Latin@s in the U.S. Military

Abstract

?rom the time the first tejanos, nuevomexicano?, and californio? joined the ranks of the U.S. military out of cultural displacement and economic despair in the second half of the nineteenth century, Latin@s have been an essential part of the U.S. armed forces. When Puerto Ricans became eligible for the draft during World War I, another source of recruits was established that would produce 1,250 fallen boricua? and four Puerto Rican Congressional Medal of Honor winners in U.S. wars throughout the twentieth century. During the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, a guatemaltec?, a mexican?, and a colombian?, all noncitizens, were among the first to lose their life.