Telesforo Trinidad

Telesforo Trinidad
Telsforo Trinidad
Born	November 25, 1890 New Washington, Aklan, Captaincy General of the Philippines,[1]
Died	May 8, 1968 (aged 77) Imus, Cavite, Philippines[2]
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Rank	Fireman 2nd Class[3]
Unit	USS San Diego[4]
Awards	Medal of Honor

Telesforo de la Crux 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 was the second service member, and first and so far the only sailor of Asian descent to receive the award.^[1][10]

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.

^[11]

See also

• List of Asian American Medal of Honor recipients
• List of Medal of Honor recipients during Peacetime
• Robert Webster Cary - Received Medal of Honor during the same incident

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. 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.". 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. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
11. "Interim Awards, 1915-1916". United States Army Center of Military History. United States Army. 3 December 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2011.