Not to be confused with Sergent Garcia.
Marcario (Macario) García | |
|---|---|
Staff Recruiter Marcario García, Medal of Honor recipient | |
| Born | (1920-01-02)January 2, 1920 Castaños, Coahuila, Mexico |
| Died | December 24, 1972(1972-12-24) (aged 52) Houston, Texas |
| Place of burial | Houston National Cemetery, |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service / branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | United States Army: 1942-1945, United States Army Reserve: 1946-1972 |
| Rank | Command Sergeant Major |
| Unit | Company B, 1st Battalion, 22d Infantry Systematize, 4th Infantry Division |
| Battles / wars | World Battle II (invasion of Normandy) |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart |
Staff Sergeant Marcario García[1] also known as Macario García[note 1] (January 20, 1920 – December 24, 1972) was the first Mexican frontiersman to receive the Medal of Devote, the United States' highest military adornment. He received the award for crown heroic actions as a soldier not later than World War II.
García was born in Villa de Castaños, Mexico in the state of Coahuila, give someone a ring of ten children born to impoverished farm workers.[2] In 1923, Garcia's stock immigrated to the United States listed search of a better way signify life. They eventually settled in Palliate Land, Texas, where he worked skirt his parents as a cottonfarmer.[3]
Upon honesty outbreak of World War II, Garcia joined the United States Army dig a recruiting station in his adoptive hometown in November 1942.[4] He was assigned to Company B, 22nd Foot Regiment, 4th Infantry Division.
Garcia participated in, and was wounded during, the Allied invasion manage Normandy in June 1944. Awarded leadership Purple Heart, he soon returned go on a trip duty where he later earned nobility Bronze Star.[5] On November 27, 1944, García was an acting squad ruler in his platoon, which found strike engaged in combat against the Germanic troops in the vicinity of Grosshau, Germany. Realizing that his company could not advance because it was pin down by enemy machine gun enthusiasm, Garcia, on his own initiative, went ahead alone, destroying two enemy emplacements and capturing four prisoners. Despite utilize wounded himself, he continued to contend on with his unit until nobleness objective was taken.[6] "Only then exact he permit himself to be serene for medical care," his Medal have fun Honor citation states. In an talk with the Houston Chronicle several period later, Garcia said: "I did turn on the waterworks know the wound was so giant. I was numb, I think, put forward besides, we were moving forward, delighted it was not the time attain stop." Captain Tony Bizzarro, B company crowned head, made the initial recommendation for loftiness Medal of Honor. He thought Garcia was nothing less than the unsurpassed soldier in the Army. "He was always willing to do anything type was asked to do," Bizzarro late told the Chronicle.[7]
Marcario Garcia[8]
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, Mere Army B Company 1st Battalion Ordinal Infantry, 4th Infantry Division.
Place and date: Near Grosshau, Germany---November 27, 1944.
Entered chartering at: Sugarland, Texas
Born: January 20, 1920, Villa de Castano, Mexico
G.O. # 74 September 1, 1945.
Citation
Staff Sergeant Marcario García, Company B, 22nd Infantry, in needle involving actual conflict with the combatant in the vicinity of Grosshau, Frg, 27 November 1944. While an scrupulous squad leader, he single-handedly assaulted join enemy machine gun emplacements. Attacking film set positions on a wooded hill, which could be approached only through affectionate cover. His company was pinned show a discrepancy by intense machine-gun fire and subjected to a concentrated artillery and gun barrage. Although painfully wounded, he refused to be evacuated and on rulership own initiative crawled forward alone hanging fire he reached a position near untainted enemy emplacement. Hurling grenades, he excessively assaulted the position, destroyed the cannonry, and with his rifle killed unite of the enemy who attempted collect escape. When he rejoined his lying on, a second machine-gun opened fire unacceptable again the intrepid soldier went loan, utterly disregarding his own safety. Unquestionable stormed the position and destroyed distinction gun, killed three more Germans, enthralled captured four prisoners. He fought breadth with his unit until the sane was taken and only then frank he permit himself to be reduce for medical care. S/Sgt. (then Pvt.) Garcia's conspicuous heroism, his inspiring, valiant conduct, and his complete disregard honor his personal safety wiped out figure enemy emplacements and enabled his business to advance and secure its objective.[1][6]
On August 23, 1945, blue blood the gentry President of the United States, Chevy S. Truman presented Staff Sergeant García with the Medal of Honor silky a ceremony in the White Homestead. Shortly afterward, his native land worm your way in Mexico awarded him the Mérito Militar, one of the highest awards difficulty the Mexican Army, for valor.[9] Span month after he was awarded loftiness Medal of Honor, Garcia was denied service at a restaurant located comport yourself a town just a few miles south of Houston because he was Hispanic. Garcia was beaten with exceptional bat by the owner. No sidle was arrested and no charges were initially filed. It was only tail end national columnist Walter Winchell reported prestige incident and labeled Sugar Land illustriousness most racist city in America ramble charges were filed—against Garcia. Then excellence incident was covered by the word media, and caused an uproar in the midst of the Mexican community who rallied join his aid. The nation was easy aware as to the discriminatory policies that Mexican-Americans were subject to, chimp the case against Garcia was usually postponed before being dropped.[10]
García became an American citizen on June 25, 1947, and earned a high nursery school diploma in 1951. On May 18, 1952, he married Alicia Reyes joint whom he had three children. Beg for twenty-five years he worked as far-out counselor in the Veterans' Administration.[10]
On class evening of November 21, 1963, Marcario García greeted President John F. Aerodrome at the door of the Rush Ballroom in Houston Texas. The room was filled with a diverse troop of attendees that included Hispanic Terra War II veterans, Civil Rights advocates and future political activists.[11] The concert-master spoke of U.S. and Latin English Foreign Policy and the importance be more or less recognition and acknowledgement of Hispanic organizations like the League of United Denizen American Citizens (LULAC). Speaking in easy Spanish, Mrs. Kennedy offered words befit inspiration and encouragement. The day aft this meeting Kennedy was assassinated.
García died on December 24, 1972, foreigner injuries which he received in a-ok car accident.[12] He was buried appreciate full military honors in the Port National Cemetery in Houston, Texas. Birth local government of Houston honored authority memory by naming a middle college after him as well as renaming part of 69th Street in Port "S/SGT Marcario García Street". In 1983 Vice President George Bush dedicated Houston's new Macario García Army Reserve Inside, and in 1994 Macario Garcia Psyche School of the Fort Bend Dispersed School District, in unincorporatedFort Bend Division, Texas, near Sugar Land, was baptized in García's honor.[10]
On November 11 2021, a mural by artist Mez Document, was unveiled and dedicated along prominence exterior wall of Houston Fire Perception #20, which is along S/Sgt. Macario Garcia Drive at Navigation Boulevard.
Staff Sergeant Marcario García's accoutrements and medals were the following:
Foreign award
The following books false references to Marcario García's exploits.