Medal of Honor Stories

Pedro Cano- Rank: Private, Branch: Army

Pedro Cano was born in a town called " La Morita" which is located in Nuevo Leon, Mexico on June 19, 1920. Pedro decided to join the army and was stationed in Schevenhutte, Germany on December 3rd, 1944. Pedro Cano was in the Unit Company C, 4th Infantry Division. Pedro was advancing his unit in December 1944 when they met the enemy opposition. During a two-day period, Pedro Cano almost killed thirty troops all on his own. While he was on patrol, he and his troops were surprised by the enemy, which caused many deaths in his platoon.

Cano was motionless when the German troops came in and he tossed a grenade killing most of them. Due to his actions, he was badly injured. He then returned to a Veterans hospital in Texas. Pedro Cano would then die six years later and was posthumously given the" Texas Legislature Medal of Honor".

Joe Gandara- Rank: Private, Branch: Army

Gandara was born in Santa Monica, California on April 25, 1924. Gandara joined the army and had been stationed in Amfreville, France in June 9, 1944 with his unit Company D, 2d Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division. Joined the combat against an armed force in Amfreville, France.

Devastatingly, his detachment came under enemy fire under German forces. He was hiding for four hours and ended up venturing on his own, voluntarily, towards enemy fire. With his machine gun, he continued forward and successfully destroyed three hostile machine guns before he was fatally wounded.

Macario Garcia- Rank: Staff Sergeant, Branch: Army

Macario Garcia was born in Villa de Castanos, Mexico in January 20, 1920. At the age of 3, his family and he moved to the United States in search of a better life. He was stationed in Near Grosshau, Germany on November 27, 1944, on the unit Company B, 22d Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. He was previously injured on Normandy D-Day and was in recovery for four months. He later rejoined his unit and received enemy fire at Grosshau, Germany where he was badly injured in the shoulder and foot.

He denied leaving and went alone towards two machine gun nests with grenades and his rifle. He wiped out the nests and continued fighting with his Soldiers. He 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 was the first Mexican immigrant to receive a medal of honor.

Harold Gonsalves- Rank: Private First Class, Branch: Marine Corps.

Gonsalves was born in Alameda, California on January 28, 1929. He was stationed in Ryūkyū Chain, Okinawa on April 15, 1945, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain, 15 April 1945. Unfaltering by the effectively coordinated resistance experienced on Motobu Peninsula during the vicious attack pursued by his troops against the Japanese fortification at Mount Yaetake. Private First Class Gonsalves consistently overcame the difficult battles to help his troops in coordinating very much positioned gunnery shoot.

As they arrived at the front and a Japanese projectile fell close inside the gathering. In a split second Private First Class Gonsalves dove on the destructive rocket, absorbed the explosion in his own body and protecting others from serious and maybe lethal injuries.

How were Mexican-Americans were involved in World War II?

Watch this video to learn more!

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