Frederick Aguirre, a retired Superior Court Judge, has deep roots in Orange County. His family started settling in the region from the 1890s. Over the course of several decades, the Aguirres not only put their talents to work in their community, they also made noble sacrifices.
Frederick’s father, Alfred V. Aguirre, three uncles and 23 cousins answered the call to serve in the Second World War, which lasted from 1939 to 1945. It’s reported that a staggering 500,000 Latinos across America volunteered.
Scores of Aguirre’s cousins also served in the Korean War (1950 to 1953), Vietnam War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One cousin, Staff Sgt. Christopher Miranda Braman (Ret.) was awarded the Soldier’s Medal for Heroism and the Purple Heart for injuries sustained in saving lives in the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon.
Coming from a family with such a long military history, Aguirre felt inspired to tell the story about the courage of these Hispanic Americans who have helped defend America since 1918.
Along with his wife, a history teacher whose Mexican-American family also had many members serve in WWII and other wars, Aguirre established Latino Advocates for Education, a nonprofit founded with their friend Rogelio Rodriguez.
For over 17 years, Latino Advocates for Education, Inc. conducted research, which includes casualty, personnel, and award recipient statistics, and profiles of local Hispanic veterans.
In collaboration with the Orange County Department of Education, the statistics, photographs, and biographies in three books are now archived in the American Patriots of Latino Heritage website.
Click here to learn more.
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