On August 23, 1945, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Marcario García made history as the first Mexican national to receive the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman. Despite his commendable military service during World War II, García was not yet a U.S. citizen when he was awarded the prestigious honor.
Born on January 2, 1920, in Villa de Castaño, Mexico, García was the son of Luciano and Josefa García. The family moved to Texas in 1923, where they worked as crop pickers, primarily at the Paul Schumann Ranch in Sugar Land. In November 1942, García was drafted into the United States Army. Though he was not a citizen, he felt a deep sense of obligation to his adopted country.
After training, García was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 22nd Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. He landed at Utah Beach in June 1944, where he sustained serious injuries that led to a four-month hospital stay. Upon his return to duty that fall, García, still a private, took on the role of acting squad leader.
The pivotal moment in García’s military career occurred on November 27, 1944, during an assault on Grosshau, a town in the Hürtgen Forest. His unit faced intense enemy fire, including machine gun, artillery, and mortar attacks. Taking the initiative, García crawled through the cover to neutralize an enemy machine gun position. He threw grenades, then fired upon the fleeing crew, killing three soldiers. Despite sustaining wounds to his shoulder and foot, he pressed on to take another machine gun position, capturing four enemy troops in the process.
García’s bravery did not go unnoticed. By the end of the war, he had been promoted to staff sergeant and had received multiple commendations, including the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. His recognition culminated in the Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House on August 27, 1945, where he was among 27 servicemen honored by President Truman. Following this, he received Mexico’s Condecoración al Mérito Militar on January 8, 1946.
Transitioning to civilian life, García faced challenges common to many World War II veterans. In September 1945, he attempted to dine at a restaurant in Richmond, Texas, only to be denied service due to discriminatory policies stating, “We Serve Whites Only—No Spanish or Mexicans.” Rather than accepting this treatment, García’s wartime experiences inspired him to stand up against the injustice. His confrontation escalated to a physical altercation, leading to his arrest.
The League of United Latin American Citizens and the Comité Patriótico Mexicano supported García’s legal battle, with representation from attorney John J. Herrera and later James V. Allred, who would become the Governor of Texas. The trial faced numerous delays, but in 1946, the charges against him were eventually dropped.
On June 25, 1947, García achieved U.S. citizenship, becoming the only Medal of Honor recipient to do so while still a Mexican citizen. Embracing the opportunities available to him, he earned his high school diploma in 1951. After struggling to find steady employment, he secured a position as a counselor with the Veterans Administration, a role he maintained for 25 years.
García later moved with his family to Alief, a suburb of southwest Houston, Texas. Tragically, on Christmas Eve in 1972, he died in a car accident. He was interred at the National Cemetery in Houston, and his burial was honored with a guard from Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.
García’s legacy continues to resonate in Texas history. In 1981, the Houston City Council renamed 69th Street to Macario García Drive in his honor. Two years later, Vice President George H.W. Bush dedicated the Macario García Army Reserve Center, and in 1994, a middle school in Sugar Land was named after him, ensuring that his contributions to both military service and civil rights are remembered for generations to come.
