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Puerto Ricans have served as members of the United States Armed Forces and have fought in every major conflict in which the United States has been involved from World War I onward. Many Puerto Ricans, including those of Puerto Rican descent, have distinguished themselves during combat as members of the five branches of the U.S. Military, the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and the Coast Guard. Nine Puerto Ricans have been awarded the United States' highest military decoration — the Medal of Honor, seven have been awarded the Navy Cross and eighteen have been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.〔(Puerto Rican Medal of Honor recipients )〕 The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is the second highest military decoration of the United States Army, awarded for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions which merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree to be above those required for all other U.S. combat decorations but not meeting the criteria for the Medal of Honor. The following is a list of the fifteen Puerto Ricans awarded the Distinguished Service Cross with their citations. On March 18, 2014, President Barack Obama upgraded the Distinguished Service Cross' of Juan E. Negrón, Demensio Rivera, Miguel Vera and Félix M Conde Falcón to the Medal of Honor in a ceremony held in the White House.〔(Obama to award Medal of Honor to 24 Army veterans )〕 ==World War II== Private First Class Luis F. Castro born in Orocovis, Puerto Rico was assigned to 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division in the U.S. Army. PFC. Castro's platoon was about to be overrun by enemy German forces, when he decided to stay in the rear flank and cover his men's retreat by providing firepower killing 15 of the enemy in the process.〔"El Imparcial" - "Boricua mata 15 Alemanes"; Recobe Alta Condecoracion; November 13, 1945〕 Distinguished Service Cross Citation: ---- Private Anibal Irizarry born in Puerto Rico, was assigned to Co. L, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Regiment. Private Irizarry single-handedly destroyed two enemy machine gun nests and captured eight enemy soldiers. Distinguished Service Cross Citation: Postscript: Private Anibal Irizarry was seriously wounded after he destroyed the second machine gun nest and was awarded the Purple Heart Medal.〔(Irizarry's DSC Citation )〕 ---- Private First Class Joseph (José) R. Martínez born in San Germán, Puerto Rico destroyed a German Infantry unit and tank in Tunis by providing heavy artillery fire, saving his platoon from being attacked in the process. He received the Distinguished Service Cross from General George S. Patton, thus becoming the first Puerto Rican recipient of said military decoration. Distinguished Service Cross Citation: Postscript PFC Martinez was the first Puerto Rican to be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.〔"El Imparcial" - "Soldado Recibe La Medalla Del Servicio Distinguido"; August 15, 1944〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Puerto Rican recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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