R 051356Z AUG 09
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 0467/09
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/2009 HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH//
POC/B. R. JONES/CIV/UNIT:MPE/-/TEL:(703) 784-9371//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  IN HONOR OF THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY TO THE UNITED STATES, THE NATION OBSERVES HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH FROM 15 SEPTEMBER TO 15 OCTOBER. HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH ORIGINALLY BEGAN IN 1968 AS HISPANIC HERITAGE WEEK UNDER PRESIDENT JOHNSON, AND WAS LATER EXPANDED TO A FULL MONTH BY PRESIDENT REAGAN WITH RESPECT TO THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF FIVE LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES ON 15 SEPTEMBER - COSTA RICA, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, AND NICARAGUA.  ALONG WITH THOSE COUNTRIES, MEXICO DECLARED ITS INDEPENDENCE ON 16 SEPTEMBER AND CHILE ON 18 SEPTEMBER.  THIS YEAR'S HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH THEME IS "EMBRACE THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW!"
2.  THERE HAVE BEEN A TOTAL OF 13 HISPANIC MARINE MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS.  THE FIRST MARINE OF HISPANIC DESCENT TO RECEIVE THE MEDAL OF HONOR WAS PRIVATE FRANCE SILVA IN 1900 DURING THE BOXER REBELLION.  FROM 28 JUNE UNTIL 17 AUGUST, PRIVATE SILVA WAS INVOLVED IN THE DEFENSE OF DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN PEKING AGAINST THE BOXERS UNTIL THE ARRIVAL OF ADDITIONAL ALLIED FORCES.  ON 1 JULY, PRIVATE SILVA VOLUNTEERED TO ASSIST OTHER MARINES IN PROTECTING THE TARTAR WALL, AND CONSEQUENTLY WAS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED.  HE WAS SHOT THROUGH HIS LEFT ELBOW AND THE BULLET BOUNCED OFF HIS STERNUM.  THOUGH HE COULD BARELY HOLD HIS RIFLE, HE REMAINED ON DUTY RELIEVING MARINES AND OTHERS AT THE TARTAR WALL, UNTIL HIS COMMANDING OFFICER ORDERED HIM TO SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION.
3.  SINCE THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM COMMENCED, FIVE MARINES OF HISPANIC DESCENT HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE NAVY CROSS.  ON 15 NOVEMBER 2004, SERGEANT RAFAEL PERALTA WAS SEVERELY WOUNDED BY AK-47 FIRE DURING A HOUSE CLEARING.  SERGEANT PERALTA DROPPED TO THE FLOOR AND MOVED ASIDE IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE MARINES BEHIND HIM TO RETURN FIRE. THE INSURGENTS RESPONDED BY THROWING A GRENADE AT THE MARINES; TWO OF THE MARINES WITH SGT PERALTA TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE ROOM BUT COULD NOT.  STILL CONSCIOUS ON THE FLOOR, SGT PERALTA REACHED FOR THE GRENADE AND PULLED IT UNDER HIS BODY.  HE ABSORBED THE MAJORITY OF THE BLAST, KILLING HIM INSTANTLY, BUT SAVING THE LIVES OF HIS FELLOW MARINES.
4.  PRIVATE SILVA AND SERGEANT PERALTA ARE EXCELLENT EXAMPLES, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT, OF THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY HISPANIC MARINES.  HISPANIC MARINES HAVE AND CONTINUE TO PROUDLY SERVE AND PROTECT AMERICAN VALUES IN THE FACE OF DANGER DURING OPERATIONS IRAQI FREEDOM AND ENDURING FREEDOM.  THEY CARRY WITH THEM THE CORPS'  VALUES OF HONOR, COURAGE, AND COMMITMENT.
5.  DURING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE TIME TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS AND CELEBRATE THE DEDICATED SERVICE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISPANIC AMERICANS TO OUR COUNTRY AND CORPS. COMMANDERS ARE FURTHER ENCOURAGED TO CONDUCT PROGRAMS AND PROMOTE PARTICIPATION IN OBSERVANCE EVENTS AT THEIR COMMANDS AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
6.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY (SES) MR. M.F. APPLEGATE, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER PLANS AND POLICY DIVISION.//