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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 (four of which were upgraded to the Medal of Honor on March 18, 2014.).〔(Puerto Rican Medal of Honor recipients )〕 The Navy Cross is the second highest medal that can be awarded by the U.S. Navy and are awarded to members of the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps for heroism or distinguished service. The following is a list of the seven Puerto Ricans awarded the Navy Cross with their citations. On August 2, 1917 Lieutenant Frederick L. Riefkohl of the US Navy became the first known Puerto Rican to be awarded the Navy Cross. ==World War I== Rear Admiral Frederick Lois Riefkohl U.S. Navy, retired (February 27, 1889 – September 1969), a native of Maunabo, Puerto Rico was the first Puerto Rican to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. He became the first Puerto Rican to be awarded the Navy Cross Medal when in World War I, Riefkohl as a lieutenant aboard the U.S.S. Philadelphia, was engaged in combat action against an enemy submarine. Navy Cross Citation: Postscript: Rear Admiral Frederick Lois Riefkohl served as Captain of the USS Vincennes during World War II. 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 Navy Cross」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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