Faces of valor
President Barack Obama bestowed the nation’s highest award for valor in combat — the Medal of Honor — to 24 Army veterans March 18, 2014, who were identified by a Pentagon review of discrimination in the awarding of military medals.
The honor comes too late for 21 of the recipients — only three, all from the Vietnam War, are still alive. Eight of the recipients served in Vietnam, nine in the Korean War, and seven in World War II.
All of them had received the Distinguished Service Cross. The Pentagon review, ordered by Congress in 2002, determined whether deserving Hispanic and Jewish veterans had been discriminated against in receiving the lesser award when their courage under fire justified the nation's highest honor.
Of the honorees, 17 are Latino, and another is Jewish. The review found that the remaining six — including an African-American — also deserved the medal.
Published on March 17, 2014
Navy, Marines and Coast Guard
Bronze star
Laurel and
oak crown
Anchor
Minerva scene
13 stars for
13 original
colonies
½-inch-wide
ribbon
The Navy Medal of Honor — the first to be commissioned — depicts the Roman goddess of war, Minerva, as a symbol of the United States. She is battling Discord, represented by a person grasping snakes. Minerva is holding a bundle of rods known as a fasces to symbolize authority and strength through unity. In her other hand is the shield from the U.S. coat of arms. This medal also is given to members of the Marines and Coast Guard. The bronze star features laurel and oak crowns on each point and is suspended from an anchor. The ribbon, which is used with medals for all branches, is 1.5-inches wide and features 13 stars for the original 13 colonies.
Army
Eagle
Gold star
Minerva, Roman
goddess of war
Oak leaf
Green laurel
wreath
In the center of the Army Medal of Honor is the head of Minerva, surrounded by the words “United States of America.” The reverse side of the medal is inscribed “The Congress to” with the recipient’s name. Each point of the gold star holds oak leaves. It is encircled by a green laurel wreath. Perched atop the star is an eagle with arrows and an olive branch in its talons, just as in the U.S. coat of arms.
Air Force
Green laurel
Laurel and
oak crown
Statue of Liberty
From Air Force
coat of arms
Gold star
The Air Force Medal of Honor features the Statue of Liberty surrounded by a circle of 34 stars. Laurel and oak crowns adorn the points of the gold star which also is encircled by a wreath of green laurel. The eagle is adapted from the Air Force Coat of Arms.
Pvt. Pedro Cano
Served in World War II
Dec. 2-3, 1944, Germany, near the Belgian border: While on patrol, Cano lay motionless as enemy approached, then threw a grenade, wounding or killing them all. Cano was injured in this engagement or shortly thereafter.
Pvt. Joe Gandara
Served in World War II
June 9, 1944, northern coast of France: Gandara advanced while his unit was pinned down by Germans, taking out three machine guns before he was killed.
Staff Sgt. Salvador Lara
Served in World War II
May 27-28, 1944, west coast of Italy, near Rome: With a severely wounded leg, Lara did not stop for medical help but continued to advance, single-handedly taking out a German machine gun.
Staff Sgt. William Leonard
Served in World War II
Nov. 7, 1944, eastern France, near Germany: Leonard’s group was reduced to eight men in a brutal battle. He led them in an assault to capture a roadblock despite heavy resistance and having been shot.
Master Sgt. Manuel Mendoza
Served in World War II
Oct. 9, 1944, northern Italy, near Bologna: Mendoza, while wounded, broke up a German counterattack. He fended off 200 troops, resulting in 30 enemy casualties.
Sgt. Alfred Nietzel
Served in World War II
Nov. 18, 1944, near Germany’s borders with Belgium and the Netherlands: Nietzel held off enemy advances while ordering remaining squad to retreat. He stalled the enemy long enough for reinforcements to arrive before being killed.
1st Lt. Donald Schwab
Served in World War II
Sept. 17, 1944, eastern France, near Switzerland: Schwab approached an enemy machine gun alone, hit an enemy soldier with the butt of his rifle, then dragged him to friendly territory, causing enemy to withdraw.
Cpl. Joe Baldonado
Served in Korean War
Nov. 25, 1950, outside Pyongyang, North Korea: Baldonado, a machine gunner, fired his weapon from an exposed position and and repelled repeated enemy advances, losing his life in the effort.
Sgt. Victor Espinoza
Served in Korean War
Aug. 1, 1952, South Korea, near border with North: While attacking with his platoon, Espinoza overtook a machine-gun crew, an enemy tunnel and two bunkers.
Sgt. 1st Class Eduardo Gomez
Served in Korean War
Sept. 3, 1950, central South Korea: Gomez’s company was attacked and outmanned by the enemy. Gomez was injured while assaulting a manned tank, then provided protective fire as his company retreated.
Pfc. Leonard Kravitz
Served in Korean War
March 6-7, 1951, east of Seoul, South Korea: While Kravitz’s unit withdrew, he remained at a machine-gun position. He was killed, but he saved his entire platoon.
Master Sgt. Juan Negron
Served in Korean War
April 28, 1951, near Pyongyang, North Korea: Negron refused to leave his vulnerable flank position when other members of his company withdrew, fighting off an enemy assault with grenades.
Master Sgt. Mike Pena
Served in Korean War
Sept. 4, 1950, southern South Korea: Pena manned a machine gun to cover his unit’s retreat when it ran low on ammunition during a counterattack. He held off the enemy overnight, then was killed.
Pfc. Demensio Rivera
Served in Korean War
May 22-23, 1951, southern tip of South Korea: Rivera’s rifle broke, forcing him to use his pistol and grenades. He was severely wounded by his own grenade, which he used to kill four enemies.
Pvt. Miguel Vera
Served in Korean War
Sept. 21, 1952, North Korea, close to the border with South: Although wounded, Vera volunteered to rejoin his platoon to resume an attack. While single-handedly covering his unit’s retreat, he was killed.
Sgt. Jack Weinstein
Served in Korean War
Oct. 19, 1951, southern South Korea: Weinstein stayed back to cover his unit’s withdrawal. After running out of rifle ammo, he used his grenades to hold off the enemy until his unit was able to come back for him.
Spc. Leonard Alvarado
Served in Vietnam War
Aug. 12, 1969, southeast Vietnam: On a mission to help a trapped platoon, Alvarado advanced through enemy fire and pulled back several soldiers before he was killed.
Staff Sgt. M. Conde-Falcon
Served in Vietnam War
April 4, 1969, near what is now Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Conde-Falcon was killed while his platoon attacked enemy bunkers. He charged the bunkers with grenades, destroying them as he advanced.
Sgt. Ardie Copas
Served in Vietnam War
May 12, 1970, Cambodia, near the Vietnamese border: After his armored vehicle was hit, a wounded Copas returned to it and held back the enemy while others were evacuated. He was killed in the battle.
Sgt. Jesus Duran
Served in Vietnam War
April 10, 1969, near what is now Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Duran, a machine-gunner, fired at the enemy and forced them to retreat during a mission to clear a bunker complex, saving several wounded Americans.
Sgt. Santiago Erevia
Served in Vietnam War
May 21, 1969, northern side of South Vietnam, on the coast: While helping wounded soldiers, Erevia came under enemy attack. He counterattacked, taking over enemy bunkers more than 150 feet away.
Sgt. Candelario Garcia
Served in Vietnam War
Dec. 8, 1968, outside what is now Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: After his platoon discovered an enemy camp, Garcia charged two enemy bunkers, rescued two casualties and helped the platoon advance.
Sgt. 1st Class Melvin Morris
Served in Vietnam War
Sept. 17, 1969, northern tip of Vietnam: Morris led a mission to recover the body of a fallen soldier, clearing out numerous bunkers with grenades and suffering three injuries.
Master Sgt. Jose Rodela
Served in Vietnam War
Sept. 1, 1969, eastern coast of Vietnam: In the confusion of a heavy barrage of mortars and rockets, Rodela physically pushed his company members into a defensive position, saving lives by preventing chaos.
