title: Charles L. Kelly

texts:
 Instructions book that listed all the unused call signs. Most, like "Bandit", were more suitable for assault units than for medical evacuation units. But one entry, "Dust Off", epitomized the 57th's medical evacuation missions. Since the countryside then was dry and dusty, helicopter pickups in the fields often blew dust, dirt, blankets, and shelter halves all over the men on the ground. By adopting "Dust Off", Spencer found for Army aeromedical evacuation in Vietnam a name that lasted the rest of the war.Although unit callsigns at the time were rotated periodically to preserve operations security, it was determined that having a fixed callsign for medical evacuation—and a fixed frequency—would be more advantageous for medical evacuation operations, and so the 57th's callsign was not changed as it normally would have been at the end of the period for the Signal Operations Instructions. One of the earliest arriving Army Medical Department units in theater, the 57th was also the longest serving, leaving theater on 9 March 1973, less than three weeks before the final exit of US troops, for its new home at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where it would remain until it was inactivated in the mid-2000s. Its service qualified it for 17 of the 18 campaigns of the Vietnam Service Medal, and the detachment was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, five Meritorious Unit Citations, and the Gallantry Cross with Palm. Command of the 57th Medical Detachment (Helicopter Ambulance)
<mask> logged his first flight hours in Vietnam on 6 January 1964 and assumed command of the 57th Medical Detachment (Helicopter Ambulance) at Tan Son Nhut Air Base on 11 January 1964. Although the


title: Charles L. Kelly

type: original

texts: injured ARVN soldiers lying on the landing pad where they had been left some hours earlier. After several such flights few pilots could sustain any enthusiasm for night missions.Another problem was that the ARVN officers sometimes bowed to the sentiments of their soldiers, many of whom believed that the soul lingers between this world and the next if the body is not properly buried. They insisted that Dustoff ships fly out dead bodies, especially if there were no seriously wounded waiting for treatment. Once, after landing at a pickup site north of Saigon, a Dustoff crew saw many ARVN wounded lying on the ground. But the other ARVN soldiers brought bodies to the helicopter to be evacuated first. As the soldiers loaded the dead in one side of the ship, a Dustoff medical corpsman pulled the bodies out the other side. The pilot stepped out of the helicopter to explain in halting French to the ARVN commander that his orders were to carry out only the wounded. But an ARVN soldier manning a .50-caliber machine gun on a nearby armored personnel carrier suddenly pointed his weapon at the Huey.This convinced the Dustoff crew to fly out the bodies. They carried out one load but did not return for another. Early in 1964 the growing burden of aeromedical evacuation fell on the 57th's third group of new pilots, crews, and maintenance personnel. The helicopters were still the 1963 UH-1B models, but most of the new pilots were fresh from flight school. <mask> was described as "a gruff, stubborn, dedicated soldier who let few obstacles prevent him from finishing a task." Within six months he set an example of courage and hard work that Dustoff pilots emulated for the rest of


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts: the war, and into the 21st Century. <mask> quickly took advantage of the 57th's belated move to the fighting in the south.On 1 March 1964 the U.S. Army Support Group, Vietnam ordered the aircraft at Pleiku and Qui Nhon to move to the Delta. Two helicopters and five pilots, now called Detachment A, 57th Medical Detachment (Helicopter Ambulance), Provisional, flew to the U.S. base at Soc Trang. Once a fighter base for both the French and the Japanese, Soc Trang was a compound roughly 1,000 by 3,000 feet, surrounded by rice paddies. Unit statistics soon proved the wisdom of the move south: the number of Vietnamese evacuees climbed from 193 in February to 416 in March. Detachment A continued its coverage of combat in the Delta until October 1964, when the 82nd Medical Detachment (Helicopter Ambulance) from the States took over that area. Major <mask>, who had taken command of the 57th on 11 January, moved south with Detachment A, preferring the field and flying to ground duty in Saigon. Detachment A in Soc Trang lived in crude "Southeast Asia" huts with sandbags and bunkers for protection against enemy mortar and ground attack.The rest of the 57th in Saigon struggled along with air conditioning, private baths, a mess hall, and a bar in their living quarters. In spite of the contrast, most pilots preferred Soc Trang. It was there that Major <mask> and his pilots forged the Dustoff tradition of valorous and dedicated service. <mask> and his teams also benefited from two years of growing American involvement in Vietnam. By the spring of 1964 the United States had 16,000 military personnel in South Vietnam (3,700 officers and 12,300 enlisted men). The Army, which

masks: Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts: accounted for 10,100 of these, had increased its aircraft in South Vietnam from 40 in December 1961 to 370 in December 1963. For the first time since its arrival two years ago the 57th was receiving enough Dustoff requests to keep all its pilots busy.<mask> faced one big problem when he arrived: the helicopters that the 57th had received the year before were showing signs of age and use, and Brigadier General Joseph Stilwell Jr., the Support Group commander, could find no new aircraft for the detachment. Average flight time on the old UH-1Bs was 800 hours. But this did not deter the new pilots from each flying more than 100 hours a month in medical evacuations. Some of them stopped logging their flight time at 140 hours, so that the flight surgeon would not ground them for exceeding the monthly ceiling. The new team continued and even stepped-up night operations. In April 1964, the detachment flew 110 hours at night while evacuating ninety-nine patients. To aid their night missions in the Delta the pilots made a few special plotting flights, during which they sketched charts of the possible landing zones, outlined any readily identifiable terrain features, and noted whether radio navigational aid could be received.During one such flight Major <mask> and his copilot heard on their radio that a VNAF T-28, a fixed-wing plane, had gone down. After joining the search, <mask> soon located the plane. While he and his crew circled the area trying to decide how to approach the landing zone, the Viet Cong below opened fire on the helicopter. One round passed up through the open cargo door and slammed into the ceiling. Unfazed, <mask> shot a landing to the T-28, taking


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts: fire from all sides. Once down, he, his crew chief, and his medic jumped out and sprayed submachine gun fire at the Viet Cong while helping the VNAF pilot destroy his radios and pull the M60 machine guns from his plane. <mask> left the area without further damage and returned the VNAF pilot to his unit.<mask> and his Dustoff crew flew more than 500 miles that day. On 2 April one of the Detachment A crews flying to Saigon from Soc Trang received a radio call that a village northwest of them had been overrun. Flying up to the area where the Mekong River flows into South Vietnam from Cambodia, they landed at the village of Cai Cai, where during the night Viet Cong had killed or wounded all the people. Soldiers lay at their fighting positions where they had fallen, women and children where they had been shot. The Dustoff teams worked the rest of the day flying out the dead and wounded, putting two or three children on each litter. One night that spring Detachment A pilots Capt. Patrick Henry Brady] and 2d Lt. Ernest J. Sylvester were on duty when a call came in that an A1-E Skyraider, a fixed-wing plane, had gone down near the town of Rach Gia.Flying west to the site, they radioed the Air Force radar controller, who guided them to the landing zone and warned them of Viet Cong antiaircraft guns. As the Dustoff ship drew near the landing zone, which was plainly marked by the burning A1-E, the pilot of another nearby Al-E radioed that he had already knocked out the Viet Cong machine guns. But when Brady and Sylvester approached the zone the Viet Cong opened fire. Bullets crashed into the cockpit and the pilots lost control of the aircraft. Neither was seriously

masks: Kelly Kelly


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts: the time the helicopter had finished its mission and returned to Tan Son Nhut, most of the 57th were waiting. News of an American death traveled quickly in those early days of the war. Later, reflecting on the incident, <mask> praised his pilots for bringing the bodies back even though the 57th's mission statement said nothing about moving the dead. But he voiced renewed doubts about the ferrying of ammunition.Brady later explained what actually happened behind the scenes. Upon landing, Brady was met by <mask> and called aside. Expecting to be sternly counseled, Brady was surprised when <mask> simply asked why he had carried in ammunition and carried out the dead. Brady replied that the ammunition was "preventive medicine" and that the dead "were angels", and he couldn't refuse them. <mask> simply walked back to the group involved in that day's missions and told them that it was the type of mission he wanted the 57th to be flying. Brady realized the significance of <mask>'s statement, as <mask> would be responsible for any fallout from Brady's actions. In fact, the Dustoff mission was again under attack.When Support Command began to pressure the 57th to place removable red crosses on the aircraft and begin accepting general purpose missions, <mask> stepped up unit operations. Knowing that removable red crosses had already been placed on transport and assault helicopters in the north, <mask> told his men that the 57th must prove its worth-and by implication the value of dedicated medical helicopters-beyond any shadow of doubt. While before the 57th had flown missions only in response to a request, it now began to seek missions. <mask> himself flew almost every

masks: Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts: night. As dusk came, he and his crew would depart Soc Trang and head southwest for the marshes and Bac Lieu, home of a team from the 73d Aviation Company and detachments from two signal units, then further south to Ca Mau, an old haunt of the Viet Minh, whom the French had never been able to dislodge from its forested swamps. Next, they would fly south almost to the tip of Ca Mau Peninsula, then at Nam Can reverse their course toward the Seven Canals area. After a check for casualties there at Vi Thanh, they turned northwest up to Rach Gia on the Gulf of Siam, then on to the Seven Mountains region on the Cambodian border.From there they came back to Can Tho, the home of fourteen small American units, then up to Vinh Long on the Mekong River, home of the 114th Aviation Company (Airmobile Light). Finally, they flew due east to Truc Giang, south to the few American advisers at Phu Vinh, then home to Soc Trang. The entire circuit was 720 kilometers. If any of the stops had patients to be evacuated, <mask>'s crew loaded them on the aircraft and continued on course, unless a patient's condition warranted returning immediately to Soc Trang. After delivering the patients, they would sometimes resume the circuit. Many nights they carried ten to fifteen patients who otherwise would have had to wait until daylight to receive the care they needed. In March, this flying from outpost to outpost, known as "scarfing", resulted in seventy-four hours of night flying that evacuated nearly one-fourth of that month's 448 evacuees.The stratagem worked; General Stilwell dropped the idea of having the 57th use removable red crosses. Although most of Dustoff's work in the Delta was


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts: over flat, marshy land, Detachment A sometimes had to work the difficult mountainous areas near the Cambodian border. Late on the afternoon of 11 April <mask> received a mission request to evacuate two wounded ARVN soldiers from Phnom Kto Mountain of the Seven Mountains of An Giang Province. When he arrived he found that the only landing zone near the ground troops was a small area surrounded by high trees below some higher ground held by the Viet Cong. Despite the updrafts common to mountain flying, the mists, and the approaching darkness, <mask> shot an approach to the area. The enemy opened fire and kept firing until <mask>'s ship dropped below the treetops into the landing zone. <mask> could set the aircraft down on only one skid; the slope was too steep.Since only one of the wounded was at the landing zone, <mask> and his crew had to balance the ship precariously while waiting for the ARVN troops to carry the other casualty up the mountain. With both patients finally on board, <mask> took off and again flew through enemy fire. The medical corpsman promptly began working on the Vietnamese, one of whom had been wounded in five places. Both casualties survived. When <mask> flew such a mission he rarely let bad weather darkness, or the enemy stop him from completing it. He fought his way to the casualties and brought them out. On one mission the enemy forced him away from the landing zone before he could place the patients on board.An hour later he tried to land exactly the same way, through enemy fire, and this time he managed to load the patients safely. The Viet Cong showed their indifference to the red crosses on the aircraft by trying to destroy it with

masks: Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts:
 small arms, automatic weapons, and mortars, even while the medical corpsman and crew chief loaded the patients. One round hit the main fuel drain valve and JP-4 fuel started spewing. <mask> elected to fly out anyway, practicing what he had preached since he arrived in Vietnam by putting the patients above all else and hurrying them off the battlefield. He radioed the Soc Trang tower that his ship was leaking fuel and did not have much left, and that he wanted priority on landing. The tower operator answered that <mask> had priority and asked whether he needed anything else. <mask> said, "Yes, bring me some ice cream."just after he landed on the runway the engine quit, fuel tanks empty. Crash trucks surrounded the helicopter. The base commander drove up, walked over to <mask>, and handed him a quart of ice cream. Apart from the Viet Cong, the 57th's greatest problem at that time was a lack of pilots. After <mask> reached Vietnam he succeeded in having the other nine Medical Service Corps pilots who followed him assigned to the 57th. He needed more, but the Surgeon General's Aviation Branch seemed to have little understanding of the rigors of Dustoff flying. In the spring of 1964 the Aviation Branch tried to have new Medical Service Corps pilots assigned to nonmedical helicopter units in Vietnam, assuming that they would benefit more from combat training than from Dustoff flying.On 15 June 1964, <mask> gave his response:

"As for combat experience, the pilots in this unit are getting as much or more combat-support flying experience than any unit over here. You must understand that everybody wants to get into the Aeromedical Evacuation business. To send pilots

masks: Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts:
 to U.T.T. [the Utility Tactical Transport Helicopter Company, a nonmedical unit] or anywhere else is playing right into their hands. I fully realize that I do not know much about the big program, but our job is evacuation of casualties from the battlefield. This we are doing day and night, without escort aircraft, and with only one ship for each mission. Since I have been here we have evacuated 1800 casualties and in the last three months we have flown 242.7 hours at night.No other unit can match this. The other [nonmedical] units fly in groups, rarely at night, and always heavily armed." He continued:

"If you want the MSC Pilots to gain experience that will be worthwhile, send them to this unit. It is a Medical Unit and I don't want to see combat arms officers in this unit. I will not mention this again. However, for the good of the Medical Service Corps Pilots and the future of medical aviation I urge you to do all that you can to keep this unit full of MSC Pilots." In other words, <mask> thought that his unit had a unique job to do and that the only effective training for it could be found in the cockpit of a Dustoff helicopter.Perhaps presciently, <mask> closed his letter as follows:

"Don't go to the trouble of answering this letter for I know that you are very busy. Anyhow, everything has been said. I will do my best, and please remember 'Army Medical Evacuation FIRST'." With more and more fighting occurring in the Delta and around Saigon, the 57th could not always honor every evacuation request. U.S. Army helicopter assault companies were forced to keep some of their aircraft on evacuation standby, but without a medical corpsman or medical equipment.


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts:
 Because of the shortage of Army aviators and the priority of armed combat support, the Medical Service Corps did not have enough pilots to staff another Dustoff unit in Vietnam. Most Army aeromedical evacuation units elsewhere already worked with less than their permitted number of pilots.Although Army aviation in Vietnam had grown considerably since 1961, by the summer of 1964 its resources fell short of what it needed to perform its missions, especially medical evacuation. Army commanders, however, seldom have all the men and material they can use, and Major <mask> knew that he had to do his best with what he had. <mask> had begun to realize that, although he preferred flying and being in the field to Saigon, he could better influence things by returning to Tan Son Nhut. After repeated requests from Brady, <mask> told him that he would relinquish command of Detachment A of the 57th at Soc Trang to Brady on 1 July and return to Saigon—although he then later told Brady he was extending his stay in the Delta for at least another month. 1 July 1964
<mask> was killed in action on July 1, 1964, when, after being warned out of a "hot" landing zone, he replied, "When I have your wounded." A bullet entered through an open cargo door and pierced his heart. Major <mask> became the 149th American to die in Vietnam.Immediate aftermath
The following day, an officer tossed the bullet on his desk in front of <mask>'s successor, Captain Patrick Henry Brady, and asked if they were going to stop flying so aggressively. Brady picked up the bullet and replied, "we are going to keep flying exactly the way <mask> taught us to fly, without hesitation, anytime, anywhere." <mask>

masks: Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts:
 was returned to Sylvania on 14 July 1964 and was interred at the Screven County Memorial Cemetery, Sylvania, Georgia on 15 July 1964 following a memorial service at the Sylvania First Baptist Church. The Army provided an honor guard, a military escort, and a chaplain, and "full military honors" were provided at the graveside. Flags in the city were flown at half staff on the 14th and the 15th, draped with a black mourning stripe until after the completion of the funeral. All city offices in Sylvania were closed on the 14th and 15th, although no official proclamation of mourning was issued. As Sylvania's mayor, Ed Overstreet said, "We made no proclamation of mourning.We in Sylvania all knew Major <mask> personally and we want only to enter his funeral personally. We will let the military handle the official part." His wife, Jessie Hillis <mask> (1929–2003) and his mother,
Ruth Amelia <mask> (1900–1973), were later buried nearby. Several young war correspondents for major American wire services, news magazines, and newspapers had been prowling the Delta in 1964 looking for stories. One of them, future Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Peter Arnett had made friends with <mask> and his crews in Soc Trang, figuring that Dustoff would make a good story for his employer, the Associated Press. Instead, he ended up writing what became, in essence, <mask>'s obituary, which was carried nationally on the day <mask> was buried, many with a photo of <mask> at the controls of has Dustoff aircraft. Another, unnamed author wrote a story for Time magazine which ran nationally on 10 July.Long-term legacy

The official history of the Army Medical Service Corps perhaps sums up

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Kelly Morris
Moore Kelly
Kelly
Kelly
Kelly
Kelly


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts:
 <mask>'s contributions to army aeromedical evacuation best, when it stated that:

"<mask> became a legend, revered for his aggressive leadership and fearlessness in evacuating casualties. Ironically, his loss ensured that the Army's aeromedical operations would use his mold, one characterized by unarmed single ships operated without escort aircraft by aviators who, like <mask>, were experienced in night flying. In fact, the flying skills of Dustoff crews were such that some general aviation pilots believed there was a special school to teach their flying techniques. <mask> was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and in 1967 General Heaton dedicated the Kelly Heliport at Fort Sam Houston, Texas." Awards, decorations and honors

Distinguished Service Cross

Citation:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Major (Medical Corps) <mask><mask> (ASN: 0-70399), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving as an Aircraft Commander of the 57th Medical Detachment, on 1 July 1964. Major <mask> demonstrated exceptional courage, strong determination, and complete disregard for his own personal safety while participating in an aerial medical mission to evacuate wounded soldiers from an area under heavy attack by hostile forces. With unique professional skill and full knowledge of the intense ground fire and the immediate proximity of the enemy, he landed the unarmed

masks:
Kelly
Kelly
Kelly
Kelly
Charles L
. Kelly
Kelly


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts:
 helicopter ambulance close to the wounded men in the exposed area.Although the ground advisor warned him of the grave danger and recommended departure, Major <mask> refused to leave without the wounded soldiers and succeeded in loading them aboard the helicopter moments before he was mortally wounded by hostile gun fire. Major <mask>'s extraordinary heroic actions, valiant efforts, and deep concern for his fellow man are in the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army Medical Service, and the armed forces of his country. Silver Star

Citation:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Major (Medical Corps) <mask><mask> (ASN: 0-70399), United States Army, for gallantry in action in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving as an Aircraft Commander of the 57th Medical Detachment, on 19 June 1964. Major <mask> displayed professional skill, fortitude, and determination while participating in an aerial medical mission to evacuate several critically wounded Vietnamese troops. Although his first attempt to land the helicopter ambulance was prevented by intense enemy action, he returned within the hour and succeeded in maneuvering the aircraft into the area. As the small arms, automatic weapons fire, and mortar rounds fell near the aircraft, he exposed himself to the danger while assisting the wounded men on board the helicopter ambulance. When a round of ammunition hit the

masks:
Kelly
Kelly
Charles L
. Kelly
Kelly


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts:
 main fuel drain valve of the aircraft during the evacuation operations, he quickly assessed the situation and, through his decision that the patients on board be flown out immediately for medical treatment, the helicopter landed at a medical facility with a few minutes of fuel to spare.Through his courageous and unselfish actions the wounded men received timely medical aid and many lives were saved. Major <mask>'s conspicuous gallantry is in the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflects great credit upon himself and the military service. Distinguished Flying Cross

Citation
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Major (Medical Corps) <mask><mask> (ASN: 0-70399), United States Army, for heroism while participating in aerial flight. Major <mask> distinguished himself by heroism while participating in aerial flight in action against a hostile force on 2 April 1964 in the Republic of Vietnam. Major <mask> was the aircraft commander of a helicopter ambulance on a combat support mission. He received information that an American helicopter had been hit by ground fire and was forced to land in hostile territory. He immediately flew to the area arriving just as the helicopter touched down.Disregarding his own personal safety, with full knowledge that the enemy forces had begun to attack the crew of the downed aircraft, Major <mask> landed in the middle of the enemy ground forces. Heavy fire was received during the approach and while on the ground, but Major <mask> never wavered in his efforts and determination to save the

masks:
Kelly
Charles L
. Kelly
Kelly
Kelly
Kelly
Kelly


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts:
 clowned crew from possible death and almost certain capture. Major <mask>'s efforts resulted in the downed aircraft being flown to safety. Major <mask>'s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army. Distinguished Flying Cross (First Oak Leaf Cluster)

Citation
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pride in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Major (Medical Corps) <mask><mask> (ASN: 0-70399), United States Army, for heroism while participating in aerial flight in action against a hostile force on 9 April 1964 in the Republic of Vietnam. Major <mask> was the aircraft commander of a helicopter ambulance on a combat support mission. Upon receiving information of a crashed Republic of Vietnam Air Force T-28, Major <mask> immediately flew to the crash site and began a low aerial search for the downed aircraft.At this time a United States Army helicopter in the immediate area declared an emergency and was forced down into an area surrounded by Viet Cong forces. Disregarding his own personal safety, Major <mask> was determined to save the crew of the downed aircraft. Upon making his approach, Major <mask> received heavy fire from all sides, with one round passing through the cock-pit. Despite the dangers involved, Major <mask> continued into the area and landed near the downed aircraft. Upon landing, he and his aircraft crew became engaged in a heavy fire fight with the enemy forces in the vicinity. It became necessary to destroy the

masks:
Kelly
Kelly
Charles L
. Kelly
Kelly
Kelly
Kelly
Kelly
Kelly


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts:
 downed helicopter to prevent its utilization by the enemy. The rescued crew was then flown out of the area under heavy fire to safety.Due to Major <mask>'s efforts, members of the aircraft crew were saved from possible death or capture. Major <mask>'s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army. Distinguished Flying Cross (Second Oak Leaf Cluster)

Citation
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting a Second Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Third Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Major (Medical Corps) <mask><mask> (ASN: 0-70399), United States Army, for heroism while participating in aerial flight. Major <mask> distinguished himself by heroic action on 11 April 1964, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, Major <mask> was serving as the pilot of a UH-1B medical helicopter involved in the evacuation of two wounded Vietnamese soldiers who were located on Co To Mountain in An Giang Province. When he arrived at the combat area, he was informed that the only place to land was on the mountain in an area approximately 25 meters by 25 meters, surrounded by trees, and overlooked by terrain known to be infested by communist Viet Cong. Darkness was falling, the weather was misting, and gusting winds prevailed.Despite these extreme hazards, and in total disregard of his own personal safety, Major <mask> brought his aircraft into the landing zone through intense hostile fire. The incline of the mountain prevented a solid landing and Major <mask> had to "hold the stick" of his aircraft

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Kelly
Kelly
Charles L
. Kelly
Kelly
Kelly
Kelly
Kelly


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts:
 to prevent its falling off the mountain. Since one of the wounded soldiers had not been carried up the mountain, Major <mask> with remarkable skill and dogged determination held his aircraft on the mountain side for twenty minutes, refusing to leave until the wounded man was aboard. This was done in spite of the fact that total darkness would soon be upon him and would make take-off from the tiny landing zone even more dangerous. His only thoughts were for the welfare of the wounded men whom he knew would surely die without prompt medical attention. With the wounded finally aboard he skillfully took off, again running a gauntlet of automatic weapons fire. The two soldiers, one of whom had been wounded five times, were saved by the prompt medical attention they received.Major <mask>'s dauntless courage, professional skill, and devotion to his comrades in arms have added to the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the military service. Commendations and awards
<mask> was awarded the following:

<mask>'s awards are shown in the current Army configuration, with the Purple Heart immediately below the Bronze Star Medal instead of immediately below the Army Commendation Medal; with Bronze Numerals instead of Oak Leaf Clusters on the Air Medal, and with a Bronze Service Star on his National Defense Service Medal instead of an Oak Leaf Cluster, as would have been customary at the time of his death. Memorialization
<mask>'s name is listed on Panel 1E, Row 57 on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The stadium at the Screven County High School in Sylvania, Georgia was named after <mask> in 1965, and


title: Charles L. Kelly

texts:
 rededicated to him on 1 July 2014, the 50th anniversary of his death. Fort Sam Houston's Kelly Army Heliport (now the Kelly Army Reserve Center) was dedicated in <mask>'s honor on 7 April 1967
<mask> Boulevard on Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center was named in <mask>'s honor in June 1991. The Medical Center closed in 1996, and the remaining section of Kelly Boulevard is now named E. 17th Place; the remainder is a pedestrian walkway. A bronze marker still remains.Fort Rucker's <mask> Hall is named in his honor. <mask> was inducted into the Army Aviation Association of America's Hall of Fame in 1975. <mask> was the first inductee into the Dustoff Association Hall of Fame, on 17 February 2001. The Dustoff Association annually presents awards to the Aviator, Crew Chief, and Medic of the Year at the organization's annual Reunion Awards Banquet. The award is a bust of <mask>. Documentary film tribute
In 2002, the documentary film crew of In the Shadow of the Blade honored <mask>'s story at their landing zone near Columbus, Georgia. After hearing the story of his father's courage from Vietnam Dustoff colleague Ernest Sylvester, <mask> Jr. flew in the left seat of the documentary's restored UH-1 Iroquois, emulating his father's wartime experience.References

External links
 Page on <mask> on The Virtual Wall

1925 births
1964 deaths
American military personnel killed in the Vietnam War
Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state)
People from Wadley, Georgia
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
Recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam)
5 <mask>, <mask>
United States Army aviators
United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
United States

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Kelly
Charles Kelly
Kelly
Kelly
Kelly
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Kelly
Charles Kelly
Kelly
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Charles


title: Guglielmo Boccanegra

texts:
<mask> was a Genoese statesman, the first capitano del popolo of the Republic of Genoa, from 1257 to 1262, exercising a real lordship, assisted in the government by a council of 32 elders. Biography

Origin and early years
The exact origin of the Boccanegra family is unclear. They were originally not members of the Genoese aristocracy, but rather "popolare" (burghers). Its first known member may have been a certain "Buccanigra" who is attested in 1201, and within a generation, several members are attested as merchants in the Western Mediterranean. In 1235, a <mask> was member of the commune council, followed by Marino Boccanegra 13 years later. Like other Genoese families, the Boccanegra were active participants in the Seventh Crusade of Louis IX of France, profiting from the provisioning of supplies and the equipping of ships for the Crusaders. Guglielmo is said to have participated in the Aragonese conquest of Majorca in 1229, but no evidence to substantiate this exists.He is first securely attested in 1249, as one of the Genoese consuls at Aigues-Mortes (the main embarkation port for the Crusade), while in 1249–50 he was at Acre, where he undertook to pay salaries to the followers of Alphonse of Poitiers, Louis IX's younger brother. On his return from the Crusade, he became a commune councilman, in 1251 and again in 1256. Rise to power

Background
At the time, Genoa was emerging from the bitter struggles between the Pope, supported by the Guelph faction, and the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II Hohenstaufen (), supported by the Ghibellines. Genoa had sided with the Papacy—especially with the election of the Genoese Innocent IV, —and expelled its Ghibellines from the city. During the conflict, in order to broaden the basis of the regime and gain popular backing, the Guelph nobles that dominated the Republic had

masks:
Guglielmo Boccanegra
Rinaldo Boccanegra


title: Guglielmo Boccanegra

texts:
 point was unexceptional.The historian Robert Lopez suggested that as councilman, he had attacked the abuses and suggested reforms, but Epstein remarks that he may have "possessed the political knack of being all things to all people": his wealth made him suitable to the elite, while his non-noble origin made him popular with the common people. Matters came to a head during the trial of the outgoing podestà, , for embezzlement. Although his guilt was plain, he was only condemned to imprisonment and a fine, leading to riots by the common people. Incited by the Ghibelline faction with the cry of fiat populus ('power to the people'), in January 1257 the common people took up arms, assembled at the square in front of the church of San Siro, and proclaimed Boccanegra as sole capitano del popolo. <mask>, initially reluctant, was led into the church of San Siro, where the people swore allegiance to him. The next day, the new regime took shape, at the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, in the presence of the new podestà. <mask> was given supreme power in order to reform the statutes of the commune, and was to be assisted by a council of 32 anziani ('elders'), four for each of the city's eight wards.A few days later, his position was further enhanced: the anziani extended his tenure to ten years, rather than the usual single year, and it was stipulated that if he died before that, one of his brothers would succeed him. A yearly salary of a thousand pounds, the palace of the Richerio family, a personal staff of a knight, two notaries and a judge, and a personal guard (12 guards and fifty armed servants) were placed at his disposal, all to be paid from the public treasury. Rule over Genoa

Consolidation of power
According to Lopez, the long term of office, and the provision for a quasi-dynastic succession, effectively made Boccanegra's

masks: Boccanegra Boccanegra


title: Guglielmo Boccanegra

texts:
 rule into a lordship rather than an ordinary magistracy. The podestà was reduced to handling the minutiae of day-to-day government. Seeing his powers curtailed, the incumbent podestà resigned, and was replaced by another, more amenable to Boccanegra. According to Epstein, the people who actually brought Boccanegra to power were the disenfranchised middle classes—the "middling traders and master artisans"—that had gained in prosperity during the previous years, but were still excluded from governance. The Ghibelline nobles, who had wanted to see a change of faction rather than the installation of a new regime, began to oppose Boccanegra.Opposed by the aristocracy, <mask>'s regime would gradually become more authoritarian and increasingly rely on support from the common people. With popular backing, and the support of some of the Ghibelline families, Boccanegra was able to weather the first crisis of his regime, <mask> reserved the nomination of all officials for himself. The Guelph nobles soon conspired against him, but Boccanegra, apprised of their plans, allowed them to be warned that he would severely punish them. As a result, the nobles fled the city, and were promptly banned from returning. In the aftermath of this affair, Boccanegra settled in the palace of one of their leaders, Obizzo Fieschi. His position was further strengthened when Cardinal Ottobuono Fieschi, who had arrived under the pretext of a diplomatic mission, but in reality to stir up opposition against him, was forced to leave the city after the people rioted. By 1260, Boccanegra was at the height of his power and prestige, and governed the city as a de facto autocrat ("", according to the pro-aristocratic Annales ianuenses).Financial reforms
With his position consolidated, Boccanegra turned to the mounting financial crisis he had inherited. The


title: Guglielmo Boccanegra

texts:
 recovery of Constantinople, the Genoese stood to effectively inherit and even expand upon the privileged position that the Venetians held in the Latin Empire. In the event, Constantinople was recovered by the Nicaeans barely a fortnight after the treaty was signed, without the need for Genoese naval assistance.Nevertheless, Michael VIII scrupulously observed the terms of the Treaty of Nymphaeum, as Genoese naval strength was still necessary to confront a potential Venetian counterstrike while a native Byzantine fleet was slowly being re-established. With the Emperor's subsidies, the Genoese were able to increase their fleet strength considerably. Exile and death
However, <mask> failed to silence the domestic opposition of the old noble families, who deposed him in a bloody coup in May 1262. In exile, <mask> entered the service of the King of France, undertaking the fortification of Aigues-Mortes as its governor. He died there sometime in 1273. Legacy
Boccanegra's rule inaugurated a period in Genoese history named after the recurrent rule of capitani del popolo, mostly from the Ghibelline Spinola and Doria families, in between periods of rule by podestàs. This lasted until 1311, and is generally considered by historians as "the most brilliant phase of the city's prosperity and influence".Nevertheless, the memory of Boccanegra's rule was controversial: the annalists, who represent the interests of the city's elites, treat him with hostility, but the common people soon grew nostalgic for a "popular" government. This sentiment would aid Guglielmo's great-grandson, Simone Boccanegra, to become the first doge of the Republic in 1339. References

Sources

1273 deaths
Year of birth unknown
13th-century Genoese people
Guglielmo
13th-century rulers in Europe
People of the War of Saint Sabas
Christians of the Seventh


title: Karen Iversdatter Krabbe

texts:
<mask>tter <mask> (1637-1702) was a Danish noblewoman who played an important role behind the scenes during the peace negotiations at Nijmegen in 1677-1679 and later as wife of the governor of Norway. She moved in the circles of Colbert and Bengt Oxenstierna and worked actively for the sake of Denmark during the Scanian War.She owned Fulltofta Castle in Scania until 1678. Childhood
<mask> was born on 19 November 1637, in the fortress of Varberg in eastern Denmark. Her father <mask> was the castle commander and governor of Norway - a well-known military man and politician who was close friends with the king. Iver's ancestral home Jordebjerg (now Jordberga) was situated in the province of Scania, just across the Sound from Copenhagen, and the family identified as Scanian and spoke the Scanian dialect although they moved a lot. <mask>'s mother, <mask> (1610-1680), came from an old aristocratic family in southern Scania where they owned the magnificent castle of Dybäck. Horn's War 1643-45 and following years
In 1644, <mask> was seven years old and had five older siblings and two younger.Her favourite brother Jörgen was eleven and had already been sent to boarding school at Sorø Akademi in Zealand, but they always met at Jordebjerg during the holidays. Unfortunately, there was a war going on, and that year, they all got stuck at Jordebjerg because a furious Swedish army had invaded Scania and burnt everything in their way. Village after village was fire-raided and in the end, they reached Jordebjerg and the Danish army couldn't save it. The family managed to escape but the whole estate was devoured by the flames. According to legend, Iver <mask> reached the estate too late, and he lifted his fist towards the sky and swore vengeance on the Swedish dogs. We don't know that much about how <mask> perceived these events, nor what she felt and feared. Life continued as usual.The Krabbe family moved around Denmark, depending on Iver's military

masks:
Karen Iversda
Krabbe
Karen
Iver Krabbe
Karen
Karen Marsvin
Karen
Krabbe
Karen


title: Karen Iversdatter Krabbe

texts:
 postings, one year in Holstein, the next in Zealand, then Norway. They were one of the most pious families in Denmark, with <mask> making a name for herself as keen to pay to get the right clergyman in the right position but just as keen to pay for poorhouses and hospitals. During these years, two of <mask>'s eight sisters died from an 'intense fever'. Girls weren't allowed to go to school in Denmark back then. Some very fortunate girls, like Princess Leonora Christina, were sent to school in Holland and France but there were no such institutions in Scandinavia. The Krabbe girls got some schooling at home and could all read and write. They might even have learnt some Latin.Possibly, they had private lessons, or else their brothers taught them. The Karl Gustav Wars
In 1657, when <mask> was twenty, war broke out again. <mask>'s father set out with the army to defend the country, her eldest brother Tage joined a regiment and Jörgen got stuck in Copenhagen that was besieged by the Swedes. <mask> and her mother and sisters hid with their relatives in the countryside. This time, Denmark lost. At first the Swedes demanded that they be given the whole of Norway, but in the end they made good with the considerably smaller Scania. The Krabbe family considered moving over to Zealand, but in the end all of them except Tage decided to become Swedish citizens.At this time, Iver split his properties between the children. Tage received Gunderslev Castle in Zealand, Margerete their part of Castle Dybäck, Karen a castle in central Scania called Fuldtofte (now Fulltofta). Marriage
On 23 July 1670, <mask> married a nobleman and diplomat by the name of Just Höegh, who was three years her junior. They got married in Copenhagen. We don't know if she chose him for herself, or if it was upon her father's or brothers' advice. Just Höegh made a name for himself in international politics and was well known at the court of Louis XIV, the Sun King. <mask>

masks:
Karen Marsvin
Karen
Karen
Karen
Karen
Karen
Karen


title: Karen Iversdatter Krabbe

texts:
 travelled with him around Europe and spent the holidays at either Fuldtofte or her husband's lands in Zealand.<mask> left Fuldtofte in Jörgen's hands and at one point she wanted him to sell it for her, but the Swede who bought it, Niclas Jonsson Cronacker, refused to pay because the furniture wasn't as nice as he'd expected. Jörgen went to court on <mask>'s behalf and won the case and he then continued to run the estate for her. Unfortunately, the Krabbe-Höeghs remained childless. It is possible that it was a genetic problem or that the Krabbe children had had an illness in their childhood that caused problems later in life, because several of <mask>'s siblings, amongst them Jörgen, didn't have any children either. The Scanian War

In 1675, war broke out again and this time Scania was turned into a proper wasteland. <mask> was far from the fierce fighting, though: her husband was sent to France and Holland to represent Denmark at the peace negotiations and she did her best to speak up for Denmark. The Swedish ambassador, Bengt Oxenstierna, was highly annoyed because she went around Paris handing out pamphlets and books about the annexation of Scania that depicted the Swedes negatively.<mask> also made friends with Madame Colbert, wife of the French Prime Minister, and tried to influence the circles around the Colberts in Denmark's favour. In the autumn of 1676, <mask>'s eldest brother Tage died just outside Lund in Scania. We don't know if he died fighting or from an illness. In September 1677, Jörgen was arrested by the Swedes on the charge of high treason. He was suspected of having helped the local resistance movement and of having spoken about the Swedish king 'in an offensive manner'. <mask> now made frantic efforts to help her brother. She went around all of Paris asking the most influential people for help, and she contacted the press and handed out even more books about what was happening in Scania.The Swedish spies wrote to

masks:
Karen
Karen
Karen
Karen
Karen Krabbe
Karen
Karen Krabbe


title: Karen Iversdatter Krabbe

texts:
 King Carl XI that "<mask>'s sister" was making the Swedes unpopular in the whole of Europe, spreading horrid pamphlets about them that portrayed them as "devils". In January 1678, Jörgen <mask> was executed by a firing squad in Malmö. One of the charges against him was that he'd 'subtracted Fulltofta Castle' from a native Swede. <mask>'s castle was now confiscated by the state and given for free to the man who'd first wanted to buy it but wasn't happy with the furniture. From then on and for the rest of her life, <mask> refused to be in the same room as a Swede. The only exception was the Swedish diplomat Johan Olivekrantz who'd visited her brother in prison and had tried to intercede in his favour with the Swedish king. <mask> never returned to Scania again.Her mother was devastated by the loss of her two sons and died as a refugee in Copenhagen in 1680. Governor's Wife in Norway
After the Scanian War, and Denmark's great failure to reconquer its lost lands, <mask> and Just Höegh moved to Norway where Just took over <mask>'s father's old job as governor. They lived in a huge house called Garmannagården in Christiania (now Oslo) that still stands there. After the Scanian War, <mask> never took up politics again but dedicated herself to the church. In 1680, Just Höegh sued Jörgen <mask>'s widow for the money for Fuldtofte Castle. We don't know what part <mask> played in this because it was all under her husband's name. The Swedish government recognised Höegh's claim and Jytte Thott had to hand over her own home Tosterup to Just Höegh in compensation.Höegh then sold it to the governor-general of Scania, Rutger von Ascheberg. As in many cases back then, the women's role remains utterly unclear. <mask> died in Oslo on 8 December 1702 and is buried in the cathedral there, together with her husband who died in 1694

References

1637 births
1702 deaths
17th-century Danish people
17th-century Danish women
17th-century Danish nobility
People

masks:
Krabbe
Krabbe
Karen
Karen Krabbe
Karen
Karen
Karen
Karen
Krabbe
Karen
Karen


title: Vladimir Vujović (footballer, born 1982)

texts:
<mask> (, born 23 July 1982) is a Montenegrin professional football coach and former player who is the head coach of the  club Salam Zgharta. Club career

Mogren
Vujović started playing in his home-town club FK Mogren. He made his debut as senior by making two appearances for Mogren in the 1999–2000 First League of FR Yugoslavia. Mogren ended the season 19th in the league and got relegated. That ended up opening way for Vujović to become a regular starter for Mogren in the following season when playing in the 2000–01 Second League of FR Yugoslavia (20 appearances). Mogren performed well and finished third, however it was not enough for promotion back to the national top-level. Beograd
His regular exhibitions called the attention of the clubs from the capital, Belgrade, and that summer 2001 he moved to another club playing in the Second League, FK Beograd.Petrovac
<mask> was a regular and after a year and a half he decided to leave the capital and return to Montenegro, this time signing with Second League side OFK Petrovac. Sutjeska Nikšić
He was now closer to the eyes of the scouts of the strongest Montenegrin clubs playing in the First League, and half season at Petrovac was enough to earn him a move to FK Sutjeska Nikšić which had just ended the 2002–03 season of the FR Yugoslav First League at fourth place. It was summer 2003 and Vujović was now back to the First League of FR Yugoslavia but this time as more experienced player. Vujović was a regular starter in the squad of Sutjeska, however the club failed to repeat the great performance of the earlier season and finished eight. Pobeda
Sutjeska was performing even worse in 2004–05 and by the winter-break Vujović decided to move and signed with Macedonian side FK Pobeda. It ended being a right choice

masks:
Vladimir Vujović
Vujović


texts:
 as Sutjeska ended the season in a relegation spot, while his new club, Pobeda, grabbed a European competition spot by finishing third in the 2004–05 Macedonian First League. Vujović contributed with 5 goals in the 14 games he played that half-season.By then Pobeda was a regular among the top Macedonian clubs, and next season they finished fourth. Al Wehda
In summer 2006 he made his first move to Asia by signing with Saudi Arabian club Al-Wehda Mecca. Vujović scored 6 goals in 28 appearances helping the Mecca club to finish third in the 2006–07 Saudi Premier League. At that time Montenegro had become independent and formed its own national team. <mask> was among those who received the first call ever to the Montenegrin national team, and played the three first games of Montenegro in its history. Return to Mogren
In summer 2007 Vujović left Saudi Arabia and returned home. He joined FK Mogren and played with them in the second edition of the Montenegrin First League as national top-flight.However he will not stay long home. He left Mogren at the winter-break of the 2007–08 Montenegrin First League. Luch Vladivostok
Back then Russia had its leagues taking place during calendar years, and at beginning of 2008 Vujović was target of FC Luch Vladivostok as their reinforcement for the 2008 Russian Premier League. The club from Vladivostok performed below expectations and ended the season relegated. Vasas
It meant most of the best players were free to go, and so did Vujović, he left Russia and joined Hungarian side Vasas SC. He played with Vasas the second half of the 2008–09 Nemzeti Bajnokság I. Vasas finished 10th and failed to reach a European spot. Second return to Mogren
Vujović left Budapest heading home again and returning to FK Mogren.Mogren's third


texts:
 place in the 2009–10 Montenegrin First League was not enough for his ambitions, and the following couple of years will justify once more the label of football globetrotter of <mask> moved this time to Beirut, where he joined Al Ahed FC and finished third in the 2011–12 Lebanese Premier League. Shenyang Shenbei
Already in Asia, Vujović next stop was to be China. He signed with Shenyang Shenbei and played with them the entire season of 2012 China League One. His club failed promotion to the Chinese top-league.Petrovac
Vujović was back home where he played with OFK Petrovac the first half of the 2013–14 Montenegrin First League. Persib Bandung
He was signed by Persib Bandung on 11 December 2013. Bhayangkara
On 8 December 2018, he officially announced his retirement from professional football. International career
Vujović made his debut for Montenegro in his country's first ever competitive match on 24 March 2007, a friendly against Hungary in Podgorica. He has earned a total of 3 caps, scoring no goals. His final international was a June 2007 Kirin Cup match against Colombia. Managerial career
On 16 January 2019, one month after his retirement as a football player, <mask> was appointed as head coach of Bogor FC in Liga 2, and after two months he leave Bogor with all 22 players to club PSIM Yogyakarta based on mutual consent.He resigned as a coach of PSIM on 9 July 2019. On 1 June 2021, Vujović signed a one-year deal as head coach of Lebanese Second Division club Salam Zgharta. He helped them gain promotion to the Lebanese Premier League. Career statistics

Managerial

Honours

Player
Persib Bandung
 Indonesia Super League: 2014
 President's Cup: 2015

Mogren
 Montenegrin Cup: 2008

Al Ahed
 Lebanese Elite Cup: 2011
 Lebanese Super Cup:

masks: Vujović Vladimir


title: Ricky Martin

texts: Enrique Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as <mask>, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, as his discography spans multiple genres, including Latin pop, pop, dance, reggaeton, and salsa. Dubbed the "King of Latin Pop", the "King of Latin Music", and the "Latin Pop God", he is regarded as one of the most influential artists in the world. Born in San Juan, <mask> began appearing in television commercials at the age of 9 and began his musical career at age 12, as a member of Puerto Rican boy band Menudo. He started his solo career in 1991 while in Sony Music Mexico, gaining recognition in Latin America with the release of his first two studio albums, <mask> (1991) and Me Amaras (1993), both of which were focused on ballads. <mask>'s third album, A Medio Vivir (1995), helped him rose to prominence in European countries. The chart-topping single "María", incorporated a mixture of Latin music genres and became his first international hit.His international success was further solidified with his fourth album, Vuelve (1998). The album, which earned <mask> his first Grammy Award, spawned chart-topping hits "Vuelve" and "La Copa de la Vida". <mask> performed the latter at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, which was greeted with a massive standing ovation and is known as a game-changer for Latin music worldwide. His first English album, <mask> (1999) became his first US Billboard 200 number one. The lead single "Livin' la Vida Loca" is considered to be <mask>'s biggest hit, topping both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. <mask>'s success in the late '90s is generally seen as the beginning of the "Latin

masks:
Ricky Martin
Martin
Ricky Martin
Martin
Martin
Martin
Ricky Martin
Martin
Martin


title: Ricky Martin

texts: explosion". He has been credited for getting Latin pop music genre to mainstream recognition, paving the way for a large number of Latin artists to achieve a global success.<mask> has since established his status as a sex symbol and a pop icon, releasing several successful albums, including all-time Latin bestsellers Almas del Silencio (2003) and MTV Unplugged (2006), as well as Grammy Award winner A Quien Quiera Escuchar (2015). He has also amassed many successful singles and chart-topper hits, including "She Bangs", "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely", "Tal Vez", "Tu Recuerdo", "La Mordidita", "Vente Pa' Ca", and "Canción Bonita". As an actor, <mask> gained popularity and stardom for his role in the hit soap opera General Hospital (1994-1996), while his portrayal of Antonio D'Amico in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2018) marked the acting opportunity of his career, garnering him an Emmy nomination. He also starred as Ché in the Broadway revival of the musical Evita in 2012, which broke the theatre's box-office sales record seven times. Having sold over 70 million records worldwide, <mask> is one of the best-selling Latin music artists of all time. He has scored 11 Billboard Hot Latin Songs number-one songs, and won over 200 awards (most awarded male Latin artist), including two Grammy Awards, five Latin Grammy Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards (tied for most wins by a Latin artist), two American Music Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, three Billboard Music Awards, nine Billboard Latin Music Awards, eight World Music Awards, fourteen Lo Nuestro Awards, a Guinness World Record, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is ranked among the Greatest Latin

masks: Martin Martin Martin


title: Ricky Martin

texts:
 Artists of All Time, the Greatest Music Video Artists of All Time, and the Most Influential Latin Artists of All Time by Billboard.His philanthropy and activism focus on LGBT rights and fighting against human trafficking; in 2004, he founded The Ricky Martin Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organization that focuses on denouncing human trafficking and educating about the crime's existence. Life and career

1971–1982: Early life

Enrique Martín Morales was born on December 24, 1971, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. His mother, Doña Nereida Morales, is a former accountant; his father, Enrique Martín Negroni, is a former psychologist who previously worked as a regional supervisor for a Puerto Rican mental-health agency. His parents divorced when he was two years old, and although his mother had custody of <mask>, he could also move freely between his father's house in the middle-class suburb of University Gardens in San Juan, and his paternal grandmother's house nearby. In an interview with People, he told the magazine the he "never had to make decisions" about who he loved more, and he was "always happy". <mask> has two older maternal half-brothers, Fernando and Ángel Fernández, two younger paternal half-brothers, Eric and Daniel Martín, and a younger paternal half-sister, Vanessa Martín. <mask> has Spanish heritage of Basque and Canarian descent.As he explained to ABC, the Martins traveled from Spain to Puerto Rico in 1779. He also has some Corsican origin through his paternal grandmother. <mask> grew up Catholic. The people closest to him called him "Kiki" (a nickname that comes from Enrique). He began singing at age six, using wooden kitchen spoons as make-believe microphones; he

masks: Martin Martin Martin Martin


title: Ricky Martin

texts:
 often sang songs by Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, as well as English-language rock groups such as Led Zeppelin, Journey, and REO Speedwagon. His mother's side of the family was musically inclined and his maternal grandfather was a poet. <mask> later reflected on his time spent with his family as a child: "Every time I find myself in front of an audience, be it twenty people or one hundred thousand, once again I feel the energy that consumed me back at the family gatherings of my youth."He attended Colegio Sagrado Corazón, a bilingual Catholic grade school in University Gardens since fourth grade and was an "average" student there. When he was nine years old, he began appearing in television commercials for products such as soft drinks, toothpaste, and fast food restaurants, most notably Orange Crush and Burger King. In a year and a half, he starred in 11 commercials. 1983–1989: Menudo

After achieving moderate fame in his country for his appearances in television commercials, <mask> auditioned for membership in Menudo. Formed in Puerto Rico in 1977, Menudo members were usually replaced when they hit 16 in order to keep the band "full of fresh-faced members". Although the executives enjoyed his dancing and singing at his first two auditions, <mask> was rejected because he was too short. By the third audition, his persistence impressed executives, and in 1984, 12-year-old <mask> became a member.A month after joining Menudo, he made his debut performance with the group at the Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center in San Juan. During this performance, he inadvertently disobeyed the choreography by walking around the stage, when it was planned that he would stay still, and was chastised by


title: Ricky Martin

texts: the band manager after the show: "The mistake was such a big deal that from that moment on, never again did I move when I wasn't supposed to move. That was the discipline of Menudo: You either did things the way you were told or you were not part of the group." Although <mask> enjoyed traveling and performing onstage with Menudo, he found the band's busy schedule and strict management exhausting, and later reflected that the experience "cost" him his childhood. Despite this, <mask> acknowledged his "opportunity to have so many amazing experiences with so many amazing people" during his time with the group. During his time with Menudo, he became a "key-member of the group" and a "fan-favorite", while the band released 11 albums, including the Grammy-nominated Evolución () (1984) and their highest-charting and longest-running album on the US Billboard 200, Menudo (1985). The former featured <mask>'s debut single, "Rayo de Luna" () and the latter included the hit single "Hold Me"."Hold Me" became the group's first and only entry on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 62. It was ranked among the "100 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time" by Billboard, the "75 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time" by Rolling Stone, and the "30 Best Boy Band Songs" by Complex. Besides the musical career, <mask> appeared with other members of Menudo in the American romantic comedy/drama television series, The Love Boat (1985), and the Argentine soap opera, Por Siempre Amigos (1987). He also developed an interest in philanthropy when the group became UNICEF ambassadors, often working with impoverished children in third world countries. His experiences as an ambassador affected him greatly and


title: Ricky Martin

texts:
 inspired him to continue working with charities later in his life. Finally, <mask> left the band in July 1989, at age 17, hoping to rest and evaluate his career path; he stayed a few extra months after his "age-mandated retirement" came around. He performed his final show with the group at the same venue where he had performed his first performance as a member.Referred to as the "Most Iconic Latino Pop Music Band", Menudo was ranked as one of the Biggest Boy Bands of All Time by Us Weekly in 2021. The group has sold around 20 million records worldwide, and has been acknowledged as the "Most Successful Latin Boy Band of All Time" by Billboard. <mask> returned to Puerto Rico to "get a break from the pressures of the group, the promotional tours, and the constant stress of work", but although his parents' divorce had not affected him before, suddenly began to affect him; his parents "began fighting more than ever" and they were forcing him to "choose between the two people in the world" he loved most. As he understood they did this because they loved him and wanted the best for him, he "forgave all of the pain and anger they caused" him. He graduated from the high school, and 13 days after turning 18, he moved to New York City to celebrate his financial independence; since he was a minor during his time with Menudo, <mask> was not allowed to access his own bank accounts. 1990–1994: Acting and first solo albums
<mask> was accepted into New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in 1990, but before classes began, his friend invited him to Mexico City. He attended the musical comedy play, Mama Ama el Rock () there, and was offered to stay and replace one of the actors.He accepted the


title: Ricky Martin

texts: offer, dropped out the university and moved from New York to Mexico City to perform in the play. While he was performing onstage in Mama Ama el Rock, a producer in the audience took notice of <mask>'s acting and offered him a role in the Mexican telenovela Alcanzar una estrella () (1990). <mask> also joined the cast for the second season of the show, titled Alcanzar una estrella II (1991). A film based on the TV series, titled Más que alcanzar una estrella () (1992), was also produced in which <mask> starred, and earned him an El Heraldo Award for his role. A Sony Discos executive noticed <mask>'s acting in the soap operas and offered him his first solo music recording contract. Eager to record his first solo album and hustled by the executive, <mask> signed the contract without reading its conditions and inadvertently signed a deal in which he would only be paid one cent for each album sold! Despite viewing the contract as unfair, <mask> referred to the record as "the start of something phenomenal" for him.After working "around the clock" to finish filming Alcanzar una estrella II and recording music, he released his debut solo album, <mask>, on November 26, 1991. The album peaked at number five on the US Billboard Latin Pop Albums chart and spent a total of 41 weeks on the list. It sold over 500,000 copies worldwide, was certified gold in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, and spawned his first solo hit singles, "Fuego Contra Fuego" (), "El Amor de Mi Vida" (), and "Dime Que Me Quieres" (). Both "Fuego Contra Fuego" and "El Amor de Mi Vida" reached the top 10 on the US Billboard Hot Latin Tracks, peaking at numbers three and eight, respectively. To promote the album,

masks:
Martin
Martin
Martin
Martin
Martin
Martin
Ricky Martin


title: Ricky Martin

texts:
 <mask> embarked on a successful Latin American tour, breaking box office records, which the singer referred to as "an indescribable feeling, almost like coming home". After the success of <mask> and its subsequent tour, <mask>'s record company met him with the Spanish musician Juan Carlos Calderón to work on his second studio album, Me Amaras () (1993). Although <mask> felt "very grateful" for the opportunity to work with Calderón, he noted, "I always felt that that record was more his than mine."The album sold over one million copies worldwide and was certified triple-platinum in Chile. In 1994, <mask>'s agent encouraged him to move to Los Angeles to act in an American sitcom called Getting By. The show was canceled after two seasons, but soon afterward, <mask> was given the role of Miguel Morez on the popular hit soap opera General Hospital; Morez, a bartender and singer, known for his long and flowing hair, was a Puerto Rican citizen hiding in the United States from his lover's criminal mastermind father and created a love triangle with his fiancé Lily Rivera and Brenda. <mask> portrayed the role for two years and gained huge popularity and stardom, becoming "one of the most-talked about actors on the soap opera". Despite this, <mask> felt he lacked chemistry with the rest of the General Hospital cast and observed that people treated him differently because of his Puerto Rican accent. At the time, it was relatively uncommon for Latin actors to appear on American television, and people suggested that he take accent reduction classes, which he refused. 1995–1997: Breakthrough with A Medio Vivir

In 1995, <mask> refocused on his music career, and began working on his third studio

masks:
Martin
Ricky Martin
Martin
Martin
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Martin
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title: Ricky Martin

texts: album, A Medio Vivir ().The album was released on September 12, 1995, and became a huge success; it sold over three million copies or even seven million copies worldwide, according to different sources, being certified gold in the United States, platinum in France, 4× platinum in Spain, and 6× platinum in Argentina, as well as many other certifications in Latin American countries. It spawned several successful hits, including "Te Extraño, Te Olvido, Te Amo" (), "María", and "Volverás" (). On "María", which was released as the second single from the album, <mask> allowed himself "to go into a very Latin, African sound". He created a mix of different Latin music genres instead of singing a romantic ballad, the style that he focused on it in his first two albums, while Latin pop music in general was mainly made up of it at the time. Although <mask> was satisfied with the track and he describes it as a song that he is "extremely proud of", the first time he played it for a record label executive, the man said: "Are you crazy? You have ruined your career! I can't believe you are showing me this.You're finished — this is going to be your last album." Despite this, the track became <mask>'s breakthrough song and his first international hit. It topped the charts in 20 countries, and has sold over five million physical copies worldwide. As a result, the song was featured in the 1999 edition of The Guinness Book of Records as the biggest Latin hit. It was also the Song of the Summer in Spain in 1996 and was the second best-selling single in the world that year. In Australia, "María" spent six weeks at number one, topped the country's year-end chart in 1998, and was certified platinum. The song


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 also spent nine weeks at number one in France, and was certified diamond.It has sold over 1.4 million copies in France. Additionally, the track reached the top 10 in the United Kingdom, and became <mask>'s first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. To promote A Medio Vivir, he embarked on the worldwide A Medio Vivir Tour, that lasted for more than two years, through which he performed 63 shows and visited Europe, Latin America and the United States. During an interview with The Miami Herald in 1996, <mask> expressed an interest in performing on Broadway. In a few days, he received a phone call from producer Richard Jay-Alexander, and was offered the role of Marius Pontmercy in the play Les Misérables. After the conclusion of the A Medio Vivir Tour in Latin America, <mask> returned to New York to appear in the play in an eleven-week run. He greatly enjoyed the experience, calling his time in the play an "honor" and "the role of [his] life".<mask> continued to tour after the conclusion of the show's run, and noted that his audiences were growing in both size and enthusiasm. 1998–1999: Vuelve
While the A Medio Vivir Tour had not been concluded yet, <mask> returned to the studio to record his fourth album Vuelve (). He called the experience of touring and recording at the same time "brutal and incredibly intense". As he was finishing the record in 1997, "María" caught the attention of FIFA. They contacted <mask> and asked him to create a song as the 1998 FIFA World Cup anthem. He stated about the request: "I have to admit that the challenge made me a bit nervous, but the massive growth potential for my career was such that I decided to accept." Following his acceptance, musicians

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texts:
 K.C.Porter, Robi Rosa, and Desmond Child joined him and they started working on a song titled "La Copa de la Vida" (English: "The Cup of Life"). <mask> wrote about the recording:

"La Copa de la Vida" was included as the eighth track on Vuelve, released February 12, 1998, The album became a huge success; it sold over eight million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling Spanish-language album in history, according to his label. Also, some sources have reported the album's sales as six million copies worldwide. It spent 26 weeks atop the US Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In Canada, the album peaked at number three and was certified  double platinum. Vuelve spawned big hits, including the title track, "La Copa de la Vida", "Perdido Sin Ti" (), and "La Bomba" (). "La Copa de la Vida" grew to be an international success, appearing on the charts in more than 60 countries, and reaching number one in 30 countries, Both "Vuelve" and "Perdido Sin Ti" peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart; the former also reached number one in  On July 12, 1998, <mask> performed "La Copa de la Vida" as the official anthem at the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final in France, in front of more than a billion TV viewers around the world.To promote Vuelve, <mask> embarked on the worldwide Vuelve Tour; he performed in Asia, Australia, Europe, Mexico, South America, and the United States. Although Latin music was not important to the Recording Academy or the mainstream music industry at the time, Tommy Mottola, then-chief of Columbia Records, was certain about <mask>'s stardom and pushed hard to have him on the


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 Grammy Awards ceremony. During an interview with Billboard, Mottola told the magazine about it: "There was tremendous resistance from the Grammys. They did not want an 'unknown' to perform, yet we he had already sold 10 million copies of Vuelve worldwide. To me, that was absolutely UNACCEPTABLE." Finally, on February 24, 1999, cavorting with a 15-piece band alongside and a large number of dancers and percussionists, <mask> performed a bilingual version of "La Copa de La Vida" at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, which was greeted with a massive standing ovation and met with acclaim from music critics. At the same night, Vuelve earned <mask> his first Grammy award, for Best Latin Pop Performance.After he accepted the award and expressed how important it was to the Latin community, the American singer-songwriter Madonna came on the stage and hugged him. 1999–2000: Crossover to English

In October 1998, CNN confirmed that <mask> has been working on his first English language album, following the huge success of Vuelve. In April 1999, Billboard revealed the album's title as <mask> in an article, mentioning that the album was initially set for retail on May 25, 1999. However, the huge interest in the disc, following <mask>'s performance at the Grammy Awards, encouraged Columbia Records to decide to rush the album to release two weeks ahead of schedule, on May 11. Tom Corson, the senior vice president of marketing at Columbia explained: "Quite simply, the market has demanded it. People have been wanting this record for a while, and it's now reached the point where we have to get it out there immediately." Tim Devin, the general manager of Tower Records in New York added about <mask>: "He's

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title: Ricky Martin

texts: always been one of our strongest Latin artists, but interest in him has picked up considerably since that performance."<mask> debuted atop the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 661,000 copies, according to data compiled by Nielsen SoundScan, becoming the largest sales week by any album in 1999. It also broke the record as the largest first-week sales for any pop or Latin artist in history, as well as any Columbia Records artist during the SoundScan era. With this album, <mask> became the first male Latin act in history to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. It was certified 7× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting shipments of over seven million copies in the US and breaking the record as the best-selling album by a Latin artist in the country. Only within three months, <mask> became the best-selling album ever by a Latin artist. According to different sources, the album has sold over 15 million copies or even 17 million copies worldwide. It was nominated for Best Pop Album at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards.The album was supported by four singles; the lead single "Livin' la Vida Loca" () topped the charts in more than 20 countries and is considered to be <mask>'s biggest hit, and one of the best-selling singles of all time. In the United States, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for five consecutive weeks, becoming <mask>'s first number one single on the chart. Additionally, it broke several records on Billboard charts. It also spent eight consecutive weeks atop the Canada Top Singles chart and topped the country's year-end chart. In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number one and stayed there for three weeks, making <mask>

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 the first Puerto Rican artist in history to hit number one. The track was ranked as the best '90s pop song by Elle, and was listed among the Best Latin Songs of All Time by Billboard. It was nominated for four categories at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.Its Spanish version reached the summit of the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart in the United States, and was nominated for Record of the Year at the 2000 Latin Grammy Awards. "She's All I Ever Had" was released as the second single from the album in June 1999. It peaked at numbers two and three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Canada Top Singles charts, respectively. The Spanish version, "Bella" () topped the charts in five countries, as well as Billboards Hot Latin Tracks chart. To further promote <mask>, he embarked on the worldwide Livin' la Vida Loca Tour. In the United States, the Livin' la Vida Loca Tour was the highest-grossing tour of 2000 by a Latin artist, earning over $36.3 million with 44 dates and drawing 617,488 fans. According to Billboard Boxscore, the tour grossed $51.3 million in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with 60 shows and drawing an audience of 875,151. International dates were not reported to Boxscore and would push the tour's grosses higher.2000–2005: Sound Loaded, Almas del Silencio, and Life
While the Livin' la Vida Loca Tour had not been concluded yet, <mask> returned to the studio to record his sixth studio album, Sound Loaded. The album was released on November 14, 2000. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 318,000 copies, according to data compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The album has sold over seven million copies

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title: Ricky Martin

texts: or even eight million copies worldwide, according to different sources, being certified double platinum in the US. The album featured two hit singles, "She Bangs" and "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely". The former reached number one in seven countries, including Italy and Sweden, as well as the top five in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and several other countries. It was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards.The Spanish-language version of "She Bangs" reached the summit of the Hot Latin Tracks chart and won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Music Video at the 2nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards. "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" was re-recorded along with American singer Christina Aguilera, peaking at number one in five countries, as well as the top five in Italy, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom, among others. It was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards. The solo Spanish version, entitled "Sólo Quiero Amarte" topped the Hot Latin Tracks chart. Both "She Bangs" and "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" are certified silver in the UK. In February 2001, <mask> released a Spanish compilation album entitled La Historia (), which spent five weeks at number one on the Top Latin Albums chart, topped the charts in Argentina and Sweden, and was certified quadruple Latin platinum in the United States. Following the success of <mask> and Sound Loaded, he initially planned to release the third English-language album as his seventh studio album, which was supposed to be his first complete work in the field of songwriting.Despite Sony Music Entertainment's original plan, he decided to release a Spanish-language album: "I woke up

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title: Ricky Martin

texts: five months ago, and I said 'We're doing an album in Spanish.' Everyone went nuts. They said, 'You don't have time; you have to release an album in English because of timing issues with your career.' And that's fine. But I told them, 'In five months, you'll have a kick-ass album' [in Spanish]. <mask>'s seventh studio album, Almas del Silencio () was released in May 2003. It debuted atop the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart with first-week sales of 65,000 copies, according to data compiled by Nielsen SoundScan, breaking the record as the largest first-week sales for a Spanish-language album in the US.The album also debuted at number 12 on Billboard 200, tying the 2002 album, Quizás () as the chart's highest Spanish-language debut. The album also debuted at number one in "at least 13 Latin American markets" and sold over two million copies worldwide. Almas del Silencio spawned three Hot Latin Tracks chart-topper hits: "Tal Vez" (), "Jaleo", and "Y Todo Queda en Nada" (). "Tal Vez" debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart on the week of April 12, 2003, marking the first number one debut since February 1998, and becoming the sixth song overall in the chart's history to do so. It spent a total of 11 weeks at this position, surpassing "Livin' la Vida Loca" as <mask>'s longest number-one single on the chart, and was the longest-running number one of 2003. It also topped the charts in several Latin American markets. In October 2005, <mask> released his third English album, Life.He commented on the album: "I was really in touch with my emotions. I think this album is very multi-layered, just like life is. It's about feeling anger. It's about feeling joy. It's about feeling


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 uncertainty. It's about feeling. And all my emotions are part of this production".To promote Life, <mask> embarked on the worldwide One Night Only with <mask> tour. 2006–2012: MTV Unplugged, Música + Alma + Sexo, and Evita
Although <mask>'s team and MTV had discussed an MTV Unplugged for years, but it became more serious after <mask>'s the One Night Only tour, which featured an acoustic segment. Finally, <mask> taped his MTV Unplugged set in Miami in August 2006, performing both romantic ballads and up-tempo tropical dance songs. During the performance, he debuted three new tracks, including "Tu Recuerdo" (), which was released to radio stations as the lead single from his debut live album MTV Unplugged (2006). The album debuted at number one on the Top Latin Albums chart and sold over two million copies worldwide, marking his highest-certified album in Mexico. It won two Latin Grammy awards and was nominated for Album of the Year. "Tu Recuerdo" reached number one in five countries, as well as the Billboards Hot Latin Songs and Latin Pop Airplay charts.The track was certified quadruple platinum in Mexico and was nominated for Record of the Year at the 8th Annual Latin Grammy Awards. The artist then embarked on the Black and White Tour in 2007, including four sold-out shows at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in Puerto Rico. The concerts in Puerto Rico were compiled into his second live album <mask>... Live Black & White Tour (2007). Later that year, he released his first Italian song, "Non siamo soli" () as a duet with Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti. The song debuted at number one in Italy and spent eleven consecutive weeks atop the chart. In January 2011, <mask> launched his ninth

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 studio album, Música + Alma + Sexo (). The album debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 chart, becoming the highest-charting primarily-Spanish language set since Dreaming of You (1995) by American singer Selena.It holds the record as the highest-charting Latin album of the 2010s, and represents the highest-ever chart debut on the Billboard 200 for a Sony Music Latin release. Música + Alma + Sexo also peaked at number one in Argentina and Venezuela, as well as Billboards Top Latin Albums. Its lead single, "Lo Mejor de Mi Vida Eres Tú" (English: "The Best Thing About Me Is You") reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and was nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Short Form Music Video at the 12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards. To promote the album, <mask> embarked on the Música + Alma + Sexo World Tour in 2011. In February 2012, he appeared as Spanish teacher <mask> on the twelfth episode of the third season of the American musical television series Glee, The Spanish Teacher. <mask> starred as Ché in the Broadway revival of the musical Evita from March 2012 to January 2013. The show became a hit, breaking the theatre's box-office sales record after only six performances.Sine then, it broke its own record six times and was nominated for Best Revival of a Musical at the 66th Tony Awards. The show's soundtrack album debuted at number one on Billboards cast album chart. 2013–2018: The Voice, A Quien Quiera Escuchar, and The Assassination of Gianni Versace

<mask> served as a coach on the second season of the Australian singing competition television series The Voice in 2013. In the same year, he released a compilation album, entitled

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 Greatest Hits: Souvenir Edition, which reached number two in Australia, as well as a new single, entitled "Come with Me", which debuted at number three in the country. The artist then embarked on the
Ricky Martin Live tour in Australia in October 2013. He continued serving as a coach on both the third and fourth seasons of The Voice Australia in 2014 and 2015, respectively. In 2014, Lars Brandle from Billboard stated in an article: "Through his high-profile slot on The Voice, <mask>'s profile in Australia has never been as big as it is right now."On February 25, 2014, Wisin released a song titled "Adrenalina" () from his album El Regreso del Sobreviviente (), which featured Jennifer Lopez and <mask>, and became the Univision's 2014 World Cup song. It received commercial success, peaking in the top-five of Bulgaria, Mexico, Spain, and Billboards Hot Latin Songs chart. Its accompanying music video has accumulated over 850 million views on YouTube. Later that year, <mask> released his single "Vida" () for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The song reached the top five in Spain and on the US Hot Latin Songs chart. Also in 2014, he served as a coach on the fourth season of The Voice Mexico, and embarked on the Live in Mexico tour. In February 2015, <mask> released his tenth studio album, A Quien Quiera Escuchar ().The album debuted at number one on Billboards Top Latin Albums chart and peaked at number one in Argentina. It won the award for Best Latin Pop Album at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards and Album of the Year at the 1st Latin American Music Awards. The album spawned three Hot Latin Songs top-10 hits: "Adiós" (), "Disparo al Corazón" (), and "La Mordidita" (). "Disparo al Corazón" was nominated

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texts: for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 16th Annual Latin Grammy Awards. "La Mordidita" experienced huge commercial success, being certified 15× Latin platinum in the United States. Its accompanying music video has received over 1.2 billion views on YouTube. To promote the album, <mask> embarked on the One World Tour from 2015 to 2017.He served as an executive producer and a judge on the American singing competition series La Banda (), which premiered in 2015 and 2016 on Univision. The first season was "looking for the next Latin boy band", while the second season was looking for a Latin girl band. The contestants would compete for a recording deal with Sony Music Latin and Syco Music. CNCO, known as the first boy band to make reggaeton, was the winner of the first season. <mask> became their manager and produced the band's debut album, Primera Cita () (2016), along with Wisin; the album debuted at number one on Top Latin Albums and featured the hit single "Reggaetón Lento (Bailemos)" (). CNCO opened many dates on One World Tour in 2016. In 2020, Leila Cobo from Billboard compared the group with Menudo, noting: "Not since Menudo had a Latin boy band melted our hearts or made us dance quite like CNCO".On September 23, 2016, <mask> released a song called "Vente Pa' Ca" (), featuring Colombian singer Maluma. The song became one of the biggest Spanish-language songs of 2016, reaching number one in seven countries, as well as Billboards Latin Airplay, Latin Pop Airplay, and Tropical Airplay charts. It also reached top five in Spain and on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs, being certified quadruple platinum in Spain and diamond in Mexico. The track was nominated for both Record


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 of the Year and Song of the Year at the 18th Annual Latin Grammy Awards. The accompanying music video has received over 1.75 billion views on YouTube. <mask> signed a concert residency, named All In, to perform at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas in 2017 and 2018. He portrayed fashion designer Gianni Versace's partner Antonio D'Amico in the FX true crime anthology television series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, marking "the acting opportunity of his career".The role garnered him a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Series Or Movie at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards. Running from January to March 2018, The Assassination of Gianni Versace received generally favorable reviews and numerous awards and nominations, including three Primetime Emmy Awards, four Creative Arts Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two Critics' Choice Television Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In February 2018, <mask> released a song titled "Fiebre" (), featuring Wisin & Yandel. The song was commercially successful in Latin America, reaching number one in Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Uruguay. It also reached the summit of the Billboard Latin Airplay and Latin Rhythm Airplay charts. 2019–present: Amici di Maria De Filippi, PausaPlay, and Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey

At the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, <mask> performed "Havana", "Pégate" (), and "Mi Gente" (), alongside Camila Cabello, J Balvin, Young Thug, and Arturo Sandoval, as the opening performance. <mask> served as a coach on the eighteenth season of the Italian talent show Amici di Maria De Filippi () in 2019.In the same year, Maluma released a song called "No Se Me


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texts: Quita" () from his album 11:11, which featured <mask>. The song reached number one in Mexico and was certified quadruple platinum in the country. <mask> hosted the 20th Annual Latin Grammy Awards in November 2019, along with Roselyn Sánchez and Paz Vega. The artist started recording his eleventh studio album, initially titled Movimiento (), in the  second half of 2019, inspired by the 2019 political protests in Puerto Rico. He embarked on the Movimiento Tour in 2020. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent personal experiences, he decided to split the tour's associated album in two extended plays, Pausa () and Play; the former was released in May 2020, while the latter is set to release as his eleventh studio album. Pausa was nominated for Album of the Year and won the award for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 21st Annual Latin Grammy Awards.The second single from the EP, "Tiburones" () reached number one in Argentina and Puerto Rico, and was also nominated for Song of the Year at the 21st Annual Latin Grammy Awards. <mask> starred as the voice of villainous miniature figure Don Juan Diego in the American Christmas musical fantasy film Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey. The film was released on Netflix on November 13, 2020, and received generally favorable reviews. In April 2021, <mask> released his hit single "Canción Bonita" () with Colombian singer Carlos Vives, which experienced huge commercial success in Latin America, reaching number one in 12 countries. It was also nominated for Song of the Year and Best Pop Song at the 22nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards. Later that year, he released "Qué Rico Fuera" () with Chilean-American singer Paloma Mami, as the lead single from Play. The


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 song peaked at number one in four countries, as well as the top 10 on Billboards Latin Pop Airplay.In the same year, he embarked on his first co-headlining tour, the Enrique Iglesias and <mask> Martin Live in Concert alongside Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias. Artistry

Influences

As a child, <mask> used to sing songs by Menudo and American rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, Journey, and REO Speedwagon, which were what his "older siblings were listening to at the time". While <mask> and his brothers spent their time listening to classic rock, their mother would interrupt them to make them listen to Latin music. She brought him CDs of Fania All-Stars, Celia Cruz, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, and Gilberto Santa Rosa that slowly made him appreciate the richness of Puerto Rican culture. Also, she once took them to a Fania All-Stars concert, which <mask> is "beyond grateful" for it. He expresses that thanks to her mother, those influences had a "profound effect" on his musical career. <mask> has also cited Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Madonna for teaching him "the beauty of pop".He stated about Madonna: "I was very influenced by her and her music. I know every choreography of Madonna." Additionally, he mentions Carlos Santana, José Feliciano, Celia Cruz, and Gloria Estefan as the artists who paved the way for him, naming Feliciano as one of the people who inspired him when he was a teenager: "I was always fascinated with his music." In addition to the musical influences, <mask> is inspired by David Bowie's "ambiguous sexuality". While growing up, he used to ask himself if he wanted to be like the openly gay singer Elton John or he just liked him, admiring his music,

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 colors, and wigs. Musical styles and themes
Considered to be a versatile artist, <mask> describes his music as Latin pop, saying: "When you say 'Latin pop', the spectrum is so broad, It's inevitable to not be influenced by everything that’s happening in the industry, but always keeping your identity firm by knowing who you are." He has also described his music as fusion, while noting that he does not "ride the waves that are in fashion at the moment".Music critics have described his songs as Latin pop, pop, dance, ballad, reggaeton, Latin, African, rock, salsa, flamenco, urban, samba, cumbia, merengue, rumba, Latin funk, bomba, batucada, vallenato, dancehall, mambo, Europop, house, disco, EDM, dance-pop, electro, techno, dubstep, world music, Middle Eastern, folk-pop, bossa nova, pop rock, soft pop, soft rock, R&B, gospel, jazz, trap, hip hop, doo-wop, ska, and rock' n' roll. <mask> sings in Spanish, English, Portuguese, Italian, and French. About his lyrics, <mask> has emphasized that although his music will always make the listener dance, it does not mean his lyrics "have to be meaningless" and he sings about love and heartbreak, as well as "things that are good for a society", such as "freedom, freedom of expression, and social justice". He has also declared that as a Latino, he is not afraid of sexuality and sings about sexuality and sensuality, bringing his culture with him onstage. Voice
<mask> possesses a dramatic tenor vocal range. Peter Gilstrap from Variety commented that his "powerful voice" is "capable of belt or lilt", while The Jerusalem Posts Noa Amouyal described his voice as "soulful" and "very powerful". In 1995, Enrique Lopetegui of the Los Angeles Times noted


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 <mask>'s "improved vocal skills" on A Medio Vivir.Also from the Los Angeles Times, Ernesto Lechner later praised his vocal for being "charismatic enough to handle both ballads and up-tempo tunes". Similarly, Billboards Chuck Taylor expressed "She's All I Ever Had" boasts "a versatility that contrasts nicely" with <mask>'s previous single, "Livin' la Vida Loca", labeling his vocal on the former "tender and heartfelt". Steve Gerrard of the Montreal Rocks complimented "his vocal maturity" on A Quien Quiera Escuchar. Music videos and performances
Billboard labeled <mask> "a video icon", and ranked him as the 79th Greatest Music Video Artist of All Time in 2020, stating: "From the moment he sashayed up to the mic in 'Livin La Vida Loca' all dressed in black, and gave us that look, the Menudo alum became the most memorable and watchable drop-dead handsome guy in pop music." He has collaborated with various directors to produce his music videos, including Carlos Perez, Wayne Isham, Jessy Terrero, Simón Brand, Gustavo Garzón, Nigel Dick, Kacho Lopez, and Memo del Bosque. "Livin' la Vida Loca" was nominated for Video of the Year at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards, making <mask> the first Latin artist in history to receive a nomination in this category. It won two primary awards for Best Pop Video and Best Dance Video, and was voted three additional awards in the International Viewer's Choice categories, making it rank among the videos with most wins in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards.The explicit sexual scenes of the music video for "She Bangs" were met with criticism from the audience; several American television stations cut the scenes when airing the video. According to the Daily