Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Luis Negrón, Lambda Literary Award winner

Luis Negron, born in Guyama, Puerto Rico in 1970, is a writer, living in Santurce, Puerto Rico.  His debut short story collection, Mundo Cruel, was published in 2010.  Its stories focus on gay life in Santurce, and has been printed five times in Spanish, and an English translation was published in 2013.  

Mundo Cruel won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction at the 26th Lambda Literary Awards in 2014.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Salvador Felices, first Puerto Rican Major General in US Air Force

 

Salvador Enrique Felices, born August 13, 1923 in Santurce, Puerto Rico, was the first Puerto Rican to reach the rank of major general in the United States Air Force.  He joined the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Puerto Rico. He entered West Point, the US Military Academy in New York, and took flying lessons.  He received his pilots wings in June 1946 and graduated as a second lieutenant.

He flew 19 combat missions during the Korean War as combat operations officer with the 344th Bombardment Squadron.  In June 1968, he was named commander of the 306th Bombardment Wing and flew 39 combat missions during the Vietnam War. 

In 1969, he became the commander of the 823rd Air Division at McCoy AFB in Florida. He was promoted to major general on April 2, 1973 and became vice commander of the Sixteenth AFB in Spain.  He retired from the Air Force in 1974. He passed away from natural causes in July 1987.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Roberto Clemente, first Latino inducted into Nat'l Baseball Hall of Fame

Roberto Clemente, born August 18, 1934 in Puerto Rico, played eighteen seasons in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955-1972.

He joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve in September 1958 and served a six-month active duty in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Washington DC.  He gained an early release from Sate Senator John Walker for the 1959 season.  He continued to serve during off-seasons through 1964, as a private first class.

During his career, he made All-Star 15 times, helped the Pirates to two World Series championships, was National League MVP in 1966, World Series MVP in 1971, won 12 Gold Glove Awards, and was the NL batting champion 4 times.  

He was involved with charity and humanitarian work throughout his career in Latin America and the Caribbean during the off-seasons.  On December 31, 1972, the plane he was riding in crashed off the coast of Isla Verde, Puerto Rico, while carrying relief supplies and aid packages to the victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua.  An award in his honor the Roberto Clemente Award, is given to the player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team".

He was posthumously inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973, becoming the first Latin-American to be inducted.  He was inducted into the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Puerto Rican Veterans Hall of Fame in 2018. He has also been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Hector Ayala (White Tiger), first Hispanic superhero

Hector Ayala, aka White Tiger, is the first main character Latin-American superhero in America comics. His first appearance was in Marvel Comics' Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19 in December 1975.  He was created by Bill Mantio and George Perez.

Hector Ayala was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico but grew up in the Bronx.  He gained his powers hen he discovered tiger amulets that were thrown away by the Sons of the Tiger.  When he put on all three, he transformed into White Tiger.

In the Marvel comic books, Hector died after being wrongfully convicted of murder.  He was killed trying to escape right before evidence proving his innocence was uncovered.  His niece Angela Del Toro inherited the amulets. She was killed and then resurrected.

Hector's teenaged sister Ava Ayala has now appeared as the new White Tiger.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Chi Chi Rodriguez, Puerto Rican pro golfer

Juan Antonio "Chi-Chi" Rodriguez, born October 23, 1935 in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, has won eight PGA Tour events and is the first Puerto Rican to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.  On the Senior PGA Tour, he was the first player to win the same event three consecutive years. 

He is known for his 'toreador dance' whenever he makes a birdie or eagle, where he pretended the ball was the bull and his putter was a sword. Then he would terminate the 'bull'.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: José Ferrer, first Latino to win an Academy Award

Jose Ferrer, born January 8, 1912 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is the first Hispanic actor to win an Academy Award.  He won the honor for Best Actor in a Leading Role, for his role in Cyrano de Bergerac March 29, 1951.  He was nominated two more times for an Academy Award:  once for Best Actor in a Leading Role in Moulin Rouge (1953), and Best Supporting Actor in Joan of Arc (1949).

His nephew is George Clooney.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: SFC Modesto Cartagena, most decorated Hispanic soldier in the Korean War

Sergeant First Class Modesto Cartagena, born July 21, 1921 in Cayey, Puerto Rico, served in the US Army during WWII and the Korean War.  In WWII he was assigned to the Army's 65th Infantry Regiment and served in units guarding Caribbean military installations and in the Allied occupation of Germany.

He was discharged after the war and he returned to Puerto Rico.  He re-enlisted at the outbreak of the Korean War and was assigned to Company C, 65th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.

He earned the nickname "One Man Army" after his actions on April 19, 1951 in North Korea.  He left his position "with no regard for his own safety" and charged into enemy fire, single-handedly destroyed two enemy positions.  Although being knocked to the ground twice by exploding grenades, he got up and attacked three more times, destroying three more enemy positions.  He was finally wounded.  

He stated later that he though the rest of the squad was behind him.  He did not realize that most of them had been wounded or forced to take cover.  

He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest military decoration in the US Army.  Among others decorations, he won the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

He passed away in March 2010. 

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Jorge Otero Barreto, most decorated soldier of the Vietnam War

Jorge Otero Barreto, born April 7, 1937 in Puerto Rico, is sometimes referred to as the Puerto Rican Rambo, earned 38 military decorations and has been called the most decorated solder of the US Army in the Vietnam War.  

He is the first Puerto Rican graduate of the 101st Airborne Division.  He also served in the 25th Infantry Division, the 82nd Airborne Division, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.  

He participated in 200 combat missions.  Barreto has been awarded 5 Purple Hearts, 5 Bronze Stars with Valor, 5 Air Medals, 4 Army Commendation Medals and 2 Silver Stars.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Luis Esteves, first Hispanic graduate of US Military Academy

Luis Raul Esteves, born April 30, 1893 in Puerto Rico, was the first person of Hispanic heritage to graduate from the US Military Academy in West Point and was the founder of the Puerto Rico National Guard.

He graduated from West Point in 1915, with Dwight Eisenhower and Omar Bradley.  He obtained rank of Second Lieutenant and assigned to the 23rd Infantry Regiment.

He served in the 8th Infantry Brigade under General Pershing in El Paso, Texas.  He was promoted to First Lieutenant during the onset of the Battle of Columbus in June 1916.

When Esteves was promoted to Captain, he helped organize the 23rd Battalion, composed of Puerto Ricans, stationed in Panama during World War I.  That is when he saw a need for a Puerto Rican National Guard.  His request was approved and in 1918 he was promoted to Major.  By 1919, the first regiment of the Puerto Rican National Guard was formed.

He held the position of Adjutant General until he retired in 1957.  He passed away in March 1958.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Nydia Velazquez, first Puerto Rican woman elected to Congress

Nydia Velazquez, born in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, is the first Puerto Rican woman to be elected to Congress.  She has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1993 and represents New York City.

She has always been an  advocate for human and civil rights for Puerto Ricans.  According to wikipedia.com, her nickname is "la Luchadora" which means "the fighter".

Here she blasts The Donald for his treatment of Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nydia_Vel%C3%A1zquez

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Frederick Riefkohl, first Puerto Rican recipient of Navy Cross

Rear Admiral Frederick Lois Riefkohl, born in Maunabo, Puerto Rico, is the first Puerto Rican to graduate from the US Naval Academy and the first Puerto Rican to be awarded the Navy Cross, the second highest award after the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War I.

As a lieutenant, Riefkohl served as Commander of the Armed Guard of the USS Philadelphia.  On August 2, 1917, a periscope was sighted and a torpedo passed under the stern of the ship.  A shot was fired, which struck close to the submarine, which then disappeared.  Lt. Riefkohl received the Navy Cross for  his bravery.

After WWI, Riefkohl assumed command of the USS Vincennes during WWII until it was destroyed by the Japanese at the Battle of Savo Island.



https://web.archive.org/web/20070926215707/http://www.homeofheroes.com/valor/1_Citations/01_wwi-nc/nc_02_WW1_Navy-SUB.html

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Sonia Sotomayor, first Hispanic and first Latina Supreme Court Justice

Sonia Sotomayor is the first Hispanic and first Latina U.S. Supreme Court Justice.  Her parents are from Puerto Rico, but she was born in the Bronx.  She was nominated by President Obama in May 2009 after Justice David Souter retired.  Sotomayor was confirmed by the Senate in August 2009.

She has appeared on Sesame Street twice and pressed the button to drop the ball at the Times Square New Year's Eve December 31, 2013.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month - Joe Acaba, first Puerto Rican astronaut

Joseph Michael Acaba is the first astronaut of Puerto Rican heritage, His parents lived in Puerto Rico and moved to Inglewood, California where Joe was born.  His first Space Shuttle flight was aboard Discovery (STS-119) in March 2009, which delivered the final solar arrays to the International Space Station.

His second space flight was aboard Soyuz TMA-04M which took him back to the ISS.  The mission lasted from May to September 2012.

Acaba is currently aboard the ISS, having arrived on Soyuz MS-06 which launched just two weeks ago.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month - Sylvia Rivera, gay, trans, homeless, activist

This is the reason why I love doing this type of research.  I get to learn so much more about our past ("our" meaning "U.S.A." of course) and the colorful history that has gone into creating it.  Not all of it is beautiful and it seems that more times than not it is the hardship of stark reality.

Sylvia Rivera's story takes from both aspects.  She was born Ray Rivera in New York City of Puerto Rican and Venezuelan descent.  Both parents died while she was very young and grew up with a grandmother in New York City.

Because she was gay and transgendered, had lived on the streets, battled addiction and often went hungry, Sylvia made these issues her personal crusades. She and her good friend Marsha P. Johnson founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries which advocated for homeless drag queens and runaways.

I can't list all of her accomplishments and chronicle her activism in a short blog so please read her incredible story here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvia_Rivera

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month - Dr. Antonia Novello, first Hispanic female U.S. Surgeon General

Dr. Antonia Novello, born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, is the first Hispanic to become the U.S. Surgeon General and also the first woman to hold the post.  She served from 1990-1993, under both Shrub and President Bill Clinton.  She attended the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras and the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan where she received her Doctor of Medicine in 1970.

She opened  a pediatric practice in Springfield, VA in 1976 but joined the Public Health Service in 1979.  She was a project officer at the National Institute of Arthritis, Metabolism and Digestive Diseases at NIH.  She was appointed to Assistant Surgeon General in 1986 and served as Coordinator for AIDS Research and developed an interest in pediatric AIDS.  Dr. Novello was appointed Surgeon General on March 9, 1990.  She focused her attention on the health of women, children and minorities as well as underage drinking, smoking, and AIDS.

She finished her post of Surgeon General on June 30, 1993.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month - Capt. Marion Frederic Ramirez de Arellano, first Hispanic submarine CO

Marion Frederic Ramirez de Arellano is the first Hispanic submarine commanding officer who received two Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit and a Bronze Star for his actions against the Japanese Imperial Navy during WWII.

He was born in Puerto Rico August 5, 1913 and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy 1935.  He was commissioned as an ensign to the aircraft carrier USS Ranger.  After attending Submarine School at Groton, Connecticut he was assigned as Division Officer aboard the submarine USS Pickerel, which was in the Philippines and was attacked by the Japanese December 8, just 10 hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Marion Frederic Ramirez de Arellano participated in war patrols throughout the Pacific.  In April 1944, he was named Commanding Officer of the submarine USS Balao. He led the rescue of three downed Navy pilots in the Palau region.  He engaged and sunk a Japanese cargo ship Daigo Maru January 8, 1945.

After the war, he was named CO of the Submarine base on Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.  He retired from the Navy in 1961 and passed away in May 1980.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month - Rita Moreno, Goddess of the Arts

I cannot even begin to chronicle all of Rita Moreno's accomplishments in a few short words, because she's pretty much done it all and been awarded for it.  She is the first actress to win a Grand Slam (or whatever they call it).  She's been awarded:

Oscar for Best Supporting Actress (West Side Story) 1962
Grammy for Best Album for Children (Electric Company) 1972
Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play (The Ritz) 1975
Emmy Award for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program - 1977

I saw her in The King and I, Singing in the Rain, and The Ritz (one of my favorite movies of hers),

This video clip of her accepting her Academy Award just shows why we love her so much!

Day 6 - Sunset, Puerto Rico

The waves crashing on the beach were astounding! Just beautimus!

I'll need to rely on my friend Nomar to explain the legend of this blowhole. I just remember if you shout the name of the farmer who disappeared with his cow here, the ocean will spray you. Whether or not you believe the legend, it's quite refreshing!

Day 6 - Beachside in Puerto Rico

We drove into Isabela and met Nomar's ex-wife Ana and her mother Cuchina. We found a wonderful roadside bar just across the street from the beach.

Raymond, his mother Ana, and grandmother Cuchina.

Nomar and me.

This is the beach!

Raymond and his favorite niece, Shaniela.

Proud grandpa Nomar and Shaniela

Fuzzy and Shaniela

Me and Shaniela (yes, she was the belle of the ball!)

She likes my Jets cap! She has exceptional taste in football teams!

Day 6 - Isabela, Puerto Rico

We continued west along the northern coast of Puerto Rico. This is from a roadside stop on the highway where Raymond likes to stop on his way home from San Juan. The view cannot be beat!

This is an old railroad tunnel built in WWII. Nothing much to see right now but it takes you to a beautiful spot on the island!

It's raining in the rain forest!

Nomar on the beach.

Fuzzy is plum tuckered out from his walk along the beach.