Rear Admiral Edmund Ernest García was the commander of the destroyer escort USS Sloat and saw action in the invasions of Africa, Sicily, and France.

USS Sloat was an Edsall-class destroyer escort which was launched on January 21, 1943, and commissioned on August 16, 1943, under the command of then Lieutenant Commander Garcia.
From June 15 to July 15, Sloat operated in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean in search of German U-boats.

Rear Admiral Jose M. Cabanillas, was assigned Executive Officer of USS Texas.
On November 8, Texas participated in the invasion of North Africa by destroying an ammunition dump near Port Lyautey.
Cabanillas also participated in the invasion of Normandy on (D-Day).
 On June 6, 1944, the ship's secondary battery went to work on another target on the western end of "Omaha" beach.

In 1945, Cabanillas became the first Commanding officer of USS Grundy, which was commissioned on January 3, 1945.
Grundy helped in the evacuation of Americans from China during the Chinese Civil War.
In December 1945, he was reassigned to Naval Station Norfolk located in Norfolk, Virginia, as Assistant Chief of Staff (Discipline), 5th Naval District.

Rear Admiral Rafael Celestino Benítez was a Lieutenant Commander who saw action aboard submarines and on various occasions weathered depth charge attacks.
For his actions, he was awarded the Silver and Bronze Star Medals.

Lieutenant Edward Hidalgo was born in Mexico City.
After immigrating to the United States, he joined and served in the U.S. Naval Reserve.
In this capacity he held several positions.
From 1942 to 1943 he served in Montevideo, Uruguay, as a legal advisor to the ambassador to the Emergency Advisory for Political Defense.
For the remainder of the war he was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise as an air combat intelligence officer and was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for his service.
In October 1979, Hidalgo became the first Hispanic to serve as U.S. Secretary of the Navy.

Of the 2,889 Navy Crosses which were awarded to the members of the navy during World War II, two were awarded to Hispanic sailors: Elguterio Joe Marquez, Pharmacist's Mate Third Class and Lieutenant Eugene Anthony Valencia, both from San Francisco, California.
Rear Admiral Edmund Ernest García was the commander of the destroyer escort USS Sloat and saw action in the invasions of Africa, Sicily, and France.
USS Sloat was an Edsall-class destroyer escort which was launched on January 21, 1943, and commissioned on August 16, 1943, under the command of then Lieutenant Commander Garcia. From June 15 to July 15, Sloat operated in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean in search of German U-boats.
Rear Admiral Jose M. Cabanillas, was assigned Executive Officer of USS Texas. On November 8, Texas participated in the invasion of North Africa by destroying an ammunition dump near Port Lyautey. Cabanillas also participated in the invasion of Normandy on (D-Day).  On June 6, 1944, the ship's secondary battery went to work on another target on the western end of "Omaha" beach.
In 1945, Cabanillas became the first Commanding officer of USS Grundy, which was commissioned on January 3, 1945. Grundy helped in the evacuation of Americans from China during the Chinese Civil War. In December 1945, he was reassigned to Naval Station Norfolk located in Norfolk, Virginia, as Assistant Chief of Staff (Discipline), 5th Naval District.
Rear Admiral Rafael Celestino Benítez was a Lieutenant Commander who saw action aboard submarines and on various occasions weathered depth charge attacks. For his actions, he was awarded the Silver and Bronze Star Medals.
Lieutenant Edward Hidalgo was born in Mexico City. After immigrating to the United States, he joined and served in the U.S. Naval Reserve. In this capacity he held several positions. From 1942 to 1943 he served in Montevideo, Uruguay, as a legal advisor to the ambassador to the Emergency Advisory for Political Defense. For the remainder of the war he was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise as an air combat intelligence officer and was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for his service. In October 1979, Hidalgo became the first Hispanic to serve as U.S. Secretary of the Navy.
Of the 2,889 Navy Crosses which were awarded to the members of the navy during World War II, two were awarded to Hispanic sailors: Elguterio Joe Marquez, Pharmacist's Mate Third Class and Lieutenant Eugene Anthony Valencia, both from San Francisco, California.
Hispanics in the United States Navy