Fernando Luis Garcia
Encyclopedia : F : FE : FER : Fernando Luis Garcia
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Garcia went to grade and high school in his native hometown, Utuado. He moved to San Juan where he started to work for the Texas Company as a file clerk.
On September 19, 1951, Garcia was inducted into the Marines; he received his "boot" training at Paris Island, South Carolina and after he graduated from his basic training he was sent to Camp Lejuene in North Carolina where he underwent advanced training before being sent to Korea. Garcia was a Private First Class when he arrived in Korea. He was assigned to Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, of the 1st Marine division. On the night of his death, he was posted about one mile from the enemy lines. The Korean enemies were attacking with grenades, bombs and other types of artillery. Garcia was critically wounded, but he led his team to a supply point to get hand-grenades.
An enemy grenade landed nearby, and Garcia jumped over it, sacrificing himself to save the lives of his fellow Marines. Garcia died instantly and as a result was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. In addition to the Medal of Honor, PFC Garcia's medals and decorations include:
- the Purple Heart
- the Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars
On February 5, 1959 the United States Marines Corps named a military camp in Vieques, Puerto Rico, "Camp Garcia" in his honor. His name is inscribed in "El Monumento de la Recordacion" (Monument of Remembrance), dedicated to Puerto Rico's fallen soldiers and situated in front of the Capitol Building in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A monument commemorating his actions stands in his hometown of Utuado, Puerto Rico.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans - Military
References
- [Fernando Luis Garcia], Who's Who in Marine Corps History, History Division, United States Marine Corps.
- [PFC Fernando L. Garcia], Medal of Honor citation.
External links
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