Army Private Macario Garcia - World War II

USCIS Miami District and Field Offices and Application Support Center

Macario Garcia was born on Jan. 2, 1920, in Villa de Castano, Mexico. His family moved to Texas in 1923, eventually becoming farm workers in Sugar Land, near Houston.
   Garcia joined the U.S. Army upon the outbreak of World War II at the recruiting station in his adopted hometown. He was assigned to Company B, 22d Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. As a Private, Garcia participated in the historic Allied D-Day invasion at Normandy, France where he was wounded. Garcia recovered and rejoined his unit as they advanced across occupied France into Germany.
   On Nov. 27, 1944, Garcia’s company was pinned down by intense machine gun fire and subjected to a concentrated artillery and mortar barrage on their position near Grosshau, Germany. Although painfully wounded, as squad leader, Garcia 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 then did he permit himself to be removed for medical care.
   Garcia was promoted to Staff Sergeant and returned home after the war in Feb. 1945. After being assigned to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, he was sent to Washington D.C. for the presentation of his Medal of Honor. Though most recipients were provided with better housing, Garcia slept with the cooks at the War College while waiting for President Truman to return from a trip abroad for the presentation.
   In 1946, he traveled to Mexico City, where he was given Mexico's highest honor, the Merito Militar. Garcia was granted United States citizenship in 1947. He earned a high school diploma in 1951 and married Alicia Reyes on May 18, 1952; they had three children. Garcia worked as a counselor with the Veterans Administration in Houston from 1946 until his death in 1972.
   Garcia was buried with full military honors at Houston’s National Cemetery.

This text is from the official citations, military historical records, obituaries and other text posted on the Internet, including HomeOfHeroes.com, and the Military Times Hall of Valor.