The Heroic Stand of Pvt. José Nisperos: The First Filipino Medal of Honor Recipient Headline 2: How a Philippine Scout Defied Death to Save His Squad in Battle

After the Spanish-American War in 1898, the Philippines were taken from Spain and given to the United States. This caused more fighting as Filipinos fought for freedom. By the early 1900s, some had joined the U.S. troops and formed the Philippine Scouts, an elite group crucial for keeping the peace.

The man in question was Pvt. José Nisperos, who was born in 1887 in San Fernando, La Union. He joined the army in 1907 and then again in 1911, fully accepting the life of a soldier. Moro fighters set up an ambush for him and a small U.S. Navy unit on Basilan Island on September 24, 1911, and they killed many of them. This event will forever be remembered for how brave he was.

Nisperos and his friends were on an operation near the town of Lapurap when all of a sudden, 20 Moro soldiers with muskets, spears, and dangerous kris knives attacked them. The sudden attack killed their guide right away and seriously hurt Nisperos, Ensign Charles Hovey, and Hospital Apprentice Fred McGuire.

Nisperos refused to give up, even though his left arm was broken and he had been stabbed several times. He supported himself on his hurt arm and kept firing his rifle with one hand, scaring off the attackers and keeping his group from being overrun. The fantastic defense he put up saved his friends from certain death.

After the shooting, McGuire took care of the hurt, but Nisperos asked that Hovey get care first, even though the officer later died from his injuries. Five military men in the Navy were given the Medal of Honor for their bravery. As more information about the fight came out, 2nd Lt. Arthur Cody suggested Nisperos should get the medal. On February 3, 1913, he became the first Filipino and Asian person to receive the Medal of Honor.

Nisperos' bravery is a lasting reminder of how brave and strong the Philippine Scouts were. It shows that courage can cross all borders, even when the odds are against you.

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