U. S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class John L. Beeman via Wikimedia commons
A campaign to name a navy warship after a prominent Filipino American sailor is growing, ABC 10 San Diego reports.
Retired Captain Ron Rovelo, who made history by being the first Filipino American to command a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, is leading a campaign to name a navy warship after Telesforo De La Cruz Trinidad. The effort is known as the U.S.S. Telesforo Trinidad Campaign, also known as USSTTC.
Trinidad is the first and only person of Asian and Filipino descent to receive a Medal of Honor in 1915. He rescued two fellow U.S. sailors trapped in a burning boiler room. An explosion on board a heavy cruise off the coast of California had ignited a fire. Trinidad walked through fire in order to rescue his friends and suffered severe burns in the process.
“I mean it would be such an honor, I think, for the community of sailors-Filipinos and subsequently Americans of Filipinos descent who ended up in the United States Navy to just recognize to see their hard work honored and validated,” Ron Rovelo told FOX 11 News.
The campaign has continued to gain momentum since its announcement. Supporters agree that this is a long-deserved recognition for the thousands of Filipino Americans who have served on the U.S. Navy.
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