 On January 22, 1991, Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. (1959–1991), a Marine aviator, became the first Hispanic soldier to be killed in Operation Desert Shield.Rivera was killed during a support mission over the Persian Gulf when his AV-8B Harrier smashed into the Omani coastline while approaching the deck of the amphibious assault ship for a landing.Major Michael J. Aguilar, an experienced UH-1E "Huey" and AH-1 "Super Cobra" attack helicopter pilot, volunteered to fly combat missions in the desert upon Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.