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hill, the lead platoon was halted by intense machine gun fire and fragmentation grenades, suffering several casualties. When
Sergeant RODRIGUEZ received the order to move his platoon to assist the stalled unit, he ran forward and led his troops in a furious assault, causing the enemy to retreat hastily, thereby relieving the besieged lead platoon. Continuing his charge, Sergeant Rodriguez pursued the fleeing enemy and covered by friendly machine gun fire, he personally searched the area to rout any enemy troops which might have been left behind. The aggressive leadership and personal gallantry exhibited by Sergeant Rodriguez reflect the highest credit upon himself and the military service. Entered the military service from Puerto Rico.
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enemy opened fire from a well camouflaged machine gun nest. Although he did not know the exact location of the gun, Sergeant RODRIGUEZ ordered one squad to fix bayonets and assault the general area from which the fire was coming. After the enemy weapon fired again, Sergeant RODRIGUEZ charged the position, yelling and shooting his rifle demoralizing the enemy and causing him to flee in haste, taking his gun with him, but leaving ammunition and rations behind. The gallantry and extreme devotion to duty displayed by
Sergeant RODRIGUEZ reflect great credit upon himself and the military service. Entered the military service from Puerto Rico.
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258:, on January 3, 1912, into a poor family. Rodríguez did not have a formal education. His father owned an ox cart and earned a living by delivering goods to the town's merchants. Rodríguez rose early in the morning to help his father. Together they went to the railroad station, where they loaded the goods onto their ox cart and then delivered them. When he was 14 years old, his father died and he had to take over the ox cart and the financial responsibility of his family. The economic situation became so bad that in 1937, when he was 25 years old, he joined the
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MASTER SERGEANT PEDRO RODRIGUEZ, RA6674697, Infantry, Company "F", 65th
Infantry, 3d Infantry Division, United States Army. On 31 March 1951, near Choksong-myon, Korea, Company "F" was attacking Hill 398, defended by a firmly entrenched enemy supported by mortars. At some distance from the top of the
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MASTER SERGEANT PEDRO RODRIGUEZ, RA6674697, Infantry, Company "F", 65th
Infantry, 3d Infantry Division, United States Army. On 24 March 1951, near Kopi-Dong, Korea, Sergeant RODRIGUEZ, acting as platoon leader in the absence of a commissioned officer, was leading his unit to secure Hill 476, when the
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Other U.S. Army soldiers and officers to receive more than one Silver Star for actions during the Korean War include First
Lieutenant Romeo H. Bucknell Jr., First Lieutenant Smith B. Chamberlain, Second Lieutenant Robert H. Coldren, First Lieutenant Charles H. Fleming, Colonel
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barrage. After, the enemy pinned down and inflicted heavy casualties on the lead platoon, Rodríguez was ordered to assist the stalled unit and led his platoon in an assault that routed the enemy. For his actions, he was awarded a second Silver Star Medal.
371:, First Lieutenant Jerimiah V. Hayhurst, First Lieutenant Raymond W. King, Captain Edward A. Konek, Sergeant First Class Felix G. Nieves, Second Lieutenant Hans G. Olsen, Second Lieutenant Vidal Rodriguez-Amaro, Brigadier General
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in an assault on the area from which the gunfire came from. The enemy fled leaving their supplies behind. For his actions, Rodríguez was awarded his first Silver Star Medal.
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238:, Second Lieutenant Vidal Rodriguez-Amaro, and Sergeant First Class Felix G. Nieves to receive more than one Silver Star during the Korean War. Rodríguez served in the
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The
Bravery Gold Medal of Greece was given by the Government of Greece to the 65th Infantry Regiment and to the members of the regiment who fought in the Korean War.
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In 1977, he had a stroke and other medical complications including the loss of his left leg. Rodríguez died on
October 19, 1999, at the age of 88, from a
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Sgt. Rodríguez was a member of
Company F and on March 24, 1951, he led his unit to secure Hill 476. When a camouflaged enemy
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A week later on March 31, his company was attacking Hill 398, near
Choksong-Myon, when they came under an enemy
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Puertorriquenos Who Served With Guts, Glory, and Honor. Fighting to Defend a Nation Not
Completely Their Own
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Rodríguez retired from the Army with the rank of Master Sergeant and went to work as a mail carrier for the
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Richard Payerchin, "President Obama to honor Army's Puerto Rican regiment the Borinqueneers,"
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After the war, the 65th Infantry was stationed in Puerto Rico. The 65th was activated to the
226:(January 3, 1912 – October 19, 1999) was a U.S. Army soldier from Puerto Rico who earned two
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video of President Barack Obama awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the Borinqueneers
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during both World War II and the Korean War; the 65th Infantry was awarded the
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Obama honors Puerto Rican Infantry Regiment with Congressional Gold Medal,
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893:. He was married to Asuncion Toro with whom he had five children.
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Recipient of the Silver Star and Purple Heart US military awards
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Obama awards Borinqueneers Congressional Medal of Honor,
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in Puerto Rico. In 1979, Rodríguez went to live at the
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opened fire on them, Rodríguez led a squad with fixed
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446:Among Rodríguez's decorations were the following:
1000:United States Department of Defense (defense.gov)
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1228:United States Army personnel of the Korean War
724:European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
375:, and Lieutenant Colonel Howard B. Sinclair.
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1223:United States Army personnel of World War II
1218:United States Army non-commissioned officers
793:Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
293:. In September 1944, his company landed in
1066:Rodríguez's 2nd Silver Star medal citation
1055:Rodríguez's 1st Silver Star medal citation
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289:broke out, the 65th Infantry was sent to
41:Earned two Silver Star Medals in one week
694:Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
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972:Korean War Double Hero Reflects on Life
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924:List of Puerto Rican military personnel
1243:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
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1036:"Silver Star – Korean War – Army, A-L"
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939:Borinqueneers Congressional Gold Medal
875:Soldier's and Airmen's Retirement Home
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230:within a seven-day period during the
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1238:Puerto Rico National Guard personnel
1253:United States Postal Service people
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424:HEADQUARTERS 3D INFANTRY DIVISION
394:HEADQUARTERS 3D INFANTRY DIVISION
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783:Army Presidential Unit Citation
442:Military awards and decorations
36:Master Sergeant Pedro Rodríguez
1208:People from Lajas, Puerto Rico
816:(Bravery Gold Medal of Greece)
788:Army Meritorious Unit Citation
749:National Defense Service Medal
714:American Defense Service Medal
270:Rodríguez was assigned to the
1:
1248:Recipients of the Silver Star
994:Williams, Rudi (2004-03-25).
934:Puerto Ricans in World War II
752:with one bronze service star
871:United States Postal Service
853:On June 10, 2014, President
305:without any major incident.
1233:Puerto Rican Army personnel
1213:United States Army soldiers
1140:Arlington National Cemetery
1024:Puerto Rico's 65th Infantry
996:"Home for Heros – Profiles"
891:Arlington National Cemetery
89:Arlington National Cemetery
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814:Chryssoun Aristion Andrias
768:United Nations Korea Medal
739:World War II Victory Medal
690:with one oak leaf cluster
397:G.O. # 196 – 17 June 1951
260:Puerto Rico National Guard
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427:G.O. # 261 – 8 July 1951
373:Antonio Rodríguez Balinas
301:, and marched north into
236:Antonio Rodríguez Balinas
28:
859:Congressional Gold Medal
821:Congressional Gold Medal
773:Korean War Service Medal
744:Army of Occupation Medal
662:Combat Infantryman Badge
244:Congressional Gold Medal
107:United States of America
719:American Campaign Medal
699:Army Good Conduct Medal
687:Army Commendation Medal
369:David Haskell Hackworth
929:65th Infantry Regiment
885:. He was buried with
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272:65th Infantry Regiment
240:65th Infantry Regiment
172:65th Infantry Regiment
919:List of Puerto Ricans
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383:
362:Silver Star citations
347:2nd Silver Star Medal
323:3rd Infantry Division
281:and was stationed in
176:3rd Infantry Division
140:Years of service
887:full military honors
761:Korean Service Medal
1124:The Morning Journal
1094:New York Daily News
254:Rodríguez was born
134:Army National Guard
958:Puerto Rico Herald
911:Puerto Rico portal
704:Good conduct loops
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256:Lajas, Puerto Rico
125:United States Army
61:Lajas, Puerto Rico
1157:, Greg Boudonck;
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764:with silver star
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329:First Silver Star
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1002:. Archived from
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677:oak leaf cluster
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389:Rodríguez, Pedro
321:attached to the
317:was deployed to
222:Master Sergeant
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77:Washington D.C.
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58:January 3, 1912
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1039:. Retrieved
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1008:. Retrieved
1004:the original
999:
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883:heart attack
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855:Barack Obama
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291:North Africa
287:World War II
276:Puerto Rican
269:
266:World War II
253:
228:Silver Stars
223:
221:
215:Purple Heart
186:World War II
182:Battles/wars
72:(1999-10-19)
35:
1203:1999 deaths
1198:1912 births
865:Later years
702:with three
672:Silver Star
337:machine gun
250:Early years
205:Silver Star
1192:Categories
1163:1497421837
1041:2021-02-12
1010:2021-02-06
309:Korean War
295:Marseilles
274:, the all
232:Korean War
190:Korean War
96:Allegiance
54:1912-01-03
675:with one
429:Citation:
399:Citation:
315:U.S. Army
246:in 2014.
143:1937–1979
1109:NBC News
897:See also
779:6th Row
757:5th Row
735:4th Row
710:3rd Row
683:2nd Row
668:1st Row
341:bayonets
285:. When
279:regiment
113:Service/
889:at the
846:YouTube
303:Germany
38:c. 1979
1169:
1161:
658:Badge
355:mortar
299:France
283:Panama
196:Awards
123:
115:branch
84:Buried
79:, U.S.
945:Notes
319:Korea
1167:ISBN
1159:ISBN
163:Unit
148:Rank
67:Died
48:Born
877:in
844:on
262:.
207:(2)
1194::
1165:;
1132:^
998:.
978:^
964:^
861:.
297:,
174:,
1044:.
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56:)
52:(
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