“Today, we pause to recognize Medal of Honor recipient Army Staff Sgt. Macario Garcia, who became the first Mexican immigrant to earn this distinction.
Garcia was born in Castanos, Mexico, in 1920. At the age of three, his family came to the United States in search of a better life and eventually settled in Sugarland, Texas, where they found work on a ranch.
Garcia spent much of his childhood missing school days to help the family with ranch work.
During World War II, Garcia, a non-American citizen with a grade school education, enlisted as an Army infantryman on Nov. 11, 1942. He said he felt a strong obligation to give back to the country he had called home for so many years.
Private Garcia landed at Normandy on D-Day with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. He was wounded during the beach landing and spent four months in recovery. He later rejoined his unit in Germany, where his actions would earn him the nation’s most prestigious military honor.
On Nov. 27, 1944, Bravo Company came under fire near Grosshau, Germany. Serving as an acting squad leader, Garcia was badly wounded in the shoulder and foot. He refused evacuation and pushed on alone toward two enemy machine gun nests. With some grenades and his rifle, he wiped out the nests, killing six enemy soldiers and taking four more captive. He continued fighting with his soldiers and was removed for medical care only after the company successfully seized its objective.
Garcia returned home as a staff sergeant in February 1945 and received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman later that year. He also received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal and Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
Soon after coming home, Garcia was refused service at a restaurant in Richmond, Texas, because of his ethnic background. A violent brawl ensued, and the police took a bruised and beaten Garcia to jail. He was let out the next morning, and assault charges were filed against him in the following weeks.
Garcia’s case became a symbol of the Hispanic civil rights movement, and support came pouring in for his defense. Richmond County postponed the case and quietly dropped the charges against him.“
Never have found a Trump being awarded anything except maybe a participation award.
