Lopez Seeks to Honor Hispanic Veterans Through “Borinqueneers Day” in New Jersey
Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez (D-19th Dist) with 90-year-old Ervin Machado, a Borinqueneer who served in the Korean War, testifying before the Assembly Military and Veterans Committee. Photo Credit: Juan Carlos Nordelo
PERTH AMBOY – Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez (D-19th Dist.) recently testified before the Assembly Military and Veteran’s Affairs Committee to support the proposed designation of April 13 as “Borinquenneers Day” in New Jersey.
The 65th Infantry Regiment was created in 1899 by Congress as a segregated unit composed primarily of Puerto Ricans with mostly white officers. The regiment went on to serve meritoriously in three wars: World War I, World War II and the Korean War. The unit was nicknamed after “Borinquen,” the word given to Puerto Rico by its original inhabitants, the Taino Indians, meaning “land of the brave lord.”
The Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to Puerto Rico's 65th Infantry Regiment by President Barack Obama, at an official ceremony on June 10, 2014. It was the first unit of the Korean War to receive such distinction.
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