‘Among The Valiant’ By Raul Morin

By kiki

Just got done rereading ‘Among The Valiant’ by Raul Morin. It had been at least ten years since the last time I had read it. It was a refreshing course, to say the least…The book is about Mexican-American WWII and Korean War heroes.

There is five GIs mentioned in the book that I knew/know well through the boxing community. And a GI lived in a barrio that I know well, Pico, California.

Pete Despart

Despart from Los Angeles, CA., and later from La Puente, CA. Drew NO. 158 in the national lottery to become the first Los Angeles native to be drafted into the US Army on October 29, 1941. In the early 1950s, Pete became the top Southern California AAU boxing head.

Ramon Fuentes

“Fuentes and his compadre, Art Gaitan, also of Los Angeles, sent many an enemy soldier to his grave with their blistering heavy machine gun fire”- Among The Valiant.

Ramon, who saw action in Guadalcanal, was, after the war, a world-ranked welterweight boxer. His biggest win was most likely his decision win over Los Angeles Golden Boy, Art Aragon.

Johnnie Flores

Flores was awarded the Bronze Star for “heroic achievement,” But he didn’t get it till many years later because he pissed off an officer.

Johnnie, after the war, became a top manager/trainer of world-class fighters. He managed and trained Jerry Quarry and Ruben Navarro, among others. Johnnie was also one of the co-founders of the Los Angeles Junior Golden Gloves.

Joey Olmos

Joey saw action and was awarded the Bronze Star in the Philippine islands.

Joey, after the war, became a top boxing referee in Los Angeles and later was the boss-man in the Los Angeles office of the state boxing commission.

Francisco De La Cruz

De La Cruz from Los Angeles was a 250-pound professional heavyweight.

De la Cruz saw action in Guadalcanal.

Gilbert Valeriano

I didn’t know Valeriano was from Pico, California (I lived in Pico in the early 1950s). Valeriano saw action in Okinawa.