Private Marcelino Serna (April 26, 1896 – February 29, 1992) was a Mexican who enlisted as an American soldier and settled from El Paso, Texas.

In 1916, when he was 20 years old, Serna decided to enter the United States by crossing the Rio Grande and going to El Paso, Texas, in search of a job and a better way of life.

[4] On September 12, 1918, Serna's unit was engaged in combat inside the Meuse-Argonne region when he spotted a German sniper and wounded him with his Enfield rifle.

During his recovery, General John J. Pershing, Commander-in-Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces, pinned on his chest the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest military decoration of the United States Army to the Medal of Honor.

[6] Field Marshal Ferdinand Foch, Supreme Commander of the Allied forces, awarded Serna the French Croix de Guerre for bravery.

"The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Marcelino Serna, Private, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Flirey, France, September 12, 1918.

On January 17, 1995, Congressman Ronald D'Emory Coleman introduced legislation before the House of Representatives that requested that Serna be awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously, to no avail.

[9] In 2007 at the 78th Annual LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) Convention, the following resolution was adopted by the National Assembly: Congressional Medal of Honor Recommendation for Guy Louis Gabaldon, Rafael Peralta and Marcelino Serna.