The transforming experiences of African-Americans and Japanese-Americans during World War II have been well documented on public television. They speak to issues of civil rights, self-determination, and racial integration of the U.S. Armed Forces. And after the war, access to education and fair housing were among the benefits sought and in some measure attained because of their wartime achievements.

For Latinos, and Mexican-Americans in particular, there are few programs that present stories of the heroism and sacrifices made on behalf of the ideals of freedom and valor. KVIE Public Television proudly presents Valentía: Mexican-Americans in World War II,”a half-hour documentary on the experiences of Mexican-Americans during the war years.

Veterans from all branches of our armed forces were interviewed in Texas, Arizona and California. Among them is Silvestre Herrera, a Latino soldier awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for injuries suffered in battle; B-25 bomber pilot Gilbert Orrantia; and D-Day veteran John D. Luna. Women who participated in the war effort also describe their experiences, including Henrietta Lopez Rivas, a Texas woman who used her excellent bilingual skills to work at the local Civil Defense office and later as a mechanic at Kelly Air Base in San Antonio; and Rosa Ramirez Guerrero, who devoted her time as an entertainer for troops stationed in El Paso.

Valentía: Mexican-Americans in World War II is produced by Corita Gravitt, who has three decades of experience in video production in both commercial and public television. She was executive producer of California Heartland, and produces host segments and packages for America’s Heartland, the national public television series distributed to stations by APT. Ms. Gravitt also produced Braceros, a KVIE program focusing on the successful Latino guest worker program that helped feed America during WWII and afterwards. Braceros, distributed by PMN, was widely seen on PBS stations throughout the west and southwest.