Hispanics in the United States Marine Corps

Pedro del Valle

Harold Gonsalves

Ramona M. Valdez

Angel Mendez

John L. Estrada

Angela Salinas

Hispanics in the United States Marine Corps, such as Private France Silva who during the Boxer Rebellion became the first Marine of the thirteen Marines of Latin American descent to be awarded the Medal of Honor,^[1] and Private First Class Guy Gabaldon who is credited with capturing over 1,000 enemy soldiers and civilians during World War II,^[2] have distinguished themselves in combat. Hispanics have participated as members of the United States Marine Corps in the Boxer Rebellion, World War I, the American intervention in Latin America also known as the Banana Wars, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and most recently in the military campaigns of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Hispanics are also reaching the top ranks of the Marine Corps, serving their country in sensitive leadership positions on domestic and foreign shores, with generals such as Major General Angela Salinas and Lieutenant General Pedro del Valle.^[3] Many Hispanic Marines went on to distinguished careers outside of the military in different fields such as sports and space exploration.

Hispanics (sometimes also referred to as "Latinos"^[4]) in the Marine Corps account for the largest minority group of that military institution. Hispanics comprise 18% of enlisted Marines today, up from 15% when the Iraq War began.^[5] The United States Marine Corps has implemented an aggressive recruitment program directed towards Hispanics,^[6] which is the nation's largest ethnic or minority race (2005 Census).^[7] According to the U.S. Census Bureau the estimated 2010 Hispanic population of the United States is over 50 million, or 16% of the U.S. population.^[8][9] The 2010 U.S. Census estimate of over 50 million Hispanics in the U.S. does not include the 3.9 million residents of Puerto Rico.