In 1941, Samuel was a brash 16-year-old, who, by his own admission, "didn't know anything."
But he knew one thing for sure: He wanted to enlist in the U.S. Navy.
He was in a hurry to get to the front lines, so
he lied about his age because he was desperate to serve his country and
see the world.
World War II had been raging for two years, ever
since Hitler had invaded Poland in 1939. An older brother was in the
Air Force, and several of his friends and cousins had enlisted.
Samuel was eager to sign up, too.
He grew up in Dallas' Little Mexico in a family
of 12 siblings, at a time when prejudice against Mexican-Americans was
high. Serving in combat was a badge of honor for many Latinos eager to
prove their patriotism - to show that they were just as American as
everyone else.
And they would put their lives on the line to prove it.
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