Montini: Marine. Medal of Honor recipient. Non-citizen.

Thanks for honoring Vietnam War USMC lance Cpl. Jose Francisco Jimenez who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Vietnam on the day he was killed in action on Aug. 28, 1969.
In 1968, a few years after graduating from high school in Eloy, Jimenez enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Below is the citation for his medal of honor:
"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Fire Team Leader with Company K, Third Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division in operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam on 28 August 1969. On that date Lance Corporal Jimenez' unit came under heavy attack by North Vietnamese Army, soldiers concealed in well-camouflaged, emplacements. Lance Corporal Jimenez reacted by seizing the initiative and plunging forward toward the enemy positions. He personally destroyed several enemy personnel and silenced an antiaircraft weapon. Shouting encouragement to his companions, Lance Corporal Jimenez continued his aggressive forward movement. He slowly maneuvered to within ten feet of hostile soldiers who were firing automatic weapons from a trench and, in the face of vicious enemy fire, destroyed the position. Although he was by now the target of concentrated fire from hostile gunners intent upon halting his assault, Lance Corporal Jimenez continued to press forward. As he moved to attack another enemy soldier, he was mortally wounded. Lance Corporal Jimenez' indomitable courage, aggressive fighting spirit and unfaltering devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.”
Unfortunately the article you cited had the strange statements "He wasn't American, but he felt like it. He was Mexican.' Mexican are after all Americans although they are not USA citizens.
Many non-citizens served in the armed forces of the USA. They were legal aliens as opposed to illegal aliens.
On Jan. 17, 2017 Jimenez was buried with full military honors at Glendale Memorial Park, next to his mother. For all these years he has been interred at a cemetery outside of Mexico City, near where he was born. That changed when their situation came to the attention of people like Steven Weintraub, a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.
“There is a kind of Marine Corps mafia in the Valley,” he said. “Active duty people, reservists, retired personnel, families. When we heard about JoJo we knew it was something we wanted to make happen. If anyone deserves it, he does. And his family does.”
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SP5 Mark Kuzinski LTC Stephen C. Capt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) SFC William Farrell SSgt (Join to see) SGT (Join to see) SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Tom Brown SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt Robert Marx SGT Robert George PO2 Ed C. ] LTC Greg Henning CPT Gabe Snell

TSgt Joe C.:
We will NEVER FORGET nor WILL WE EVER STOP LOVING: ALL of THOSE WHO PERISHED IN THE VIETNAM WAR....I know that I certainly will not.
May GOD eternally bless each and everyone of you: Vietnam Veterans who were KIA.
I adore you- each and everyone of you.
Until we meet again in Heaven-
Margaret C Higgins US Army (Ret)

I am sorry this brave Marine did not live TSgt Joe C.. Unfortunately most of the Medal of Honor recipients die earning their awards.