Manuel Rivera, Jr.
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| Manuel Rivera, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| 1960 – January 22, 1991 | |
 Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. |
|
| Place of birth |  Bronx, New York |
| Place of death | Persian Gulf |
| Allegiance | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1981-1991 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | VMA-331 |
| Battles/wars | Operation Desert Shield |
| Awards | Purple Heart Medal |
Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. (1960-January 22, 1991) born in the Bronx, New York City, was the first Puerto Rican and U.S. serviceman to die in Operation Desert Shield.
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[edit] Early years
In the 1950s, Manuel's parents moved from Puerto Rico in search of a better way of life. They settled down in the borough of the Bronx in New York and rented a low income apartment in a public housing project. The Bronx is a tough place to grow up in but, Manuel was only interested in obtaining a good education and in becoming a pilot. He was a good student and as a young man joined the Boy Scouts, eventually becoming an Eagle Scout. After finishing his primary education, he enrolled and attended Aviation High School pursuing his ambition of becoming a pilot.
After graduating from high school, Manuel attended Dowling College in Long Island and earned his Bachelors Degree.
[edit] Marine service
He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1981, following in the footsteps of his father, Manuel Rivera, Sr. who was a Marine during the Vietnam War. He was sent to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina where he underwent basic training. From there he was sent to the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. He graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant and continued his training at the Naval Aviation Flight Training School where he earned his pilot "wings".
[edit] Operation Desert Shield
Manuel, who was eventually promoted to the rank of Captain, had planned on applying for admission to NASA as an astronaut candidate. However, he was assigned to VMA-331 upon the outbreak of Operation Desert Shield. He served as personnel officer, intelligence officer and logistics officer. He flew in many support missions.
On January 22, 1991, Capt. Manuel Rivera was killed during a support mission over the Persian Gulf when his AV-8B Harrier smashed into the Omani coastline while approaching the deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau (LHA-4) for a landing.
[edit] Honors
On January 30, 1991, the United States House of Representatives paid tribute to Capt. Manuel Rivera and on May 9, 1991, the Hon. James H. Scheuer of the House of Representatives also paid tribute to the fallen soldier. P.S. 279 (Public School 279) was renamed P.S. 279 Capt. Manuel Rivera, Jr honoring his memory. Also, a street, park and public housing project were named after him in the Bronx.[1]His name will be engraved in "El Monumento de la Recordacion" (Monument of Remembrance), dedicated to Puerto Rico's fallen soldiers and situated in front of the Capitol Building in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Memorial Day of 2007.
[edit] Awards and decorations
Among Rivera's military decorations are the following:
Badges:
[edit] Notes
[edit] See also
List of famous Puerto Ricans - Military
