[4] Otero Barreto was born in the town of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, the son of Eloy Otero-Bruno and Crispina Barreto-Torres.

Barreto claims that on one mission his helicopter was engaged by a North Vietnamese Vietnam People's Air Force MiG-21 which pursued them along the Mekong River until crashing.

[7] After returning to the US and training at Fort Campbell, Barreto says that he was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment which then joined the 173rd Airborne Brigade in South Vietnam in 1966.

"[4] Otero Barreto earned both his Silver Stars in the first months of 1968 as a member of Company A, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 502nd Infantry Regiment.

Still with Company A, although promoted to Platoon Sergeant, Otero Barreto's unit was occupying defensive positions near a village when they came under attack.

According to the award citation, the attackers were part of the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 8th Battalion, 90th Regiment and were trying to break through the cordon established around the village.

[12] Otero Barreto later earned a Bronze Star with the Recon Platoon of Company E, 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment for an action at Quảng Điền on 3 December 1968.

[14] On 1 September 2006, the Coalición Nacional Puertorriqueña (National Puerto Rican Coalition) honored Otero Barreto with a "Lifetime Achievement Award" in a Conference held at the Hilton Hotel in Chicago.

"[19] On 2 October 2011, Otero Barreto was named Vegabajeño del Año en Civismo (Civic Citizen of Year of Vega Baja).

[20] In June 2016, Lieutenant general Joseph Anderson presented the "Distinguished Member of the 502nd Infantry Regiment" award to Otero Barreto, honoring him for his valor in the Vietnam War.