Cinco de Mayo and the Mexican American War

Being from Mexico myself, I am very proud of my roots. My favorite memory of Mexico City is when I visited the memorial statue in Chapultepec Park of “Los Niños Héroes.” In English, the "Boy Heroes" or "Heroic Cadets" were six teenage military cadets who died defending Mexico at Mexico City"s Chapultepec Castle (then serving as the Mexican army"s military academy) from invading U.S. forces which included the U.S. Marines in the 13 September 1847 Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican-American War. One of the cadets, Juan Escutia, wrapped himself in the Mexican flag before jumping to his death.

The Mexican-American War of 1846-1848 was disastrous for Mexico, as it was forced to sign away nearly half of its national territory, including California, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and parts of several other current US states. 

Fourteen years after the Mexican-American War, many Americans chose to fight along the side of their Mexican neighbors in the Battle of Puebla, Mexico against the French Army. Today, all over the United States in most of our major cities, this historic event is why Americans celebrate the Mexican Holiday of May the 5th—”Cinco de Mayo.”

Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican Holiday celebrating the Battle of Puebla, which took place on May 5, 1862. The French army was much larger (7 times larger in numbers than the Mexicans), better trained and equipped than the Mexicans struggling to defend the road to Mexico City. It rolled through Mexico until it reached Puebla, where the Mexicans along with some brave American volunteers made a valiant stand, and, against all logic, won a huge victory—this is what is celebrated every year in both Mexico and the U.S. to this day. This also had an impact here in the States because this stopped the French’s supply of weapons to the Confederate Army during the Civil War going on at the time. 

I have a strong belief that I can be just as proud of my Mexican heritage as I am of being an American citizen. I am very proud to say that I married into a Marine Corps family because all three of my wife’s older brothers served in the U.S. Marine Corps. I was a Marine myself and feel privileged and honored to be part of this elite brotherhood of men and women whose motto, “Semper Fi” epitomizes much more meaning than the words imply because our faithfulness extends not only to the country we serve but to each other as well.

Having said that I also want to explain to my Marine family why I chose to never wear the Marines’ formal “dress blues” uniform when I was on active duty. You see, the dress blues uniforms have a red stripe running along both sides of the outside part of the pant legs—symbolizing the Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican-American War.

We are getting ready to celebrate the Cinco de Mayo here during the Kentucky Derby for the first time in history on Sunday, May 5, 2013 at 4th Street Live. This will be a huge day for the city of Louisville being that this will be the first event of its kind in the state of Kentucky. More information about this new Derby weekend event can be found online at www.cincoat4thst.org.