Telesforo Trinidad

Telesforo de la Cruz Trinidad[5] (November 25, 1890 – May 8, 1968) was a Filipino[6] fireman 2nd class in the United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor for actions in Mexican waters[7] near La Paz,[8] on board the USS San Diego on 21 January 1915.[9] He is the second service member, and first and so far only sailor of Asian descent to receive the award in peacetime.[1][10] Trinidad served during both World Wars before retiring to the Philippines and living on his pension.[11]

Telesforo Trinidad
Trinidad wearing his Medal of Honor
Born(1890-11-25)November 25, 1890
Aklan, Philippines[1]
DiedMay 8, 1968(1968-05-08) (aged 77)
Imus, Cavite, Philippines[2]
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Navy
RankFireman 2nd Class[3]
UnitUSS San Diego[4]
Battles/warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsMedal of Honor

On May 20, 2022, Navy Secretary Carlos del Toro announced that a future Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer will be named USS Telesforo Trinidad.[12]

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Fireman Second Class, U.S. Navy. Born: 25 November 1890, New Washington Capiz, Philippine Islands. Accredited to: Philippine Islands. G.O. No.: 142, 1 April 1915.

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.[13]

See also

References
  1. Rodney Jaleco (19 October 2010). "Pinoy WWII vets still top Fil-Am concern". ABS-CBN. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  2. "Vignette, Telesforo Trinidad - Medal of Honor". Naval History & Heritage Command. United States Navy. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  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 4 March 2011.
  4. "General Order No. 142.". General Orders of Navy Department,series of 1913: Orders Remaining in Force Up to January 29, 1918. United States Department of Navy. 1918. p. 178. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  5. 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.
  6. Rudi Williams (5 May 1999). "Medals of Honor Bestowed on 10 Asian Pacific Americans". American Forces Press Service. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  7. "Commends Brave Seaman" (PDF). The New York Times. 21 March 1915. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  8. Richard Crawford (16 August 2008). "First San Diego was flagship cruiser of Navy's Pacific Fleet". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  9. 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 16 January 2011.
  10. "Asian and Pacific Island American Heritage" (PDF). Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute. 1998. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
    "Telesforo Trinidad". Naval History and Heritage Command. United States Navy. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2020. Fireman Second Class Telesforo Trinidad is the only Filipino in the U.S. Navy to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
  11. Huping Ling; Allan W. Austin (17 March 2015). Asian American History and Culture: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. p. 298. ISBN 978-1-317-47645-0.
  12. Brad Lendon. "US Navy names destroyer after Filipino Medal of Honor recipient". CNN. Retrieved 2022-05-20.
  13. "Interim Awards, 1915-1916". United States Army Center of Military History. United States Army. 3 December 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
    Army-Navy-Air Force Register and Defense Times. 1915. p. 431.
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