24 Overlooked Vets Get Medals of Honor After Army Prejudice
Probe
The 3 Present Day Variations of the Medal Of Honor
Saturday, 22 Feb 2014 10:43 AM
By Todd Beamon
President Barack Obama will award the Medal of Honor to 24 Army veterans found worthy after a
review of those who may have been overlooked because of their racial or ethnic
backgrounds.
The decision to honor the veterans
— including 19 who are Hispanic, Jewish, and African-American — with the
nation's highest military commendation follows a Congress-mandated review to
ensure that eligible recipients were not bypassed because of prejudice.
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Three of the recipients are still
living, having served in the Vietnam War. All of the veterans had been
recognized with the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second highest
military award, from service during Vietnam,
the Korean War, and World War II.
All but one of the recipients are
enlisted men, from privates to master sergeants. One is a World War II first
lieutenant.
The White House ceremony will be
held on March 18.
“We’re very proud of these
soldiers,” Lt. Col. Alayne Conway, an army spokesperson, told The Washington
Post. “We are glad to see their professionalism, service and sacrifice being
recognized again in full view of a new generation.”
The Army conducted the 12-year
review under a directive from Congress in the 2002 National Defense
Authorization Act. The law required that the record of each Jewish American and
Hispanic American veteran who received a Service Cross during or after World
War II be reviewed for possible upgrade to the Medal of Honor.
The Pentagon said the Army
reviewed the cases of the 6,505 recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross
from World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars and found an eligible
pool of 600 soldiers who may have been Jewish or Hispanic.
The Army also worked with the
National Museum of American Jewish Military History, the Jewish War Veterans of
the USA
and the American GI Forum, the largest Hispanic-American veterans group, to
pinpoint potential medal recipients.
Of the 24, eight fought in the
Vietnam War, nine in the Korean War, and seven in World War II.
These are the three living
recipients, veterans of the Vietnam War:
- Spc. 4 Santiago J. Erevia of San
Antonio, for courage during a search and clear mission near Tam Ky, South
Vietnam, on May 21, 1969.
- Staff Sgt. Melvin Morris of Cocoa, Fla., for
courageous actions during combat operations in the vicinity of Chi Lang, South Vietnam,
on Sept 17, 1969.
- Sgt. 1st Class Jose Rodela of San Antonio for courage during combat operations in Phuoc
Long province, South Vietnam,
on Sept. 1, 1969.
These are the posthumous
recipients:
-Sgt. Candelario Garcia, born in Corsicana, Texas, for
courageous actions during combat operations in Lai Khe, South Vietnam,
on Dec. 8, 1968.
- Spc. 4 Leonard L. Alvarado, born
in Bakersfield, Calif.,
died during combat operations in Phuoc Long province, South Vietnam,
on Aug. 12, 1969.
- Staff Sgt. Felix M.
Conde-Falcon, born in Juncos, Puerto Rico, killed during combat operations in
Ap Tan Hoa, South Vietnam,
on April 4, 1969.
- Spc. 4 Ardie R. Copas of Fort Pierce, Fla. killed
during combat operations near Ph Romeas Hek, Cambodia, on May 12, 1970.
- Spc. 4 Jesus S. Duran of San Bernardino, Calif.,
for courageous actions during combat operations in South Vietnam on April 10, 1969.
- Cpl. Joe R. Baldonado, born in Colorado, killed during combat operations in Kangdong, North
Korea, on Nov. 25, 1950.
- Cpl. Victor H. Espinoza of El Paso, Texas, for
courageous actions during combat operations in Chorwon, North Korea,
on Aug. 1, 1952.
- Sgt. Eduardo C. Gomez, born in Los Angeles, for courageous actions during combat
operations in Tabu-dong, South Korea, on Sept. 3, 1950.
- Pfc. Leonard M. Kravitz, born in
New York City, killed during combat operations
in Yangpyong, South Korea, on March 6-7, 1951.
- Master Sgt. Juan E. Negron of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, for courageous actions during combat
operations in Kalma-Eri, North Korea, on April 28, 1951.
- Master Sgt. Mike C. Pena, born
in Newgulf, Texas,
killed in action during combat operations in Waegwan, South Korea,
on Sept. 4, 1950.
- Pvt. Demensio Rivera, born in
Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, for courageous actions during combat operations in
Changyong-ni, South Korea, on May 23, 1951.
- Pvt. Miguel A. Vera, born in
Puerto Rico, killed during combat operations in Chorwon, North Korea,
on Sept. 21, 1952.
- Sgt. Jack Weinstein of Saint Francis, Kan. for
courageous actions during combat operations in Kumsong, South Korea,
on Oct. 19, 1951.
- Pvt. Pedro Cano, born in La Morita, Mexico,
for courageous actions during combat operations in Schevenhutte, Germany,
on Dec. 3, 1944.
- Pvt. Joe Gandara, born in Santa
Monica, Calif., for courageous actions during combat operations in Amfreville,
France, on June 9, 1944.
- Pfc. Salvador J. Lara, of Riverside, Calif., for
courageous actions during combat operations in Aprilia, Italy,
May 27-28, 1944.
- Sgt. William F. Leonard, of Lockport, N.J., for
courageous actions during combat operations near St. Die, France,
on Nov. 7, 1944.
- Staff Sgt. Manuel V. Mendoza,
born in Miami, Ariz.,
for courageous actions during combat operations on Mount Battaglia, Italy,
on Oct. 4, 1944.
- Sgt. Alfred B. Nietzel, born in New York City, for courageous actions during combat
operations in Heistern, Germany, on Nov. 18, 1944.
- 1st Lt. Donald K. Schwab, born
Hooper, Neb., for courageous actions during combat operations near Lure,
France, on Sept. 17, 1944.
Army
Ann E.
Dunwoody is a U.S.
Army 4-star general, the commander for the U.S. Army Materiel Command, and a member of the Belizean Grove.
Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody, U.S. Army Materiel Command
commanding general
June 2, 2010
Note: Belizean_Grove
is the equivalent to the male-only social group, the Bohemian Club.
George H.W.
Bush is a member of the Bohemian Club, and was the chairman emeritus for the National Constitution
Center.
Stuart F. Feldman
was a trustee at the National Constitution Center, and a co-founder for the Vietnam
Veterans of America.
Thomas
R. Carper is a member of the Vietnam
Veterans of America, and an honorary co-chair for the Third Way.
William
M. Daley is a trustee at the Third Way,
a member of the Commercial Club of
Chicago, and was the chief of staff for the Barack Obama administration.
R.
Eden Martin is the president of the Commercial
Club of Chicago, and counsel at Sidley
Austin LLP.
Michelle
Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP, and her
brother is Craig M. Robinson.
Craig M. Robinson
is Michelle Obama’s brother, and Penny S. Pritzker was his basketball
coach to children's team.
Penny S. Pritzker
was Craig M. Robinson’s basketball
coach to children's team, the national finance chair, fundraiser for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign,
a co-chair for the 2009 Barack Obama
inaugural committee, a fundraiser, national co-chair for the 2012 Barack Obama presidential campaign,
a contributor for the 2013 Barack Obama
inaugural committee, the host for the Barack
Obama fund-raising dinner, 7/2/2008, is a member of the Commercial Club of
Chicago, and married to Bryan Traubert.
Bryan Traubert is
married to Penny S. Pritzker, and a
director at the National Park Foundation.
One Million Vets To March On DC 10-13-2013 (Past Research
for Penny S. Pritzker & Bryan Traubert)
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Jonathan B.
Jarvis is a director at the National
Park Foundation, and a director at the National
Park Service.
Barack
Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin
LLP.
Sidley Austin
LLP was the lobby firm for Vietnam.
Newton
N. Minow is a senior counsel at Sidley
Austin LLP, and a member of the Commercial
Club of Chicago.
James S.
Crown is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and a trustee
at the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Lester Crown
is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and was a lifetime
trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Foundation
to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think
tank), the International Rescue Committee, and Common Cause.
George
Soros was the chairman for the Foundation
to Promote Open Society, is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, and a board
member for the International Crisis
Group.
Open Society
Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States
(think tank).
Henrietta
Holsman Fore is a trustee at the Aspen
Institute (think tank), and a member of the Belizean Grove.
Belizean_Grove
is the equivalent to the male-only social group, the Bohemian Club.
Henry A. Kissinger was a lifetime
trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), is an overseer at the International
Rescue Committee, a member of the Bohemian
Club, a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think
tank), a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think
tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).
Bill
Belding was the chief of staff for Common
Cause, is the president for the Vietnam
Veterans of America Foundation, and a board of adviser’s member for VoteVets.
Wesley
K. Clark is a board of adviser’s member for VoteVets, a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States
(think tank), a board member for the International
Crisis Group, and was a U.S. Army
general.
Togo
D. West Jr. is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States
(think tank), was the secretary for the U.S. Army, and the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Eric
K. Shinseki was director at the Atlantic Council of the United States
(think tank), a U.S. Army
general, and is the secretary at the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs for the Barack
Obama administration.
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