Latinos in the Military [11min]

No one really knows exactly how many Latinos fought in World War II. Estimates range from 250,000 to 750,000, but the number is uncertain because there was not a classification at that time. Regardless, this war was considered a turning point for many Latino soldiers. At war, many say they were treated as Americans for the first time. This feeling remained, and what evolved from it was a new movement for Latino rights. Bill Radke speaks with Hank Cervantez, one of the few Latino pilots in World War II. Bill also speaks with Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez, the director of the U.S. Latino and Latina WWII Oral History Project. Rivas-Rodriguez's father was a veteran and she has catalogued veterans' stories.