Telesforo de la Cruz Trinidad[5] (November 25, 1890 – May 8, 1968) was a Filipino[6] fireman 2nd class in the United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor for actions in Mexican waters[7] near La Paz,[8] on board the USS San Diego on 21 January 1915.[9] He is the second service member, and first and so far only sailor of Asian descent to receive the award in peacetime.[1][10] Trinidad served during both World Wars before retiring to the Philippines and living on his pension.[11]
On May 20, 2022, Navy Secretary Carlos del Toro announced that a future Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer will be named USS Telesforo Trinidad.[12]
Rank and organization: Fireman Second Class, U.S. Navy. Born: 25 November 1890, New Washington Capiz, Philippine Islands. Accredited to: Philippine Islands. G.O. No.: 142, 1 April 1915.
Citation:
For extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession at the time of the boiler explosion on board the U.S.S. San Diego, 21 January 1915. Trinidad was driven out of fireroom No. 2 by the explosion, but at once returned and picked up R.E. Daly, fireman, second class, whom he saw to be injured, and proceeded to bring him out. While coming into No. 4 fireroom, Trinidad was just in time to catch the explosion in No. 3 fireroom, but without consideration for his own safety, passed Daly on and then assisted in rescuing another injured man from No. 3 fireroom. Trinidad was himself burned about the face by the blast from the explosion in No. 3 fireroom.[13]
^"Members of San Diego's Crew Rewarded". Our Navy, the Standard Publication of the U.S. Navy. 9 (1). Our Navy Publishing Co: 101. May 1915. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
^"General Order No. 142.". General Orders of Navy Department,series of 1913: Orders Remaining in Force Up to January 29, 1918. United States Department of Navy. 1918. p. 178. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
^"Asian and Pacific Island American Heritage"(PDF). Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute. 1998. Archived from the original(PDF) on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2011. "Telesforo Trinidad". Naval History and Heritage Command. United States Navy. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2020. Fireman Second Class Telesforo Trinidad is the only Filipino in the U.S. Navy to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
