The Cuban American Veteran Thing

As modern as we may think our society is we are still plagued with the conflict of war.  Though being victorious is the ultimate goal in any conflict, the sad outcome of all wars is casualties.  The greatest gift a human being can give is to lay down his life for a fellow human being or for a common belief. On the 11th. hour of the 11th. day of the 11th. month of 1918 World War I ended.  This day was called Armistice Day.  Today we call it Veterans Day and on this day we give tribute to all the brave men and women of the US Armed Forces who have fought to protect our American way of life.

So what does Veterans Day have to do with being Cuban?  Well as a kid one of the things that I used to enjoy dong with my father was watching old World War II movies.  We watched such classics as Guadalcanal Dairy, The Fighting Seabees, Desperate Journey and my favorite Casablanca.  At some point through each movie my father would often reminisce about some friend or acquaintance who had fought in the war.  So it started me thinking about any Cubans who had served in the Armed Forces.

My father’s recollections only mentioned the nick names, a common Cuban Thing, he had for his friends with no specific dates or locations as to where they had served, except for the fact that it was during World War II. I decided to do some research about Cuban American veterans and here is what I found.

Cuban Americans represent the third largest Hispanic group to serve in the US armed forces with Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans being first and second.  Cuban Americans have served in all conflicts from World War I to the present conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Of particular interest is the Vietnam War and the story of Capt. Felix Sosa-Camejo, because of its chronological time stamp and the start of the Cuban exile story.

Felix Sosa-Camejo was one of many Cubans who participated in the attempted Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. Through the actions of President John F. Kennedy, Felix Sosa-Camejo and hundreds of other prisoners were released from Cuban prison camps.  He  joined the U.S. Army and  volunteered for action in Vietnam in 1963 serving for five years and earned 12 citations, including the Bronze Star, three Silver Stars and two Purple Hearts. Because of his actions on February 13, 1968, He earned his second Bronze Star by pulling a wounded comrade to safety which eventually cost him his life.  You can read more about Capt. Sosa-Camejo at the 26th Parallel.

There are countless stories of bravery under fire, but what makes this story significant is that many allegations have been made about the lack of devotion Cuban Americans have had to their adobted country.  Capt. Sosja-Camejo fought for his adopted country and against the tyranny of communism his native country was presently suffering from.

America is made up of immigrants who have all fought at one time or another to preserve the freedom that many of us today take for granted.  Veterans Day is just one day for all of us to remember our fallen heroes.  So to all the veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, regardless of their nationalities, my sincere appreciation goes out to you.  This is not just a Cuban Thing.

General Douglas MacArthur wrote “The soldier, above all men, is required to perform the highest act of religious teaching – sacrifice.”  Read more about the Contributions of Immigrants to the U.S. Military.