Latino Veterans Need More Attention From the News Media

Regarding the article “Latinos Fight for Recognition” by Edmund Newton, in the San Gabriel Valley Section of the L.A. Times (Nov. 26), it’s about time the media gave more publicity to the contributions of Mexican-American vets.

The piece focused on what I think some Latinos have only just begun to realize, and others still don’t realize, that, not only did Latinos serve in significant numbers during WWII, Korea and Vietnam, but they also won the most medals of any other minority group during these three conflicts. I was 35, married and the mother of three before I really understood how much Mexican-American men contributed to WWII, Korea and ‘Nam.

Most of my life my father spoke of the bravado of my uncles in WWII. One joined the Navy at the age of 16 and later won a medal, another was a commando and won medals. But for all I knew, judging from the media and movies I’d seen, they were just a few of the few Latinos who served during WWII. Same misconception with Korea and Vietnam. I hardly saw, or heard mention of, Latino vets through the media, at school, or in motion pictures.

Latino vets were pretty much excluded from these sources and yet these sources provide many young people with a lot of the information that seems to stick in their minds and influence their thoughts. So what are people to think? I’ve been quite aware of Chicano “gangs,” Mexican border problems and low education achievement among Latinos. It’s been moving to have “discovered” the contributions of Latino men and boys who went in droves to valiantly fight, and die, for their beloved America.

The government, the media and the motion picture industry should be ashamed for neglecting to fairly recognize the Latino vet, for until they do show everyone’s positive contributions to America more fairly, there will no doubt continue to be misunderstanding and prejudice.

SUSAN CEJA ENCINAS

Pasadena