A group that is well represented among our nation’s war dead are immigrants who, although not citizens, willingly fought and died for their adopted country.
For immigrants, often poor with few options, the armed forces historically has offered an avenue into the American mainstream.
Currently, more than 37,000 immigrants, referred to as green-card soldiers, serve in the U.S. military. About a third of them are from Mexico and other Latin American countries.
The immigrant soldiers who have died fighting for their country of choice have been awarded citizenship posthumously.
MARINE LANCE CPL. JOSE ANTONIO GUITERREZ was the first U. S. soldier killed in the Iraq; killed by friendly fire on the first day of the Iraqi invasion. José Gutiérrez was not a U. S. citizen. He was an illegal immigrant. (GUATEMALA)
PFC. JESUS FONSECA, 19, of Marietta, Georgia. Fonseca died in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his position. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Casey, Korea. Died on January 17, 2005. (MEXICO)
SPC. KENDALL K. FREDERICK, 21, of Randallstown, Maryland, died near Tikrit, Iraq, on October 19, 2005, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during convoy operations. Frederick was assigned to the Army Reserve's 983rd Engineer Battalion, Monclova, Ohio. (TRINADAD)
MARINE CPL. JOSE ANGEL GARIBAY, 21, of Costa Mesa, California, killed on March 23, 2003, in a fire fight near An Nasiriya with Iraqis who had deceived the Americans by feigning surrender. (MEXICO)
MARINE GUNNERY SGT. JOSEPH MENUSA, 33, of Tracy, California. Killed in combat on March 27, 2003. He was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California. (PHILLIPINES)
SGT. DIMITRI MUSCAT, 21, of Aurora, Colorado. Muscat died in Balad, Iraq, of non-combat related injuries sustained earlier that day in Samarra, Iraq. The incident is under investigation. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado. Died on February 24, 2006. (RUSSIA)
SGT. GUY SANGUINETTE, 23, killed when a roadside bomb detonated near his Humvee while he was on patrol in Baghdad on October 29, 2004, (JAMAICA)
SPC. JUSTIN B. ONWORDI, 28, of Chandler, Arizona, Killed in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near the vehicle he was traveling in while on patrol. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 12th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Died on August, 2004. (NIGERIA)
MARINE STAFF SGT. RIAYAN A TEJEDA, 26, of New York, N.Y.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed April 11 during combat operations against enemy forces in northeast Baghdad. (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)
SPC. IRVING MEDINA, 22, of Middletown, N.Y.; assigned to 4th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; killed November 14, 2003, while traveling in a convoy when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. (MEXICO)
