The National World War II Museum reported that over half a million Mexican Americans served during WWII. Because of race relations in the country at the time, these individuals were not honored for their service. Recently, President Obama made an effort to thank the Mexican American veterans who had yet to be recognized.
"No nation is perfect, but here in America we confront our imperfections and face a sometimes painful past — including the truth that some of these soldiers fought, and died, for a country that did not always see them as equal," Obama said in an address outside the White House.
The Latino Cultural Center in Dallas, Texas, followed the president's address by opening an exhibit called "The Untold Story: A Tribute to Dallas' Mexican American Veterans and Families." The exhibit launched on Sept. 11 and marked the center's kickoff of National Hispanic Heritage Month. It features photographs, videos and memorabilia from Mexican American veterans.
Over 800 people attended the opening. Many of those people were family members of Hispanic veterans. One attendee, Manuel Flores, told The Dallas Morning News that it was fantastic to finally see Latino American veterans getting recognition for their service to the country. Flores' brother served in Vietnam, and his picture was one of 400 that hung in the exhibit.