Hispanics in the United States Naval Academy

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Hispanics in the United States Naval Academy

Hispanics in the United States Naval Academy account for the largest minority group in the institution. According to the Academy, the Class of 2009 includes 271 (22.2%) minority midshipmen. Out of these 271 midshipmen, 115 are of Hispanic heritage.^[1] According to the July 2004 issue of LATINA Style magazine, of the total of 736 female midshipmen, 74 (10%) of the female midshipmen were of Hispanic descent.^[2]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the estimated Hispanic population of the United States is 42.7 million (This estimate does not include the 3.9 million residents of Puerto Rico.), thereby making the people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic or race minority as of July 1, 2005.^[3]

The United States Navy has implemented an aggressive recruitment programs directed towards this group. One of those programs is El Navy whose principal aim is to attract those who speak Spanish and as a consequence many Hispanics have applied for entrance to the Academy.^[4]

1 First Hispanic-American alumni of the Academy
2 Notable Hispanic USNA graduates
3 See also
4 References and Notes
5 External links

[edit] First Hispanic-American alumni of the Academy

The United States Naval Academy (USNA), founded 1845, is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps.^[5]

The first Hispanic-American to graduate from the academy was Commodore Robert F. Lopez, Class of 1879.^[6] The first Hispanic to graduate from the academy and to reach the rank of admiral was a Puerto Rican, Rear Admiral Frederick Lois Riefkohl, Class of 1911. Ironically, Riekofohl entered the Academy in the same year that Captain Lopez retired as a Commodore.^[7]

In 1980, the USNA included Hispanic/Latino as a racial category for demographic purposes. There were four women who identified themselves as Hispanics in the Class of 1981. These women become the first Hispanic females to graduate from the academy. They were Carmel Gilliland who had the highest class rank, Lilia Ramirez, who retired with the rank of Commander, Ina-Marie Loughlin and Trinora Pinto.^[8]

[edit] Notable Hispanic USNA graduates

Among the Academy's Hispanic alumni who have distinguished themselves as career officers in the Navy, the Marine Corps or the United States Air Force are the following:

[edit] 19th century, notable Hispanic USNA graduates:

Commodore Robert F. Lopez, USN - USNA Class of 1879. Born in Davenport, Iowa. Appointed from Tennessee, 9th Congressional District, Lopez was admitted to the USNA on September 29, 1874.^[6] Captain Lopez retired from the Navy in 1911 as a Commodore.^[9] During World War I, he was recalled to active duty. Commodore Lopez served as Commandant of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard north of San Francisco.^[9]

Commander Fritz L. Sandoz, USN - USNA Class of 1894.

[edit] 1900-1959, notable Hispanic USNA graduates:

Rear Admiral Frederick Lois Riefkohl, USN – USNA Class of 1911. Born and raised in Maunabo, Puerto Rico, he is the first Puerto Rican to graduate from the Naval Academy. He was a World War I Navy Cross recipient who served as Captain of the USS Vincennes (CA-44) during World War II.^[10]

Lieutenant General Pedro Augusto del Valle, USMC - USNA Class of 1915. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico (28 August 1893 - 28 April 1978) and appointed to the USNA on 17 June 1911 by Governor George R. Colton. Was a United States Marine Corps officer who became the first Hispanic to reach the rank of Lieutenant General. His military career included service in World War I, Haiti and Nicaragua during the so-called Banana Wars of the 1920s, and in the seizure of Guadalcanal and later as Commanding General of the U.S. 1st Marine Division during World War II.^[11]

Commander Edward B. Arroyo, USN - USNA Class of 1922. Born 12 September 1900.

Rear Admiral Jose M. Cabanillas, USN - USNA Class of 1924. Born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, was an Executive Officer of the USS Texas (BB-35) which participated in the invasions of North Africa and Normandy (D-Day) during World War II. In 1945, he became the first Commanding officer of the USS Grundy (APA-111).

Rear Admiral Edmund Ernest Garcia, USN - USNA Class of 1927. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, his father Enrique Garcia was a Captain in the U.S. Army. He was originally a member of the Class of 1926 but requested to be turned back to the class of 1927 for academic deficiency in mathematics. During WWII was commander of the destroyer escort USS Sloat (DE-245) and saw action in the invasions of Africa, Sicily, and France.

Colonel Jaime Sabater, USMC - USNA Class of 1927. Born on 28 May 1904 in Puerto Rico. Was appointed to USNA on 9 July 1923 by F.C. Davila. During WWII, commanded the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines during the Bouganville amphibious operations. Commanding officer of the 3rd Marines, Fleet Marine Force, Western Pacific (formerly the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines) from 1 October 1947 to 1 April 1948 in Tsingtao, China.^[12]

Captain Charles Mario Charneco, USN - USNA Class of 1930. Born on 22 January 1906 in Puerto Rico. Was appointed to USNA on 16 June 1925 by Governor H.M. Towner. Served in the Navy.

Commander George E. Garcia, USN - USNA Class of 1930. Born on 13 January 1907.

Rear Admiral Henry G. Sanchez, USN – USNA Class of 1930. Born on 29 December 1907. During World War II, then-LCDR Sanchez commanded VF-72, a F4F squadron of 37 aircraft, onboard the USS Hornet (CV-8) from July to October 1942. His squadron was responsible for shooting down 38 Japanese airplanes during his command tour which included the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands.^[13]

Admiral Horacio Rivero, Jr., USN - USNA Class of 1931. Was the first four-star admiral from Puerto Rico and the second Hispanic-American full admiral, after Admiral David Farragut, in the Navy. Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico and graduated third in his USNA class. During WWII, he served aboard the USS San Juan (CL-54) and was involved in providing artillery cover for Marines landing on Guadalcanal, Marshall Islands, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. In October 1962, Admiral Rivero found himself in the middle of the Cuban Missile Crisis. As Commander of amphibious forces, Atlantic Fleet, he was on the front line of the vessels sent to the Caribbean by President Kennedy to stop the Cold War from escalating into World War III.^[14]

Commander Juan Paul (Pablo) Domenech, USN - USNA Class of 1932. Born on 28 January 1909 in Puerto Rico. Was appointed to the USNA on 9 July 1928 by the Honorable Felix Cordova Davila, Resident Commissioner. Entered the Navy.

1st Lieutenant James Rockwell, USMC - USNA Class of 1933. Born 12 March 1911 in Puerto Rico. Was appointed to the USNA on 20 June 1929 by the Honorable Felix Cordova Davila, Resident Commissioner. Served in the USMC.

Lieutenant Juan Bautista Pesante, USN - USNA Class of 1934. Born on 29 August 1911 in Puerto Rico. Was appointed to the USNA on 28 July 1930 by the Honorable Felix Cordova Davila, Resident Commissioner. Was the Executive Officer of USS Preston (DD-379) and was subsequently killed in action off Guadalcanal against the Japanese light cruiser Nagara on 14 November 1942.^[15]

Captain Marion Frederic Ramirez de Arellano, USN - USNA Class of 1936. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico was the first Hispanic submarine commanding officer.^[16] He was awarded two Silver Star Medals, the Legion of Merit, and a Bronze Star Medal for his actions against the Japanese Imperial Navy. Not only is he credited with the sinking of at least two Japanese ships, but he also led the rescue of the lives of numerous downed Navy pilots.^[17]

Lieutenant Edmundo Gandia, USN - USNA Class of 1938. Born 5 August 1914 in Puerto Rico. Was appointed to the USNA on 13 August 1934 by Honorable Santiago Iglesias, Resident Commissioner. Served in the Navy. Killed in Action on 01 March 1942 while serving aboard the USS Pillsbury (DD-227) south of Java.^[18]

Rear Admiral Rafael Celestino Benitez, USN - USNA Class of 1939. Born in Juncos, Puerto Rico, was a Lieutenant Commander and saw action aboard submarines and on various occasions weathered depth charge attacks. For his actions, he was awarded the Silver and Bronze Stars. Benitez would later play an important role in the first American undersea spy mission of the Cold War as commander of the submarine USS Cochino (SS-345) in what became known as the "Cochino Incident".^[19]

Doctor Hector Manuel Davila-Alonso - USNA Class of 1939. Born on 2 January 1917 in Puerto Rico. Was appointed to the USNA on 15 July 1935 by Governor Blanton Winship. He graduated in 1939 but immediately honorably discharged due to a medical condition (myopia).

Commander Ramon Manuel Perez, USN - USNA Class of 1941. Born on 19 January 1918 in Puerto Rico. Was appointed to the USNA on 21 August 1936 by Santiago Iglesias. Graduated in February 1941 and served in the Navy.

Commander Rene E. Gonzalez, USN - USNA Class of 1943. Born on 27 April 1921.

Captain C. Kenneth Ruiz, USN - USNA Class of 1943. Attended high school in Long Beach, CA. He wrote the book, The Luck of the Draw: The Memoir of a World War II Submariner: From Savo Island to the Silent Service, published by Zenith Press in 2005. As a new Naval Academy grad in 1942 (accelerated graduation), ENS Ruiz survived the sinking of his sea assignment, the cruiser USS Vincennes (CA-44), in the Battle of Savo Island. After being rescued at sea and sent to Pearl Harbor, he gets a personal invitation by Admiral Chester Nimitz to join the Submarine Service. He then spends eight war patrols on the submarine USS Pollack (SS-180) in the hostile waters of the Pacific during WWII until 1944 whereupon he heads back to the U.S. to undergo flight school and becomes an aviator. He flew combat missions in the Korean War, and commanded the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31) in Vietnam. The October 2006 issue of Military History magazine had an interview of CAPT Ruiz on pages 30-35, entitled, “30 Years Above, On and Beneath the Sea” by Doug Pricer.^[20]

Colonel Leon J. Hernandez, USMC - USNA Class of 1944.

Captain Robert Delgado, USN - USNA Class of 1945.

1st Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez, USMC - USNA Class of 1947. Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for smothering a hand grenade with his own body during the Inchon landing on 15 September 1950 during the Korean War. His father, also named Baldomero, came to Tampa, Florida as a young man from the Asturias region of Spain. Born on 23 August 1925 in Tampa, Florida he enlisted in the Navy on 8 July 1943 and served until 11 June 1944 whereupon he was given a Fleet appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. There is a maritime vessel named after him, USNS 1St Lt Baldomero Lopez, plus a room in Bancroft Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy bears his name.^[21]

Commander John R. Arguellas, USN - USNA Class of 1947. Born 9 September 1922.

Major George A. Bacas, USMC - USNA Class of 1948. Born 9 April 1926. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in the Class of 1948 and served in the Korean War where he was the recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 6 Gold Stars. Bacas was a Test Pilot at Patuxent Naval Air Station and he was killed while flying a A3J. Major Bacas died on 11 January 1961 and was buried with full military honors in Section 30 of Arlington National Cemetery,^[22]

Major Melvin Ortiz, USAF - USNA Class of 1952. Born 18 April 1927.

Captain Francisco A. Velazquez-Suarez, USN - USNA Class of 1953.

Lieutenant Colonel Modesto Ortiz-Benitez, USAF - USNA Class of 1953. Born 5 May 1930, in Puerto Rico; Death: 30 May 2005, Puerto Rico.

Captain William Primitivo Rodriguez, USN - USNA Class of 1954. Born on 22 July 1931, and raised in Monroe, Louisiana. He is the great-grandson of General Pablo Rodriguez of Castille, Spain, and the grandson of Reverend Primitivo Abel Rodriguez of Mexico City, Mexico. CAPT. Rodriguez served a number of at-sea tours as a Surface Warfare Officer, including three deployments to Vietnam on the Carrier Division Seven Staff, and was the Commanding Officer of the USS Catskill (MCS-1) in 1970. He served as the CNO's Communicator from 1973-1975, commanded the Navy Communications Center in the Pentagon, and hosted the annual Pan-American Communications Conference for most of the Latin American Navies. His final duty assignment was as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations for Commander Second Fleet. He was buried at the USNA columbarium in June 2004.

Captain Ramon C. Alvarado, USN - USNA Class of 1954.

Major Edmund Martinez, USAF - USNA Class of 1954.

Lieutenant Colonel Raymond Medeiros, USAF - USNA Class of 1955.

Colonel John Gonzalez, USMC - USNA Class of 1955.

Commander Joseph Perez, USN - USNA Class of 1955.

Commander Mario Sanchez-Carrion, USN - Class of 1956

General Julio Torres, USAF - USNA Class of 1957. Torres was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico. He completed his premedical studies at the University of Puerto Rico before attending the Naval Academy. He continued his academic education and earned a Masters and professional engineers degrees in Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. He later earned a doctorate in Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics at the same institution. In 1983, Torres graduated from the United States Naval War College and in 1984 he completed his studies at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.^[23]

Lieutenant Colonel Manual J. Baca, Jr., USAF - USNA Class of 1957.

Rear Admiral Benjamin F. Montoya, USN – USNA Class of 1958. He was born in Indio, California and graduated from Coachella Valley High School in 1953. He retired from the Navy in 1989 as the Chief of the Navy Civil Engineer Corps and Commander of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command.^[24]

Captain John Frank Gamboa, USN - USNA Class of 1958. Born in 1933. Senator John McCain’s Academy roommate.

Commander John Pinto, Jr. USN - USNA Class of 1958.

Major Carlos A. Hernandez, USAF - USNA Class of 1958.

Vice Admiral Jesse J. Hernandez, USN – USNA Class of 1958. Hernandez was the Commander, US Naval Forces Japan from 1990 to 1993.^[25]

Commander Alexander Castro, Jr., USN - USNA Class of 1959.

Commander Alfred Santos, Jr., USN - USNA Class of 1959.

Lieutenant Colonel Ramiro Saenz, USMC - USNA Class of 1959. Born in 1936 in Yorktown, Texas. Rep. Lloyd M. Bentsen Jr. (D-Texas) sponsored his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. He received his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering in 1959. Ten years later, he attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, where he received a master's degree in communications management in 1971. He served two tours in Vietnam as well as at Quantico Marine Base. He was also based in California, Hawaii, North Carolina, Virginia Beach and at Marine Corps Headquarters in Arlington. He received the Bronze Star with Combat V and other awards for service in Vietnam. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1979.^[26]

Colonel Angelo Fernandez, USMC - USNA Class of 1959.

[edit] 1960-present, notable Hispanic USNA graduates:

Rear Admiral Henry F. Herrera, USN – USNA Class of 1966. Hails from Miami Springs, Florida, he was the commanding officer of two fleet ballistic missile submarines, the President of the Board of Inspection and Survey, the Commander of Submarine Group NINE, and the Director, C41 Systems (J-6), U.S. Strategic Command.^[27]^[28]

Rear Admiral Marc Y.E. Pelaez, USN – USNA Class of 1968. He was commanding officer of nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Sunfish (SSN-649), director of submarine technology at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and Chief of the Office of Naval Research.^[29]

Rear Admiral George "Rico" Mayer, USN – USNA Class of 1975. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, became a naval aviator and assumed his current assignment as Commander, Naval Safety Center, in August 2005. Mayer earned a Master’s degree from the U.S. Naval War College.^[30]^[31]

Brigadier General Joseph V. Medina, USMC – USNA Class of 1976. On November 2003, Medina took command of Expeditionary Strike Group Three. This event marked the first time in history that a United States Marine Corps officer took command of a Naval flotilla. His academic accomplishments include a Bachelor of Science (Physics) and a Master of Science (Systems Management) degrees from the University of Southern California.^[32]

Rear Admiral Jay A. DeLoach, USN - USNA Class of 1978. Born in San Diego, California, His academic background include a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering and two Masters degree; Master of Arts in Management & Supervision and Masters of Engineering in Nuclear Engineering. DeLoach is the Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Resources, Requirements and Assessments. DeLoach played an instrumental role in implementing a visionary "Memorandum of Understanding" between the Submarine Force Active component and the Reserve component. He helped pioneer many key initiatives that have since been adopted Navy-wide.^[33]

Captain Michael E. Lopez-Alegria - Astronaut, USN - USNA Class of 1980. Born 30 May 1958, in Madrid, Spain and raised in Mission Viejo, California. His academic background include a bachelor of science degree in systems engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1980; and a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1988. Graduate of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security. Speaks Spanish, French and Russian. Lopez-Alegria served as pilot and mission commander of EP-3E aircraft. he was assigned to NASA as an engineering test pilot and program manager at the Naval Air Test Center. Lopez-Alegria reported for training to the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in August 1992. After one year of training he was designated as an astronaut. During the timeline between 20 October 1995 and 21 April 2007, Lopez-Alegria participated in four spaceflights and has logged over 257 days in space, and performed 10 spacewalks accumulating a total of 67 hours and 40 minutes of EVA.^[34]
Rear Admiral Patrick H. Brady, USN – USNA Class of 1981. Born in Camp Springs, Maryland is the Deputy Director, Submarine Warfare Division (N87B). Brady, who is of Irish and Hispanic descent graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering. Brady's academic accomplishments also include a Master of Arts in National Security Affairs from the Naval Post Graduate School. He attended the Air Force Command and Staff College, and completed Navy Nuclear Power training and Level Three acquisition training. Prior to his current position, Brady was the Commander of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center.^[35]

Commander Lilia L. Ramirez (ret.), USN – USNA Class of 1981. Born in Colombia and raised in Glen Cove, New York, she was one of the first four Hispanic female graduates of the academy. She is currently the Director of the International Programs Office, for the Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate.^[36]

Lieutenant Colonel Christopher J. "Gus" Loria - Astronaut, USMC - USNA Class of 1983. Born 9 July 1960 in Belmont, Massachusetts. His educational background include a Bachelor of science degree in general engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy (1983). Has 30 credits from Florida Institute of Technology towards completion of a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering. Master in Public Administration from John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (2004). Loria flew 42 combat missions in support of allied operations during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Selected by NASA in April 1996, Loria completed two years of training and evaluation, he is qualified for flight assignment as a pilot. From September 2002 through July 2003 he served as the Chief of Flight Test for the Orbital Space Plane Program.^[37]

Colonel George David Zamka - Astronaut, USMC - USNA Class of 1984. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1962. He was raised in New York City; Irvington, New York; Medellín, Colombia; and Rochester Hills, Michigan. In June 1998, Zamka was selected for the astronaut program, and reported for training in August. Zamka served as lead for the shuttle training and procedures division and as supervisor for the astronaut candidate class of 2004. Zamka will make his first spaceflight as the pilot of STS-120. STS-120 is a planned Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station to deliver the US Node 2 Module, while also reconfiguring part of the station to prepare it for future assembly missions. The mission is scheduled to be flown in September 2007 by Space Shuttle Atlantis.^[38]

Hispanic USNA Alumni

RADM Frederick Lois Riefkohl Class of 1911	Lt. Gen. Pedro Augusto del Valle Class of 1915	RADM Jose M. Cabanillas Class of 1919

RADM Edmund Ernest Garcia Class of 1926	ADM Horacio Rivero Jr. Class of 1931	Capt. Marion Frederic Ramirez de Arellano Class of 1935

RADM Rafael Celetino Benitez Class of 1939	1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez Class of 1947	RADM Benjamin Montoya Class of 1958

RADM George "Rico" Mayer Class of 1975	Brigadier General Joseph V. Medina Class of 1976	RADM Jay A. DeLoach Class of 1978

Capt. Michael E. Lopez-Alegria Class of 1980	RADM Patrick H. Brady Class of 1981	Lt. Col. Christopher J. "Gus" Loria Class of 1983

Col. George David Zamka Class of 1984