An Indian-born sailor entered the ranks of the U.S. military during the American Civil War when Conjee Rustomjee Couhujee Bey enlisted in the Navy under the name Antonio Gomez. Serving for two years, he became one of the earliest documented people of Indian origin to wear an American uniform in a major national conflict. His service predates large-scale Indian immigration to the United States by decades, revealing an overlooked chapter in the nation’s military history. His burial with full military honors at San Francisco’s Presidio stands as a lasting recognition of that contribution.
