Fernando Luis García

Infobox Military Person
name= Fernando Luis Garcia
born= Birth date|1929|10|14
died= Death date and age|1952|9|5|1929|10|14
placeofbirth= Utuado, Puerto Rico
placeofdeath= KIA in Korea
placeofburial=


caption= PFC Fernando Luis Garcia First Puerto Rican Medal of Honor recipient
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch=
serviceyears= 1951-1952
rank=
commands=
unit= 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines
battles= Korean War
awards= Medal of Honor Purple Heart
laterwork=

Private First Class Fernando Luis Garcia (October 14, 1929 – September 5, 1952), a member of the United States Marines, was the first Puerto Rican, from a total of five, to be awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.

Early years

Garcia was born in Utuado, Puerto Rico where he received his primary and secondary education. He moved to San Juan where he started to work for the Texas Company as a file clerk.

On September 19, 1951, Garcia was inducted into the Marines; he received his basic ("boot") training at Parris Island, South Carolina. After he graduated from his basic training he was sent to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina where he underwent advanced training before being sent to Korea.

Korean War

Garcia was a Private First Class when he arrived in Korea. He was assigned to Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, of the 1st Marine division. On the night of his death, he was posted about one mile from the enemy lines. The Korean enemies were attacking with grenades, bombs and other types of artillery. Garcia was critically wounded, but he led his team to a supply point to get hand-grenades.

An enemy grenade landed nearby, and Garcia covered with his body, sacrificing himself to save the lives of his fellow Marines. Garcia died instantly. For this heroic action, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor; on October 25, 1953, PFC Garcia's parents were presented his Medal of Honor at a ceremony held in the Utuado City Hall.

Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS FERNANDO L. GARCIA UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
:For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a member of Company I, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on September 5, 1952. While participating in the defense of a combat outpost located more than one mile forward of the main line of resistance during a savage night attack by a fanatical enemy force employing grenades, mortars and artillery, Private First Class Garcia, although suffering painful wounds, moved through the intense hall of hostile fire to a supply point to secure more hand grenades. Quick to act when a hostile grenade landed nearby, endangering the life of another Marine, as well as his own, he unhesitatingly chose to sacrifice himself and immediately threw his body upon the deadly missile, receiving the full impact of the explosion. His great personal valor and cool decision in the face of almost certain death sustain and enhance the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country./S/ DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER [ [/S/ DWIGHT D. EISENHOWERMedal of Honor citation] ]

In memory

*PFC Fernando Luis Garcia's remains were never recovered. There is a headstone with Garcia's name in the Puerto Rico National Cemetery in the city of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
*On February 5, 1959 the United States Marines Corps named a military camp in Vieques, Puerto Rico, "Camp Garcia" in his honor.

*The United States Navy named the "Garcia" class of ships in his honor, with the lead ship in the class (USS "Garcia") bearing his name, as well.

*His name is inscribed in "El Monumento de la Recordacion" (Monument of Remembrance), dedicated to Puerto Rico's fallen soldiers and situated in front of the Capitol Building in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

*His name is also inscribed in the "Wall of the Missing" located in the National Memorial of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, which honors the Medal of Honor recipients whose bodies have never been recovered. [ [http://www.homeofheroes.com/gravesites/national/0_hawaii.html National Memorial of the Pacific] ] A monument commemorating his actions stands in his hometown of Utuado, Puerto Rico.

Awards and decorations

Among Fernando Luis Garcia's awards and decorations are the following:

*
*
*
*
* with two bronze stars
*
* Presidential Unit Citation (Korea)

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Korean War Medal of Honor recipients
*Puerto Rican recipients of the Medal of Honor
*List of Hispanic Medal of Honor recipients
*List of famous Puerto Ricans - Military

Notes

References

*cite web
url=http://hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mil/HD/Historical/Whos_Who/Garcia_FL.htm
title=Private First Class Fernando Luis Garcia, USMC
work=Who's Who in Marine Corps History"
publisher=History Division, United States Marine Corps
accessdate=2006-05-08

*cite web
url=http://www.usmc.mil/moh.nsf/000003c919889c0385255f980058f5b6/000003c919889c0385255fa40045ebcf?OpenDocument
title=PFC Fernando L. Garcia, Medal of Honor, 1952, 3/5/1, Korea
work=Marines Awarded the Medal of Honor
publisher=United States Marine Corps
accessdate=2006-05-08

External links

* [http://www.neta.com/~1stbooks/medal2.htm Hispanic Medal of Honor recipients]

*cite web
url=http://korea50.army.mil/history/factsheets/hispanic.shtml
title=Hispanic Americans and the U.S. Military in the Korean War
work=United States of America Korean War Commemoration
publisher=United States Army
accessdate=2006-10-21
* [http://hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mil/HD/Home_Page.htm United States Marine Corps History and Museums Division]

Persondata
NAME= Garcia, Fernando Luis
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipients
DATE OF BIRTH= October 14, 1929
PLACE OF BIRTH= Utuado, Puerto Rico
DATE OF DEATH= September 5, 1952
PLACE OF DEATH= KIA in Korea