Every last Monday in May, the United States pauses to honor more than one million women and men who have died serving in the Armed Forces. It is a solemn day, filled with flags at half-staff, wreaths, and moments of silence.
But it is also a date that many Hispanics overlook or view as foreign. However, Memorial Day is also our day. Because our grandfathers, fathers, sons, and daughters have also worn the uniform, have also served, and many have also made the ultimate sacrifice.
The history of military service for Latinos in the United States is long and deeply rooted.
Since the American Revolutionary War, Bernardo de Gálvez, the Hispanic governor of Louisiana, led a series of military victories against British forces along the Gulf Coast.
His campaigns, such as the capture of Baton Rouge, Mobile, and, most importantly, Pensacola (1781), were decisive in diverting British resources from the main front in the Thirteen Colonies. De Gálvez is one of the few honorary citizens of the United States.
In the Civil War, Hispanics from New Mexico and California played a crucial role in defending those territories against Confederate incursions. Regiments such as the “New Mexico Volunteers,” were predominantly composed of Hispanics and were instrumental in expelling Confederate forces.
These are just two examples that illustrate the value of Hispanic contributions in the United States’ wars. Standing shoulder to shoulder in every conflict. Also in World War I and II, Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Grenada, the Gulf Wars, and more recently in the War on Terror, in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Our community has been present in every conflict, often silent, often invisible.
Often, these stories of courage and dedication don’t appear in textbooks or war movies, but they are there: on the name plaques in national cemeteries, in the photos in uniform hanging in our living rooms, in the pain that many families still experience.
On Memorial Day, we not only remember the fallen, but we also recognize the place Latinos occupy in the history and defense of this country.
Although some view us as second-class citizens, our actions speak louder than any prejudice.
Despite language barriers, immigration status, or discrimination, thousands have raised their hands to serve. Some, even without citizenship, demonstrating a loyalty that many don’t understand.
Let us remember all the fallen, but also the Latinos who did not return, those who did and still bear the wounds—visible or invisible—and the families who continue to bear the loss.
May the commemoration of Memorial Day also be an opportunity to revalue our history, to teach our children that patriotism doesn’t have just one face.
Memorial Day is also a Hispanic legacy of honor, duty, and homeland. Because this homeland is also ours. And its freedom has also been protected by our hands.
