Tanks roll and grenades soar; the sky writhes like it's on fire... and enemy soldiers near while bullets pop against the backdrop. The cries of men and women act as a sadistic soundtrack. Some solider on, and some don't.

Survivors return home, and many veterans find themselves in a community that has no understanding of what was personally given during combat. And, heroes who don't return... their loss is quite obvious... yet, they remain unthanked for what they've given, simply because of their race.

Sgt. Eduardo C. Gomez, Master Sgt. Mike C. Pena and Pvt. Miguel A. Vera and 14 other Latino veterans were awarded the Medal of Honor after being denied the U.S. military's highest decoration for decades simply because of their last names. The same award was given to five Jewish veterans.

President Barack Obama presented the awards on Tuesday of this week; the ceremony concluded a Congress-ordered review of battlefield heroism, recognizing that past commanders overlooked certain soldiers due to ethnic prejudices.

The gold-plated star that's reserved for those who act "beyond the call of duty" continues to be divided from Latino veterans due to racial bias.

"This recognition was long overdue. Too bad only three of the 24 are still living," said Richard Valdez, 66, head of the Disabled American Veterans in California and a retired Marine.

The recipients of the awards served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and had previously received the second-highest decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross -- while the top accolade was reserved for white soldiers.

"Racial disparity" has influenced the citation's winners, a fact that was discovered by Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C., contracted by the Army. It was discovered that no African-American soldiers, for example, had received the ribbon during World War II; in 1997, President Bill Clinton granted Medals of Honor to seven black soldiers, six posthumously, to correct this oversight. In 2000, Clinton awarded the Medal of Honor to 22 Asian-Pacific Americans, including Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii.

"We're kind of an afterthought, like everyone else had to get theirs first," said Ruben Treviso, 67, a retired Army sergeant who served in Vietnam during 1971 and 1972. He was once also once the national director of the American GI Forum, an organization that addresses discrimination against Hispanic veterans. "It was like, 'Let's throw a couple of Mexicans in there,' so the Latinos got included. There's been racism that Latinos encounter in receiving the Medal of Honor. And it's still ongoing. A lot of guys (in the military, particularly in the higher ranks) don't think we can speak English. They think we're all immigrants."

Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta, 25, fell onto a live grenade in 2004, absorbing the blast and saving five fellow Marines. He was killed and his battle mates recommended him for the Medal of Honor.

Chuck Hagel and two other defense secretaries ruled that Peralta had been mortally wounded by enemy fire just seconds before the fall, and was unable to pull the grenade under his body.

"Dead people can't jump 10 yards to put a grenade under their body," Treviso said of Peralta, who was born in Mexico and joined the Marines when he was given his legal residency card. "This gives you an idea of the discrimination Latinos encounter."

Pentagon politics plays a huge part in medal-discrimination, though the department begs to differ:

"The Department is fully committed to recognizing our combat heroes -- regardless of race or gender," Pentagon spokesman Nathan Christensen said via email Monday. "Diversity is a source of strength for the Department of Defense. Diversity encompasses more than race and gender -- we seek to include diversity of thought, background, language, culture and skills. Our force comes from a diverse populous, and certainly our military is better served when it reflects the nation it serves. Specifically, in the case of the Medal of Honor -- the standard for the Medal of Honor is extremely high, as one would expect."

Richard Valdez, like Peralta, threw himself onto what he thought was a live grenade in Vietnam, 1967, and understands the instinct that Peralta had when he thought to protect his comrades. Lucky for Valdez, the grenade had simply slipped from a fellow Marine's belt.

"My gunnery sergeant grabbed me by my flak jacket and said a few choice words, basically, 'Idiot. Get back in line.' And that was it," Valdez said, who reached the rank of corporal and later earned a Purple Heart medal after being shot in the knee.

Commendation medals for Latinos are finally being awarded to Latinos after decades of being thrust to the rear of the line. Critics who claim that medals were distributed based on color can cite examples such as Peralta, who's denied honor after his death just ten years ago -- and dozens upon dozens of other Latinos who've been overlooked after giving their years or their lives.