House Resolution 1559 By: Representative Marin of the 96th A RESOLUTION Commending the 65th Infantry Regiment; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, this nation owes an enormous debt of gratitude to the brave men and women who proudly served in our armed forces to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; and, WHEREAS, the greatest service or sacrifice that can be expected of any individual is that of life itself; no greater sacrifice can amount or compare to willingly giving up ones own life in service for the protection of our country; and WHEREAS, we should never forget the military heroes who valiantly and honorably fought and died to protect freedom and democracy around the world and should remember their unparalleled service in time of insecurity or when our freedoms were in question; and WHEREAS, noting these sacrifices and in accordance with our long-standing tradition o honoring and remembering the valiant veterans of foreign wars, this body recognizes the great work and sacrifice of the 65th Infantry Regiment, known as the Borinqueneers; and WHEREAS, by an act of Congress in 1899, the 65th Infantry Regiment was established and was composed only of Puerto Rican soldiers; and WHEREAS, the Borinqueneers played a vital role in World War I, World War II, and were instrumental during the Korean War; this group of men served their country valiantly and honorably, with some giving the greatest sacrifice; and WHEREAS, since the first shot of World War I which originated from El Morro San JuanPuerto Rico, to the end of the Korean War, more than 100,000 Borinqueneers have distinguished themselves as true American war heroes, living by their motto Honor ET Fidelitas; and WHEREAS, the Borinqueneers are credited with carrying out the last military regiment bayonet assault in US Army history; in early 1951 while fighting in Korea, two battalions of the 65th fixed bayonets charged straight uphill toward the enemy, overrunning them an overtaking the enemys strategic position; and WHEREAS, remaining the last segregated unit to serve in the United States Armed Forces and against all odds, the 65th Infantry Regiment has been awarded two Presidential Unit Commendations, an Army Superior Award, a Navy Unit Citation, two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations, and the Bravery Gold Medal of Greece for their honorable and unyielding service in combat during three of our nations hardest fought wars; and WHEREAS, the Congressional Gold Medal has been historically awarded to great groups of military heroes who have valiantly and against all odds fought and defended the Constitution of the United States of America, defending freedom and democracy around the world; and WHEREAS, recognizing and noting that the Borinqueneers are deserving of such an honor for serving our country with distinction and for bravely fighting while enduring the hardships of segregation and discrimination, this group of brave war veterans has been collectively awarded 10 Service Crosses, 258 Silver Stars, 628 Bronze Stars, and 2,700 Purple Hearts. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body commend the 65th Infantry Regiment for the service to our great nation during various military combats and wars; their exceptional level of service, sacrifice, and selfless devotion to duty reflect great credit upon themselves and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Armed Forces. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the public and the press.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 14:41:02 +0000
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