U.S. ambassador and 8th United States representative to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Martha Vázquez (born 1953) – federal judge Blanca Vela (1936–2014) – former mayor of Brownsville, Texas Filemon Vela Jr. (born 1963) – U.S. representative (TX-34) Andrew Velasquez (born 1969) – Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Antonio Villaraigosa (born 1953) – former mayor of Los Angeles Barbara Vucanovich (1921–2013) – American Republican politician. She was the first Latino American to serve in the House of Representatives, representing Nevada. Kim McLane Wardlaw (born 1954) – federal judge, US Court of Appeals Joe Wardy (born 1953) – former mayor of El Paso, Texas Mary Yu (born 1957) – associate justice of the Washington Supreme Court Military Anthony Acevedo (1924–2018) – soldier during World War II whose diary was instrumental in documenting Nazi atrocities. Bertrand Blanchard Acosta (1895–1954) – aviator, fighter pilot Lucian Adams (1922–2003) – Medal of Honor (World War II) Michael J. Aguilar (born 1950) – Marine Corps brigadier general Everett Alvarez Jr. (born 1937) – Navy LCdr/pilot who endured 8.5 years in Vietnamese captivity and one of the longest periods as a U.S. prisoner of war (POW) Cipriano Andrade (1840 – 1911) – served in the United States Navy for forty years Juan G. Ayala – two-star General in the U.S. Marine Corps and former Commander of the Marine Corps Installations Command Joe R. Baldonado (1930–1950) – Medal of Honor (Korean War) David B. Barkley (1899–1918) – Medal of Honor (World War I) Roy Benavidez (1935–1998) – Medal of Honor (Vietnam War) Pedro Cano (1920–1952) – Medal of Honor (World War II) Robert Cardenas (1920–2022) – U.S. Air Force brigadier general Richard E. Cavazos (1929–2017) – first U.S. Army Hispanic 4-star general, Distinguished Service Cross (Korea and Vietnam) Manuel Antonio Chaves (1818? – 1889) – soldier in the Mexican Army and rancher in New Mexico. Kathlene Contres (born 1955) – U.S. Navy Emilio A. De La Garza (1949–1970) – Medal of Honor (Vietnam War) Ralph Ellis Dias (1950–1969) – Medal of Honor (Vietnam War) Jesus S. Duran (1948–1977) – Medal of Honor (Vietnam War) Victor H. Espinoza (1929–1986) – Medal of Honor (Korean War) Santiago J. Erevia (1946–2016) – Medal of Honor (Vietnam War) Daniel Fernandez (1944–1966) – Medal of Honor (Vietnam War) José María Flores (1818–1866) – General and Governor of Alta California (Mexican–American War) Guy