POCHO Salute: USMC Lance Corporal Emilio Albert De La Garza, Jr.

Delagarza_EAEmilio Albert De La Garza, Jr. (June 23, 1949 – April 11, 1970) was a United States Marine who was posthumously presented the nation’s highest military honor — the Medal of Honor — for his heroism on April 11, 1970 in Vietnam.

Early years

Emilio Albert De La Garza, Jr. was born on June 23, 1949, in East Chicago, Indiana. He graduated from E.C. Washington High School in 1968. He was married to Rosemary Rejon and they have a daughter Renee (Lugo). He was employed by Inland Steel Company in East Chicago (Indiana Harbor), Indiana, before enlisting in the Marine Corps.

Marine Corps service

De La Garza enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on February 4, 1969, in Chicago, Illinois. He received recruit training with the 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment at the MCRD San Diego, California.

Mas…POCHO Salute: USMC Lance Corporal Emilio Albert De La Garza, Jr.