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Santiago J. Erevia
SantiagoJErevia300.jpg
Erevia during his time of service
Birth name Santiago Jesus Erevia
Born (1945-12-15)December 15, 1945
Corpus Christi, Texas
Died March 22, 2016(2016-03-22) (aged 70)
San Antonio, Texas
Buried
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Texas National Guard
Years of service 1967–1970
1972–1989
Rank Sergeant
Unit Company C, 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division
Battles/wars Vietnam War
Awards Medal of Honor
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart
Air Medal
Army Commendation Medal

Santiago Jesus Erevia (December 15, 1945 – March 22, 2016) was an American soldier who fought in the Vietnam War and a recipient of the Medal of Honor.

Biography

Santiago Erevia, a Mexican-American, was born in Nordheim, Texas, in 1945, volunteering to join the United States Army in San Antonio when he was 22 years old.

Serving in the Vietnam War, his conduct resulted in his being presented with the Medal of Honor: while a Spc. 4, Erevia distinguished himself May 21, 1969, while serving as a radio-telephone operator during Operation Lamar Plain, a search-and-clear mission near Tam Ky City, in the Republic of Vietnam.

In 1970, Erevia left active service with a two-year reserve obligation. In 1972, he joined the Texas National Guard and went on to serve 17 years. Erevia worked as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service, retiring in 2002 after thirty-two years of service. Erevia died on March 22, 2016, in San Antonio, Texas, at the age of 70.

Medal of Honor award

Erevia was one of two dozen veterans who received the Medal of Honor in 2014 after a Pentagon review, mandated by Congress in 2002, of past discrimination in the bestowal of the military's highest honor for valor. Erevia was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama in a March 18, 2014 ceremony at the White House.

The award came through the Defense Authorization Act which called for a review of Jewish American and Hispanic American veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War to ensure that no prejudice was shown to those deserving the Medal of Honor.

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