Macario Garcia was born on January 2, 1920, in Villa de Castaño, Mexico, to Luciano and Josefa García. In the early 1920's the family moved to Sugar Land, Texas where they raised ten children. The parents and children worked as farm workers picking crops on the Paul Schumann Ranch.  

On November 11, 1942, Garcia was drafted into the US Army. García distinguished himself on the battlefield. Private Garcia landed at Normandy on D-Day with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. He was wounded during the beach landing and spent four months in recovery.  After his recovery Garcia rejoined his unit. 

On November 27, 1944, while serving as an acting squad leader for his squad Garcia singlehandedly assaulted two German machine-gun emplacements that were blocking his company's advance, near Grosshau, Germany. For two weeks Garcia's unit in the Hurtgen Forest had lost a large portion of their veteran troops and many of the men were replacements with no action experience.  

At the end of November, Garcia and his squad were part of the battalion that was able to reach the outskirts of Grosshau, Germany. Garcia along with the battalion needed to push through the defenses, so the armor division could break through. 
Garcia crawled forward along towards the machine-gun nest. While disregarding wounds to his shoulder and foot he killed six enemy soldiers, captured four, and destroyed the enemy positions with grenades. 

His citation reads, "While an acting squad leader of Company B, 22d Infantry, on 27 November 1944, near Grosshau, Germany, he singlehandedly assaulted two enemy machine-gun emplacements. Attacking prepared positions on a wooded hill, which could be approached only through meager cover, his company was pinned down by intense machine-gun fire and subjected to a concentrated artillery and mortar barrage. Although painfully wounded, he refused to be evacuated and on his own initiative crawled forward alone until he reached a position near an enemy emplacement. Hurling grenades, he boldly assaulted the position, destroyed the gun, and with his rifle killed three of the enemy who attempted to escape. When he rejoined his company, a second machine gun opened fire and again the intrepid soldier went forward, utterly disregarding his own safety. He stormed the position and destroyed the gun, killed three more Germans, and captured four prisoners. He fought on with his unit until the objective was taken and only when the mission was accomplished allow himself medical care. SGM (then Pvt.) Garcia's conspicuous heroism, his inspiring, courageous conduct, and his complete disregard for his personal safety wiped out two enemy emplacements and enabled his company to advance and secure its objective."

Garcia became the first Mexican immigrant to receive the Medal of Honor among twenty-seven other soldiers at a White House ceremony on August 23, 1945, by President Harry S. Truman. 
García also received the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge, as well as the medal of Mérito Militar, the Mexican equivalent to the Medal of Honor, during a ceremony in Mexico City on January 8, 1946. 

After three years of active service, one of which was overseas, García received an honorable discharge from the army with the rank of SGM. 

After receiving the Medal of Honor upon returning to Sugar land, TX, Garcia was denied services at a restaurant because he was Hispanic.  Understandably upset to be treated as second-class citizen, Garcia stood up for his rights and eventually police were called and arrived. Police took Garcia into custody after the restaurant owners has assaulted him leaving him bruised and beaten. Garcia all along demanded justice from the restaurant establishment even when he was taken to jail. He was let out the next morning, and assault charges were filed against him in the following weeks.

Dually justified at that time, 1945, Garcia's case became a symbol of the Hispanic civil rights movement. Hispanic community support came pouring in for his defense as a US Army hero. The case against Garcia was repeatedly postponed and the county eventually quietly dropped the charges against him after national media covered the initial story.  Garcia remained active in the community as an advocate for civil rights. 

Garcia was sworn in as a U.S. citizen on June 25, 1947, earned his GED in 1951, and married Alicia Reyes on May 18, 1952.  Garcia worked for the department of Veterans Affairs for 25 years.  

He lived in the Fort Bend area until his death from a car accident on Christmas Eve 1972.  In 1981, the Houston City Council renamed 69th Street as Macario Garcia Drive.


References: 
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/garcia-macario
https://www.army.mil/article/210759/soldier_mexican_immigrant_earned_medal_of_honor_during_wwii
https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1278&context=ilj
https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/marcario-garcia
https://theamericanwarrior.com/tag/grosshau-germany/

President Truman presents Garcia with the Medal of Honor.

Houston National Cemetery

A great person whom I still keep in touch with his son.  A true hero that it was an honor to know.

MACARIO GARCIA

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