Antulio Segarra

Colonel Antulio Segarra Guiot (January 20, 1906 – September 14, 1999) was a United States Army officer who in 1943 became the first Puerto Rican in history to command a Regular Army Regiment. Segarra served as Military Aide to the Military Governor of Puerto Rico Theodore Roosevelt Jr. and during World War II commanded the 65th Infantry Regiment.

Early years Antulio Segarra was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico where he received his primary and secondary education. His father was Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Segarra, a highly decorated World War I veteran. In 1923, Segarra received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point from Horace Mann Towner (1855–1937), who served as Governor of Puerto Rico from 1923 to 1929. He was assigned as company commander of the 10th Infantry Regiment, at Fort Knox in Kentucky. The Regiment was later redesignated as the 5th Infantry Division and Segarra served until October 31, 1929, when the regiment was inactivated. He was then assigned as Military Aide to the Military Governor of Puerto Rico Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (1887–1944) and served as such until 1931.

From 1931 to 1932, Segarra served with the 18th Infantry at Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island, New York and with the Camp Dix Civilian Conservation Corps in Burlington County, New Jersey from 1932 to 1936.

World War II On November 25, 1943, Segarra succeeded Colonel John R. Mendenhall and assumed the command of Puerto Rico's 65th Infantry Regiment which at the time was conducting security missions in the jungles of Panama. Thus, Segarra became the first Puerto Rican Regular Army officer to command a Regular Army Regiment.

In January 1944, the Regiment was embarked for Jackson Barracks in New Orleans and later sent to Fort Eustis in Newport News, Virginia in preparation for overseas deployment to North Africa. After they arrived at Casablanca, they underwent further training. By April 29, 1944, the Regiment had landed in Italy and moved on to Corsica. On June 21, 1944, Segarra was succeeded by Col. Paul G. Daly in the command of the 65th Infantry Regiment. Segarra served as Camp Commander at the G4 South West Command in Japan until 1951. He returned to Puerto Rico and served as Senior Advisor and Instructor to the Puerto Rico National Guard from 1952 to 1955. From 1955 to 1957, he served in the capacity of Inspector General of the Third United States Army and in the Requirements Section of the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C.

Awards and decorations Among Segarra's military awards and decorations are the following:

Combat Infantryman BadgeLegion of Meritwith one bronze oak leaf clusterArmy Commendation MedalAmerican Defense Service Medal American Campaign MedalEuropean-African-Middle Eastern Campaign MedalWorld War II Victory MedalNational Defense Service Medal