Invader Air Force

I will be writing about a special group of Puerto Ricans enlisted in the US Army between the years 1899 and 1959. This group of Puerto Ricans were termed as "The Borinqueneers". Due to my culture background I was educated in the fact that they were the first organization composed entirely of native Puerto Ricans who voluntarily enlisted in the new American Colonial Army in 1899. This group of Puerto Rican soldiers has a long history and they are very rich in traditions and military merits. The members of "The Borinqueneers" were soldiers who lived over the ideas and concept of what it was to serve their country and their nation with passion and dedication. Nearly 100,000 men served for several years in this unit, they were braves soldiers who devoted their lives to the service and are considered real war heroes.

After studying for two years at Indiana University, he returned home and enlisted as a flying cadet. Washing out of flight school, he was discharged from the Army Air Force (AAF) but re-enlisted in May of 1941 as an aviation cadet. He trained to be a bombardier at Barksdale, Louisiana, receiving his commission as a second lieutenant on December 16, 1941.

In every theater of war, Hispanic Soldiers from all around the world have risked their lives in defense of the United States. Hispanic Americans have not hesitated to defend and show their allegiance to this nation in many different ways, but especially through military service. On January 31, 1929 a Mexican-American, Richard Cavazos, was born in Kingsville, Texas. Later, he earned his commission as a distinguished graduate from the ROTC program at Texas Technological University in 1951, and also attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the British Staff College and the Armed Forces Staff College.

David Montejano in his book Quixote’s soldiers: A local history of the Chicano movement, 1966 - 1981, describe the Chicano movement as a way of helping the Mexican American community. The book is divided in three parts: “Part One: The Conflict Within, Part Two: Marching Together Separately, and Part Three After the Fury”. Each part talks specifically about how the movement transform the city of San Antonio and how it keep changing different cities today. It talks about the problems of degradation that the Mexican American society has, the inequality and injustice. At the same time, talks about the women and the youth and their develop in this movement by creating different organizations. Montejano with a clear interpretation of what the Chicano

Jose has always had more than one job for long periods of time. His work ethic defines his sense of responsibility. Mr. Rodriguez is an Indigent Health Care Supervisor. He has a bachelors’ degree in social science. He mentioned in the initial assessment that he loves and cares for his children and wants to give them everything they will ever need. Jose’s father worked hard all his life and instilled appropriate manners and responsibilities and Jose and his siblings. Jose described his father as his best friend and life teacher that wanted the best for him and his family. Jose served a tour of duty in Panama and several missions in Iraq. His father supported his every decision and motivated him to move forward even when things looked difficult and hopeless. Jose stated that his father was always there for him no matter the situation. Jose mentioned that the best lessons his father instilled in him was to be a good and loving father. Jose’s life took a turn for the worst about a year

"The best damn Regiment that you will ever see." As you rank up in the enlisted side here in the 11th ACR you realize that we really are the best Regiment, but as a young private it can seem unreal and your mindset is different. I just completed the three week course of Basic Leadership in Camp Parks CA, and as I learned about all the different units and patches the soldiers wear in their shoulder, I realized that we really are the best, so I wore the black horse patch during the course with such pride, knowing that warriors are made in our unit, and I say this because all the Soldiers from the 11th ACR graduated this course with a GPA of 90% and above. This was not what I believed when I first showed up to the unit, as a young private I was confused and wondered why all my battle buddies were training on Tanks and attending the ranges more than me, and why everyone kept telling me I was not gonna

He arrived in Alta California in 1801 and quickly established California roots with his marriage to María Antonia Carrillo y Lugo, daughter of his commanding officer. The Carrillos and the Lugos were typical of the province’s earliest settlers, racially mixed individuals who had left the impoverished towns and mining centers of Sinaloa and Sonora in search of better times, racial “whitening,” and upward social mobility through military service.

This book is put together with documented evidence and interviews with key figures. Carroll explains the reason behind why Longoria’s incident ignited activism. There were more severe acts of discrimination against Mexican Americans that were not brought into the spot light. He clarifies why this particular incident became such a turning point in nationalism and emotion between the Mexican and American cultures. Felix Longoria was a first class private who earned many metals including: a Bronze Service Star, a

In Santa anna’s early life he was determined to pursue a military career so he could fight for his country.Santa anna became a lieutenant at age 18 and served various mexican governments as an officer. Santa anna’s father took position in the local government and sent him to military academy when he was 16.When santa anna was done with school his father arranged him for a wealthy merchant.Santa anna’s father took position in the local government in Jalapa,Mexico.Santa Anna became a cadet when he was in the military academy. Santa Anna’s family was spanish and caucasian. The rebels made santa anna a colonel

Master Sergeant Benavidez became a visionary leader in his career as an Army airborne ranger, when he displayed his idealized influence when he selfishly took it upon himself to jump on the next helicopter after the call came across the radio that his guys were under fire and they needed reinforcements, with only a medical bag and a knife he bravely left. He exhibited service before self and sacrificed his personal life for the mission, because of this heroic action, he saved 8 of his comrades in Vietnam against overwhelming odds. In the bloodiest 6 hours of his life, he was shot 5 times, knifed during hand to hand combat, and sustained shrapnel wounds when hit by a grenade. When dealing with these types of adversities this is a perfect example of how emergent leadership and how resiliency place a huge part in recovery and how he used these principles in life after the war. “Winners don’t quit and quitters don’t win”. As stated in “Medal of Honor” that is what his ranger drill instructor asked of him. A motto that he has always lived by. This was his resiliency motivation.

In Mexico during the 1800s there were two major soldiers that influenced many people . Lorenzo Bonifacio was one , at the age of 5 he lost his mom and his dad got recruited into the Mexican army . He was left with his aunt , who had lost her husband to war , and his 3 younger sisters . At the age fifteen , he was drafted into war and

the civil rights in the United States. During the documentary “Latino Americans: war and peace” explain us on how hundreds of thousands Latinos served their new country during the World War II, but that was not enough, because back home after fight for a country that feels like it was theirs, the discrimination and being treated as second class citizens, remained in the country. Latinos that served in World War II were mostly Mexican descent but over 65,000 Puerto Ricans served as well. There were many Puerto Ricans who volunteered out of patriotism, also entered the military before Pearl Harbor attack as a way to escape from the terrible effects of depression in Puerto Rico. Some as Marcus Melendez, he joined the army for the fixed pay, and also where became disciplined

The Heroes of Mexican descent were numerous, their bravery exemplified by their being the most decorated ethnic group of the World War II. Many of the medals of valor granted to Chicanos were awarded posthumously. There was a disproportionate number of the Mexicans American casualties relative to the group’s percentage of the total population. Though Mexicans of Los Angeles, for example, accounted for about twenty percent of the Angelenos killed in action. Losses were especially high in such “all chicano companies” as Company E of the 141st regiment of the 36th (Texas) divisions where all but twenty-three of the soldiers were killed in the Mediterranean campaigns.

Scores of Latino men went off to war by the hundreds of thousands fighting in every major battle in both the European and Pacific theatres. More Mexican Americans serving in combat divisions than any other ethnic group and a high percentage volunteered for the more hazardous duties such as the paratroopers and Marines (Meier & Ribera). Mexican Americans that served gained a recognition that was not possible in civilian life, and through the military, promotion was based off of individual merit. This developed a newfound self-esteem and confidence that would not be wrestled away. They would come home with pride and a feeling of being more 'American ' than ever before. These sentiments leveled out the playing field in the minds of many

(Acuna 245). This quote sums up most of the Mexican American’s reasoning for volunteering for military service on behalf of the United States, but not completely. The Mexican American saw it as their duty to defend their families in the place where they lived as well. It also served as an opportunity to show that Mexicans were just as brave and courageous as anyone in this country with the hopes that they would be acknowledged as equals.