Leading from the Front: The Life and Legacy of General Cavazos

Early Life and Struggles: Born on January 31, 1929, in Kingsville, Texas, Richard Cavazos was the son of Mexican-American parents and grew up on the storied King Ranch. One of six siblings, including his brother Lauro Cavazos—who would become the first Hispanic U.S. Secretary of Education—Richard was raised in a culture steeped in hard work, humility, and family values.

Cavazos attended Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University), where he earned a degree in geology, played football, and distinguished himself in the ROTC program. The barriers faced by Mexican-Americans in the mid-20th century were significant, yet Cavazos’s early life forged a resilience that would define his military career.

Military Enlistment and Heroics: Cavazos commissioned into the U.S. Army in 1951 and completed his officer training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He later trained at Airborne School before deploying to Korea with the 65th Infantry Regiment—a unit comprised mostly of Puerto Rican soldiers. It was there that his extraordinary heroism first came to national attention.

In Korea, Cavazos led from the front. On June 14, 1953, during a ferocious assault on enemy positions at Hill 142, he repeatedly braved artillery and mortar fire to rescue wounded soldiers and rally his men. For his valor, he received the Distinguished Service Cross, which was posthumously upgraded to the Medal of Honor in January 2025.

Years later, as a lieutenant colonel during the Vietnam War, Cavazos once again distinguished himself. In October 1967, near the Cambodian border, he personally led an assault under intense enemy fire in the rubber plantations of Loc Ninh, earning his second Distinguished Service Cross for decisive leadership and exceptional bravery.

Defining Moment: The defining moment of Cavazos’s career came not just from a single battle, but from his unrelenting commitment to his men and mission. In Korea, his willingness to re-enter a battlefield alone—repeatedly—to rescue the wounded is a moment etched in military history. His Medal of Honor citation recounts how, after multiple assaults, he refused medical treatment for his own wounds until he had ensured all his men were accounted for. That leadership under fire, concern for subordinates, and disregard for personal safety define the essence of his heroism.

Post-War Life and Career: Following Vietnam, Cavazos continued to break barriers. In 1976, he became the first Mexican-American to be promoted to brigadier general. Four years later, he took command of III Corps, and in 1982, he shattered yet another glass ceiling by becoming the first Hispanic four-star general in U.S. Army history.

As commander of the U.S. Army Forces Command, Cavazos shaped the future of military training. He championed the National Training Center and helped develop the Battle Command Training Program—revolutionizing the Army’s combat readiness. After retiring in 1984, he served on the Chemical Warfare Review Committee and the Texas Tech University Board of Regents.

Military Awards and Decorations: General Cavazos’s honors are a testament to a lifetime of courage:

He was also honored with foreign awards such as the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, the National Order of Vietnam, and the Order of Military Merit from South Korea.

General Richard E. Cavazos is more than a war hero—he is an American icon who broke down barriers and exemplified leadership through every chapter of his life. His legacy endures not only through his military achievements but also in the values he lived by: courage, loyalty, and service above self.

On May 9, 2023, in a powerful act of remembrance, Fort Hood was renamed Fort Cavazos, ensuring that generations of soldiers will be inspired by the name of a man who led from the front, fought with honor, and never left a soldier behind.