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World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
S/Sgt. Rudy Davila, 7th Infantry
Staff Sergeant Rudolph Davila participated in the offensive to break through the German mountain strongholds surrounding the beachead established at Anzio. On May 28, 1944 near Artena, Italy, the machinegunners under Davila's command were caught on a hillside exposed to fire from entrenched German forces. Seeing that a rifle company was badly in need of machinegun support, Davila crawled fifty yards to the nearest machinegun, set it up alone and began firing at enemy forces. Davila braved accurate enemy fire to shoot from the kneeling position to better guage the effect of his fire. He ordered a gunner to take over and crawled to a forward vantage point to direct effective fire with hand signals until both enemy machineguns had been silenced.
Hispanic heritage in the United States can be traced back to the bold Spanish conquistadores who explored the Southern and Southwestern parts of the United States, establishing permanent settlements long before the first English attempts at Jamestown and Plymouth.
Inevitable conflicts with the English colonies finally led to wars in which the Spanish lost the Carolinas and Georgia. Spanish conflicts with the French, who had established communities from Canada to Louisiana, were also hostile. However, when the French were defeated by the British in the French and Indian War, the French gave their former Louisiana territory to the Spanish rather than their hated English enemy.
Suddenly Spain found itself in possession of New Orleans, St. Louis, and all the land in between. Spanish colonists slowly moved into the area. They held the land for nearly 50 years, along with Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. But more conflicts with the new United States of America slowly led to the loss of Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida and the Napoleonic Wars finally cost Spain their Louisiana Territory. In 1803 the United States purchased the area from France.
Spain continued to hold on to territory south and west of the Louisiana Purchase, but when Mexico successfully revolted from Spain all of the area in what was to later become the Southwestern United States became part of Mexico.
The successful Texas revolt of 1836 and the Mexican War of 1848 slowly dissolved the Mexican empire.
In all of these conflicts Hispanics fought and died for their King, their President, and their honor. Since 1848, when all of the territory became part of the United States, Hispanics living in these areas have given their lives for causes in which they believed, from the Civil War through the Gulf War.
Hispanics In The Navy
Hispanics have a long and proud tradition as Sailors, serving bravely and honorably in the U.S. Navy during every war and conflict since the American Revolution . The tradition is stronger than ever in today's Navy. More than 35,000 Hispanic American Sailors in all ranks and job specialties are part of today's Navy team. This section highlights a few of the Hispanic American Sailors who are currently serving their country by taking the Navy into the new millennium.
Admirals Admirals are the highest-ranking officers in the U.S. Navy. The term "admiral" comes from the Arabic term amir-al-bahr, meaning "commander of the seas."
The U.S. Navy had no admiral rank until 1862, when Congress appointed nine rear admirals to fulfill the needs of the rapidly expanding Navy in the Civil War. Two years later, a Hispanic American named David Glasgow Farragut was appointed as the first vice admiral in the Navy, and within another two years was appointed as the first "full" admiral in the history of the U.S. Navy.
In the tradition of Admiral Farragut, Hispanic Americans are serving and leading the U.S. Navy as admirals today. Click a link to take a closer look at four Hispanic Americans who have attained the rank of admiral and are serving our country in some of the Navy's top leadership positions.
President Bill Clinton presents the Medal of Honor to Rudy Davila
during a ceremony at the White House on Wednesday.
Clinton awards Vista man Medal of Honor
WASHINGTON ---- A 56-year wait for Rudy Davila ended on the south lawn of the White House on Wednesday, when President Clinton awarded the Vista man the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest commendation for battlefield bravery.
"These American soldiers, with names we have at long last recognized as American names, made an impact that soars beyond the impact of any battle," Clinton said. "They left a lasting imprint on the meaning of America. They didn't give up on their country, even though too many of their countrymen had given up on them. They deserve, at least, the most we can give ---- the Medal of Honor."
For Davila, who is half-Filipino and half-Spanish, it was a proud but bittersweet moment. Proud because of the recognition he is finally receiving; bittersweet because his late wife, Harriet, was not there to share the moment with him.
Davila said his emotions nearly ran away with him after Clinton draped the award around his neck.
"I had a moment you know, in which I became like jelly," Davila said. "Right after I sat down and I saw the others going up there, and I said to myself, 'You know my wife would have just been in heaven out there in the audience watching me get the medal. She is in heaven, but you know what I mean.'"
While he was receiving the medal, Davila said Clinton privately told him: "Our nation is very proud of you, and I want to congratulate you."
While 19 of his relatives attended Wednesday's ceremony, Davila said he met and married his wife while recuperating from his wounds in a Modesto Army hospital. Harriet Davila, his wife of 54 years, died Dec. 25. Davila said that right up until the time of her death, she never stopped believing that he deserved the Medal of Honor.
Davila said he was told he would be nominated for the Medal of Honor in 1944, after risking his life to save an exposed and vulnerable rifle company in Italy.
But despite the fact he said he was told by a commanding officer that, he was given the Distinguished Service Cross instead because "too many minorities were winning the Medal of Honor." Davila said he never believed he was slighted.
"I don't think that way," he said.
Davila was awarded his Medal of Honor for single-handedly saving the lives of an estimated 125-man rifle company near Artena, Italy, on May 28, 1944.
Then a 27-year-old staff sergeant, Davila was a in charge of a 24-man heavy machine gun unit. The rifle company, traveling just ahead of Davila's unit as Allied forces pressed the retreating German army toward Rome, had just crested a small hill when it were caught, completely exposed, in an open field of tall grass by enemy machine guns entrenched behind distant railroad tracks.
Realizing the rifle company would be cut to ribbons, Davila said he tried to rouse his unit into action. But it, too, was pinned. So, Davila, sitting up on his knees, quickly set up one of his unit's water-cooled machine guns, and began firing on the enemy machine-gun nest, drawing its fire toward himself and away from the rifle company.
Davila says he remembers his men shouting to get down. "Sarge, (the bullets are) coming right at your head."
Even after Davila was wounded slightly in the leg by an enemy bullet that ricocheted off the tripod of his machine gun, he did not falter. Davila said he got one of his men to take over his machine-gun position, then crawled toward the enemy to direct his unit's fire by hand signals.
Davila's men drove the enemy back about 200 yards. Davila, according to eyewitness accounts that day, then dashed forward and straddled the turret of a burning U.S. tank ---- an act Davila said he does not remember to this day ---- and began firing at the enemy with the tank's machine gun.
Finally, after spotting a gun barrel firing from the upstairs window of a nearby house, he dropped down from the tank, borrowed a rifle and two hand grenades from a wounded soldier and started crawling toward the house. Reaching the house, Davila began firing into it through a large shell-hole in one of the walls. Finally, he said, he threw the hand grenades into the open window, killing the remaining five enemy soldiers.
Sitting in his comfortable Vista home last week, the soft-spoken retired schoolteacher downplayed his actions, saying he believes that everyone has the capacity for heroism inside themselves.
"I don't remember being afraid or timid," he said. "It just happened. I wasn't that kind of person. I wasn't violent. In fact, I was kind of a passive kind of guy. I just wanted to be a good soldier."
Davila said he was told then by the lieutenant of the rifle company he would be recommended for the Medal of Honor, which would have meant being sent home to the United States.
But nothing happened.
Ironically, the war for Davila ended just a few short weeks later in France, when shrapnel from a German tank ripped apart his right shoulder, just moments after Davila had dragged a young wounded German soldier to safety after the tank began firing on surrendering troops.
Davila was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 1944 while at the Modesto hospital. Davila spent six years recuperating from his wounds, eventually losing all use of his right arm. He retired to Vista after teaching history for 26 years in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
6/22/00
Hispanic Medal of Honor Recipients
Hispanic Americans have fought valiantly in every war in U.S. history. The Medal of Honor is the highest U.S. military distinction, awarded since the Civil War for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty." Thirty-nine men of Hispanic origin have earned it, including 21 who sacrificed their lives, and whose citations proudly end: "He gallantly gave his life for his country."
Latinos are the largest single ethnic group, in proportion to the number who served, to earn this prestigious award.
We have listed the recipients of the Medal of Honor according to the date on which they performed the heroic deeds that earned them this decoration. The date does not refer to the date the medal was actually issued. Although most recipients were recognized soon after their acts of valor, others, such as Vietnam veteran Alfred Rascn and WWII veteran Rudolph Dvila , had to wait decades. We list them along with their fellow soldiers in war.
CITATION:
DAVILA, Rudolph B.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company H, 7th Infantry. Place and date: Artena, Italy, 28 May, 1944. Born: 27 April 1916, El Paso, TX Entered service at: Los Angeles, Calif. Citation: Staff Sergeant Rudolph B. Davila distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action, on 28 May 1944, near Artena, Italy. During the offensive which broke through the German mountain strongholds surrounding the Anzio beachhead, Staff Sergeant Davila risked death to provide heavy weapons support for a beleaguered rifle company. Caught on an exposed hillside by heavy, grazing fire from a well-entrenched German force, his machine gunners were reluctant to risk putting their guns into action. Crawling fifty yards to the nearest machine gun, Staff Sergeant Davila set it up alone and opened fire on the enemy. In order to observe the effect of his fire, Sergeant Davila fired from the kneeling position, ignoring the enemy fire that struck the tripod and passed between his legs. Ordering a gunner to take over, he crawled forward to a vantage point and directed the firefight with hand and arm signals until both hostile machine guns were silenced. Bringing his three remaining machine guns into action, he drove the enemy to a reserve position two hundred yards to the rear. When he received a painful wound in the leg, he dashed to a burned tank and, despite the crash of bullets on the hull, engaged a second enemy force from the tanks turret. Dismounting, he advanced 130 yards in short rushes, crawled 20 yards and charged into an enemy-held house to eliminate the defending force of five with a hand grenade and rifle fire. Climbing to the attic, he straddled a large shell hole in the wall and opened fire on the enemy. Although the walls of the house were crumbling, he continued to fire until he had destroyed two more machine guns. His intrepid actions brought desperately needed heavy weapons support to a hard-pressed rifle company and silenced four machine gunners, which forced the enemy to abandon their prepared positions. Staff Sergeant Davila's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.
Rudy Davila will be heading to Washington, D.C., to receive the Medal of Honor for battlefield bravery that he earned while fighting in Italy during World War II.
It is no coincidence that Hispanics have received more Congressional Medals of Honor than other ethnic groups, in proportion. Many fought discrimination to defend their country during World War II. In contrast to African Americans , who were segregated into units that were mono-racial, Mexican Americans participated in many units over all theaters of war.
Their inclusion in the draft led to high numbers fighting in Korea and, more importantly, in Viet Nam. Because of the long tradition of military service found in the Mexican American community, many young men volunteered to serve during this conflict. Their large casualty rate was one of the reasons that led to the calls for a Chicano moratorium, the slow down of the recruitment of young Mexican Americans as cannon fodder for this divisive war.
In the barrio, the anguish caused by seeing their sons and, sometimes, daughters go to a far away war gave birth to songs such as El Corrido del Padre de un Soldado. Its author is unknown. We offer here its interpretation by the well known Tejano accordion player, Flaco Jimenez. The sound file is 3.425 Mbytes in either AIFF format (Mac) or WAV format (Wintel). It should be playable through the built-in plugins of any of the major browsers. The lyrics of the song are below and have been translated into English. (Please note: this is an unauthorized use of a copyrighted recording and should not be used for profit. It can be found in the compilation CD titled "Flaco Jimenez; Un Mojado Sin Licencia," produced by Arhoolie Productions, Inc., 1977, catalog CD 396. The Obregon/CMH Foundation is presently negotiating its use in its Web site.)
El Corrido del Padre de Un Soldado
Corrido of a Soldier's Father
Soy un padre como hay muchos,
que no hayamos que pensar
pues tenemos nuestros hijos
all peleando en Viet Nam,
Virgencita milagrosa
devuelvelos como se van.
I am like many fathers,
that we don't know what to think
because we have our sons
over there, fighting in Viet Nam,
miraculous Virgin
return them as they left.
Diosito santo te pido
que tengas ms compasin
de nuestros hijos queridos
que andan en otra nacin.
Bien sabes que se llevaron
parte de mi corazn.
Holy God, I ask you
have greater compassion
of our dear sons
that are in another nation.
You know that they took with them
part of my heart.
Virgen divina,
Virgencita de San Jun,
protege a todo el soldado
que nos defiende en Viet Nam.
Divine Virgin
Virgin of San Juan
protect all the soldiers
that defend us in Viet Nam.
Adios mis padres queridos,
nos dijo casi al partir,
dijo no se queden tristes
que pronto he de venir.
soy purito mexicano
y no le temo al morir
Goodbye, my dear parents
he told us, just as he left
he said don't remain sad
for I will be back real soon.
I am a real Mexican
and I am not afraid to die.
Se despidi de su novia,
de sus hermanos tambin,
le di un abrazo a su madre,
y a m me di otro tambin.
Se encomend ante nosotros,
y ante Diosito tambin
He said goodbye to his fiancee,
and to his brothers, too,
he gave a hug to is mother,
and he also gave one to me.
He asked for our blessing
and of that of the Lord.
Diosito santo, tu sabes
lo que una madre sufri
para darle vida a su hijo
hasta la vida arriesg
a cambio de la de mi hijo
me vida te ofrezco yo.
Dear Lord, you know
what a mother has suffered
to give her son his life
she even risked her own life,
in exchange for that of my son
I offer you my very own.
Virgen divina....
Divine Virgin...
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