider.” A military camp in New Mexico was named after him. After the Spanish American War, George Armijo, another Hispanic “rough Rider,” became a member of Congress.

World War I

At the beginning of World War I, Hispanics and others who lacked sufficient English skills were sent to training centers to improve their language proficiency and produce soldiers fully capable of being integrated into the army. Eventually a training plan to do so was established at Camp Gordon, Georgia. However, by the time the camp was operational the war was almost over.

Nicholas Lucero, a Hispanic, received the French Croix de Guerre during World War I for destroying two German machine gun nests and maintaining constant fire for three hours.Marcelino Serna, received the distinguished Service Cross for the single-handed capture of 24 enemy soldiers.His other decorations included: the French Croix de Guerre, the Victory Medal with three bars, and two Purple Hearts.

It was not until 1989 that the first Hispanic recipient of the Medal of Honor was recognized in a ceremony during Hispanic Heritage Week. David Barkley was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for bravery in action on the Meuse River, France, in November 1918. Barkley’s Hispanic background did not come to light until 71 years after he gave his life for his country.Other Hispanics did serve in World War I, but there are insufficient records to determine how many.

World War II

Estimates for World War II range anywhere from 250,000 to 500,000 Hispanics served in the Armed Forces.Records are sketchy because, like the Census Bureau, the military did not closely track Hispanic members.However, Hispanic soldiers participated in all the major battles of World War II. Nevertheless, it is known that between 1940 and 1946, approximately 53,000 Puerto Ricans served with the exception of the Puerto Rican 65th Infantry Regiment, Hispanics did not serve in segregated units. National Guard units, with large proportions of Mexican-Americans, served from Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, and California. There were about 200 Puerto Rican women in the Women’s Army Corps.

The New Mexico National Guard, with its large representation of Hispanics, became the largest single American unit in the Philippines. There knowledge of Spanish was a definite asset as Spanish was a principal language in the Philippines.Because of this presence, many Hispanic-Americans were taken prisoner during the fall of the Philippines and participated in the “Bataan Death March.”

The first Hispanic Medal of Honor recipient of World War II was Private Jose P. Martinis.He was honored for his role in the 1943 American invasion of the Aleutian Islands. One unit in particular, the 141st Infantry Regiment from Texas, had a high concentration of Hispanic soldiers. This distinguished unit saw 361 days of combat during World War II, earning three Medals of Honor, 31 Distinguished Service Crosses, 12 Legions of Merit, 492 Sliver Stars, 11 Soldier’s Medals, and 1685 Bronze Stars. Hispanic were awarded 12 of the 431 Medals of Honor awarded during the Second World War.

Korean War

During the Korean war nine Hispanics received the Medal of Honor. The Puerto Rican 65th Infantry Division was the only all-Hispanic Division to serve during the Korean War.It earned four Distinguished Service Crosses and 124 Silver Stars. “Hero Street, .A,” in Silvis, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, is so-named because it contributed more men to military service during World War II and Korea than any other place of comparable size. this street was home for a number of Hispanic families, and Silvis now has a monument to the eight Hispanic heroes who died during the two wars.

Captain Manual J. Fernandez, USAF, an F-86 fighter pilot assigned to the 334th Squadron, 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing, was credited with 14.5 enemy kills in 125 missions.He was the third-ranked fighter pilot of the war and retired as a Colonel.

The Vietnam War

Precise figures are not available for Hispanic participation in Vietnam. Prior to the full-scale escalation of the Vietnam War, Special Forces Advisor, Sergeant First Class Isaac Camacho’s fire base was overrun by Viet Cong in November 1963.After an intense fire fight, Camacho was taken prisoner. He is most likely the first Hispanic POW of the Vietnam era. Remarkably, Camacho escaped his captors after 20 months and made his way to freedom.He was awarded the Silver and Bronze Stars in September 1965 and later promoted to Captain, U.S. Army.

Lieutenant Commander Everett Alvarez, Jr. was the first American pilot taken as a prisoner of war and remained a prisoner longer than anyone else, eight and a half years.One April 30, 1975, Master Sergeant Juan J. Valdez climbed aboard the last U.S. helicopter to depart the roof of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon. The U.S. presence in Vietnam, which spanned 18 years, ended. Valdez’s presence gave credence to the America’s war: “First in...last to leave.”

Post-Vietnam Era

Approximately 80,000 Hispanics served in the Vietnam theater of operations and 13 won the Medal of Honor, 6 of them Marines. This is not unusual.Hispanics have received the highest honors to date in the U.S. Navy. As of 1990, six ships and three active submarines have been named for Hispanics, including the nuclear-powered 688 class fast attack submarine, USS San Juan, named after the capital city of Puerto Rico.

Admiral Horacio Rivera became the first Hispanic four-star Admiral in 1979 and ultimately served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations. Between 1979-1980, Edward Hidalgo held the highly esteemed and power position of Secretary of the Navy.During Hidalgo’s tenure, millions of dollars were committed to television advertising campaigns and new recruiting techniques to attract Hispanic youth to the Navy.

Desert Shield/Storm

Approximately 20,000 Hispanic serviceman and women participated in Operation Desert Shield/Storm.According to Defense Manpower Data Center statistics, Hispanics comprised 7.9 percent of the Fleet Marine Force, 6.0 percent of the Navy, 4.2 percent Army and 3.1 percent of the Air Force representation in the Persian Gulf theater during the war.

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