Gerasimo Arroyo-Baez was born on February 5, 1931, in Maunabo, Puerto Rico. He enlisted in the Puerto Rico Army National Guard on August 27, 1950, and went on active duty in the U.S. Army on September 8, 1950, serving as a Medical Specialist in the U.S. and in Korea before leaving active duty and returning to the Puerto Rico Army National Guard on September 9, 1952. SP3 Arroyo-Baez received an honorable discharge on October 6, 1952, and later reenlisted in the U.S. Army on August 11, 1954, serving as a Medical Specialist in the U.S. until July 1956. His next assignment was as a Ward Specialist with the 32nd Surgical Hospital in West Germany from August 1956 to July 1959, and then at Rodriguez Army Hospital at Fort Brooke, Puerto Rico, from July 1959 to July 1962. Sgt Arroyo-Baez served as a Senior Medical Aidman with the 97th Engineer Battalion in France from July 1962 to August 1963, followed by service as a Senior Medical Aidman with the 83rd Engineer Battalion, also in France, from August 1963 to April 1964. His next assignment was back to Rodriguez Army Hospital at Fort Brooke from April 1964 to November 1966, and then as a Medical Specialist with Company B, 25th Medical Battalion in South Vietnam from November 1966 to April 1967. Sgt Arroyo-Baez then transferred to 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division in South Vietnam, where he served from April 1967 until he returned to the U.S. in November 1967. SSG Arroyo-Baez next served as a Medical Specialist with Company B, 3rd Battalion at the U.S. Army Medical Training Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, from January to July 1968, followed by service as a Medical Advisor with Advisory Team 71, Military Assistance Command Vietnam, in South Vietnam from August 1968 until he was captured and taken as a Prisoner of War by the Viet Cong on March 24, 1969. After spending 1,248 days in captivity, SFC Arroyo-Baez died in captivity at the hands of his North Vietnamese captors on August 22, 1972. He was officially listed as missing until being declared dead on October 15, 1976. His remains were returned to the United States on March 20, 1985, and he was buried at the Puerto Rico National Cemetery in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.