Latino heroes we remember this Memorial Day

This Memorial Day weekend, millions of Americans gathered with family, fired up the grill, and passed the time with friends.

But amid the cookouts and the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day also asks us to remember those who served our country and paid the ultimate price.

For Latinos, that sacrifice is an enduring part of our story too.

For generations, Latino Americans have served in the U.S. Armed Forces with courage and pride.

Latinos served in the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. They served as Marines, soldiers, pilots, medics, and paratroopers.

Thousands never returned home.

Their stories are tales of sacrifice, courage, and patriotism that have long defined Latino service in America.

Memorial Day is about remembering them.

The courage we remember

We remember heroes like Manuel Pérez Jr., the son of Mexican immigrants who served during World War II.

During the Battle of Luzon in the Philippines, Pérez charged directly through heavy enemy fire to destroy a fortified Japanese position that had pinned down American troops. His actions helped save fellow soldiers and allowed his unit to continue advancing.

He was killed in combat in March 1945.

We also remember Joe Gandara, a Mexican American paratrooper who fought in France during World War II.

After his unit came under devastating enemy fire and was pinned down for hours, Gandara made a decision few people could make. He advanced alone toward German machine-gun positions while firing his weapon from the hip.

He destroyed multiple enemy positions before being fatally wounded in battle.

We remember Héctor Santiago-Colón, a Puerto Rican soldier who served during the Vietnam War. During an intense firefight in 1968, an enemy grenade landed near his fellow soldiers.

With only seconds to react, Santiago-Colón pulled the grenade against his body, absorbing the explosion and saving the men around him.

He sacrificed his life so his brothers in arms could live.

These men were not famous celebrities or powerful politicians.

They were young Americans who answered the call to serve and sacrificed everything for the people beside them and the country they loved.

Their stories remind us that patriotism and sacrifice have always been part of the Latino story in America.

Why Memorial Day still matters

In a culture that moves fast, Memorial Day asks Americans to slow down for a moment.

Across the country, families honor the holiday in meaningful ways.

Some attend local memorial ceremonies, others visit cemeteries where American flags are placed beside gravestones, and some simply pause for a prayer or a moment of silence.

For military families, Memorial Day is a personal and deeply emotional day. For those who lost loved ones, it’s a day of remembering the real loss, real grief, and real sacrifice.

As a country, it’s our duty to reflect on their service and be grateful for their sense of duty.

Even small acts of remembrance help keep that memory alive.

More than a long weekend

Memorial Day is a date for all of us to take some time to remember the Americans who sacrificed it all to protect our nation.

Take time to remember the Latino soldiers whose courage helped shape this country’s story.

Take time to reflect on the extraordinary sacrifice of ordinary Americans.

Yet, our gratitude to those men and women who gave their lives defending our country goes way beyond one day per year.

It’s something we must show constantly, regardless of the date on the calendar.

Join us in honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice for America.

Write a personal note to remember a fallen hero.