Monument to Honor Latino War Veterans
A Marine from East Los Angeles who died while shielding a fellow soldier from machine gun fire in the Korean War was honored Saturday at a dedication ceremony for a new monument.
The Eugene A. Obregon Medal of Honor monument will be erected in a downtown park next to the colorful Olvera Street marketplace.
The monument will pay tribute to Latino war veterans, including 38 who have been awarded the nation’s highest military honor.
The monument, expected to be completed in 2003, will depict Obregon’s final act. The 19-year-old used his body to shield his wounded friend, Bert Johnson, from machine gun fire by a North Korean platoon.
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