Admiral Horacio Rivero

Meet Horacio Rivero; he was the first Latino four-star U.S. Naval Admiral. Admiral Rivero received his Fourth Admiral Star in 1964, making him the first to attain such a high rank in the modern Navy. He graduated third in a class of 441 from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1931 as a specialist in ordnance engineering, later in nuclear weaponry.

Admiral Rivero served as a gunnery officer aboard the San Juan and Pittsburgh cruisers during WWII, earning a Bronze Star. During the Korean War, he commanded the USS Noble, an amphibious transport ship.

He held the Navy's No.2 post serving as the Vice-Chief of Naval Operations from 1961 to 1968. Admiral Rivero retired after serving his last four years in the Navy as the Commander of NATO's Allied Forces in Southern Europe. After retirement, he was named Ambassador from the U.S. to Spain by President Nixon.

Admiral Rivero passed in his home in Coronado, California, on September 24, 2000, at 90 years old.

Challenges: He was born in Puerto Rico, an incredibly impoverished place with poor education and government. Along with being born in times of racial bias and discrimination. 

Advice: To focus only on themselves and not worry about what others think. Also, be academically focused, and you will succeed.

Career path Interest: I don't think I would; I am a hands-on person and not very school smart. I want to experience it to be able to learn it, instead of studying.

Sources: https://www.usni.org/press/oral-histories/rivero-horacio

Leandro, VO-1 Basic Seamanship