Telesforo Trinidad

Telesforo de la Crux Trinidad[4] (November 25, 1890-May 8, 1968) was a Filipino[5] fireman 2nd class in the United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor for actions, in Mexican waters[6] near La Paz,[7] on board the USS San Diego in peacetime.[8] He was the second service member, and first and so far the only sailor of Asian descent to receive the award.[1][9]

Telesforo Trinidad
Born(1890-11-25)November 25, 1890
New Washington, Aklan, Philippines,[1] Spanish East Indies
DiedMay 8, 1968(1968-05-08) (aged 77)
Imus, Cavite, Philippines[2]
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branchUnited States Navy
RankFireman 2nd Class[3]
UnitUSS San Diego
Battles/warsWorld War I, World War II[source?]
AwardsMedal of Honor

Medal of Honor citation

Citation:

For extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession at the time of the boiler explosion on board the U.S.S. San Diego, 21 January 1915. Trinidad was driven out of fireroom No. 2 by the explosion, but at once returned and picked up R.E. Daly, fireman, second class, whom he saw to be injured, and proceeded to bring him out. While coming into No. 4 fireroom, Trinidad was just in time to catch the explosion in No. 3 fireroom, but without consideration for his own safety, passed Daly on and then assisted in rescuing another injured man from No. 3 fireroom. Trinidad was himself burned about the face by the blast from the explosion in No. 3 fireroom.[10]

Telesforo Trinidad Media

Related pages

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Rodney Jaleco (19 October 2010). Pinoy WWII vets still top Fil-Am concern. http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/10/19/10/pinoy-wwii-vets-still-top-fil-am-concern. Retrieved December 31, 2012. 
  2. "Vignette, Telesforo Trinidad - Medal of Honor". Naval History & Heritage Command. United States Navy. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  3. "Members of San Diego's Crew Rewarded". Our Navy, the Standard Publication of the U.S. Navy. Our Navy Publishing Co. 9 (1): 101. May 1915. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  4. Rudi Williams (1999). "Asian/Pacific American Military Timeline". The Chinese Historical and Cultural Project. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  5. Rudi Williams (5 May 1999). Medals of Honor Bestowed on 10 Asian Pacific Americans. http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=42746. Retrieved December 31, 2012. 
  6. Commends Brave Seaman.. 21 March 1915. https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F10C14F73F5D1A728DDDA80A94DB405B858DF1D3. Retrieved December 31, 2012. 
  7. Richard Crawford (16 August 2008). First San Diego was flagship cruiser of Navy's Pacific Fleet. http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080816/news_1cz16history.html. Retrieved December 31, 2012. 
  8. Captain George J. Albert. "The U.S.S. San Diego and the California Naval Militia". The California State Military Museum. California State Military Department. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  9. "Asian and Pacific Island American Heritage" (PDF). Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute. 1998. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  10. "Interim Awards, 1915-1916". United States Army Center of Military History. United States Army. 3 December 2010. Archived from the original on 23 June 2009. Retrieved December 31, 2012.