The Medal of Honor is the highest award for bravery in the U.S. military. Many of its recipients were American-born and raised, but a large number were immigrants or members of minority groups, sometimes fighting not only for their country but also for their right to be included. Their tales are ones of fearlessness, selflessness, and devotion to the concepts of liberty and sacrifice. These are eight of the most outstanding of them.
8. Vincent R. Capodanno: The “Grunt Padre” of Vietnam
Vincent Capodanno, the youngest of a Staten Island family of Italian immigrants, was a Catholic priest and Navy chaplain in the Vietnam War. Dubbed the “Grunt Padre,” he became famous for going into combat areas with Marines. In a fierce firefight in Quang Tin Province, he repeatedly put himself in harm’s way to treat the wounded. Although he suffered severe injuries, he would not be evacuated, asking medics to attend to others first. He was mortally wounded while protecting a corpsman who was wounded, his selflessness leaving a lasting legacy of altruistic service.
7. Reginald B. Desiderio: Leadership Under Fire in Korea
Pennsylvania-born Captain Reginald Desiderio, an Italian immigrant family, showed leadership during the Korean War. When advancing enemy forces pinned him in, he volunteered to scout out ahead and relocate his company. Under fire that was continuous, he moved through his men, boosting their morale and guiding their defense. With carbine and grenades, he charged the enemy to gain time and room for his troops. His last act of courage motivated his unit to hold firm and ultimately triumph.
6. Ralph Cheli: Bravery in the Air and Captivity
Ralph Cheli, whose family had immigrated to the United States from Italy, flew a B‑25 during World War II. During a bombing raid over New Guinea, his plane was hit by enemy fire. Instead of jettisoning the mission, he maintained formation to guarantee the mission’s success. Following a crash landing, he was taken prisoner and subsequently died when the transport vessel on which he had been taken prisoner was sunk. His bravery in the mission’s completion and survival as a prisoner merited the Medal of Honor, which was awarded posthumously.
5. Michael Valente: Immigrant Bravery on the Hindenburg Line
Michael Valente was an immigrant from Italy who came to America in 1913 and subsequently joined the National Guard. During World War I, he attacked German machine-gun positions under heavy fire. He saved many lives and ended a stalemate on the battlefield. Valente said he simply didn’t want to see his friends die. Many years later, he was awarded the Medal of Honor, and a Long Beach, New York park is named,d in his honor today.
4. Louis Di Cesnola: Italian Revolutionary and American Hero
Louis Di Cesnola was a Crimean and Italian war veteran before coming to America and participating in the Civil War. Although under arrest during the time his company was attacked at Aldie, Virginia, he is credited with personally leading a surprise cavalry charge that changed the outcome of the battle. Captured and imprisoned for nine months, his valiance resulted in his being awarded the Medal of Honor. Later, he was the first director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and returned thousands of artifacts to Cyprus, defining American cultural heritage.
3. Benjamin Salomon: The Dentist Who Was a One-Man Army
Captain Benjamin Salomon, a member of a Jewish family in Milwaukee, was a U.S. Army dentist on Saipan during World War II. When Japanese forces overran his aid station, Salomon defended it alone to shield wounded soldiers. He fought off many attackers with a machine gun before being killed in action. Close to 98 enemy soldiers were killed in and around his position. Under the Geneva Conventions, medical personnel limitations sdal of Honor for decades but were ulti,matehe ly granted in 2002.
2. It Jewish American Bravery—Shemin, Jachman, Rubin
William Shemin, a Russian-Jewish immigrant’s son, kept going back through fire to save wounded troops in World War I. Wounded himself, he took over in command after the officers were killed. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 2015 following a review of cases affected by anti-Semitism. Isadore Jachman, a Jewish immigrant from Germany, died while destroying enemy tanks with a bazooka in WWII’s Battle of the Bulge. His actions saved his company from certain annihilation.
Tibor Rubin, a survivor of the Holocaust from Hungary, enlisted during the Korean War. He single-handedly held a strategic hill for 24 hours and risked his life to save fellow POWs who were in captivity. His bravery, similar to Shemin’s, wasn’t credited for decades because of prejudice e but justice, and its way eventually.
1. Jose B. Nisperos: First Asian and Filipino to Win Medal of Honor
Private Jose B. Nisperos set a mark as the first Asian and Filipino to get the Medal of Honor. While with the Philippine Scouts in the Philippine-American War, Nisperos faced a harsh fight from Moro fighters in 1911. Even with bad wounds to his arms that stopped him from using his gun, he kept on fighting with just a bolo knife, helping his team until more help came. His strong will and choice not to give up despite great pain and odds won him the Medal of Honor in 1913. His brave acts are still a source of pride for both the Philippines and the wider Asian-American community.
These tales unveil not just heroism but even the quiet determination of those who endured more than simply fighting. Whether fighting racism, delayed acknowledgment, or beginning life as immigrants in a strange country, these men showed what the Medal of Honor realeourage, honor, and sacrifice, no matter what their origins may have been.