Resolution
 

CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR AWARD PRIVATE MARCELINO SERNA U.S. ARMY WW I

WHEREAS, Marcelino Serna, a Hispanic, enlisted in the Army and was sent to fight in the trenches of France in WW I; and

WHEREAS, on September 12, 1928, the U.S. First Army launched an offensive to crash through the St. Mihiel salient near the French German border, Private Serna shot and wounded a German soldier opposite to him in the trenches; and

WHEREAS, the wounded German still managed to shoot and wound Serna; and

WHEREAS, wounded, Serna followed the wounded German to a dugout where Private Serna tossed a concussion grenade and to his surprise, not 1 but 24 Germans came out and surrendered to Serna; and

WHEREAS, another American soldier came and wanted to kill the Germans, Private Serna stopped him from doing so and explained that it was against the rules of war to kill prisoners; and

WHEREAS, as the Congressional Medal of Honor requirements state, “awarded to military personnel only, and awarded for…a person who, while a member of the Army distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;” and

WHEREAS, Private Serna was awarded the highest military medals of Italy and France, Serna was decorated with two French Croix de Guerre with Palm medals. The Italian Cross of Merit, the French Medaille Militaire, the British Medal of Honor, the French Commemorative Medal, WW I Victory Medal with five stars, the Victory Medal with three campaign bars, the St. Mihiel Medal, the Verdun Medal and two Purple Hearts; and

WHEREAS, Serna was the most decorated WW I soldier from Texas,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Private Marcelino Serna was discriminated against by rank and the fact that he could not write English reports, prerequisites that were not included in the requirements for being awarded the Medal of Honor,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, the United States Congress awards Private Serna the Congressional Medal of Honor due to his brave actions and eligibility according to the awards and decorations of the United States military, which recognize a service member’s service and accomplishment while a member of the United States Armed Forces.

Approved this 14th day of July 2007.

Rosa Rosales
LULAC National President