65th Infantry Regiment

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65 Infantry Regiment
65th Infantry Regiment Coat of Arms
Active	June 4, 1920 — 1956
Country	United States (Puerto Rico)
Branch	United States Army
Type	Infantry regiment
Garrison/HQ	Inactive
Nickname	"Borinqueneers"
Motto	Honor and Fidelity
Battles/wars	World War II * Naples-Fogis * Central Europe * Battle of the Rhineland Korean War * Operation "Killer" * Battle of Cherwon * Jackson Heights * Outpost Kelly

The 65th Infantry Regiment nicknamed "The Borinqueneers"; was an all-volunteer Puerto Rican Regiment of the U.S. Army whose motto was Honor and Fidelity and which participated in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

Puerto Ricans have participated in every major American military conflict, from the American Revolution when volunteers from Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Mexico fought the British in 1779 under the command of General Bernardo de Gálvez (1746-1786), to the present-day conflict in Iraq. However, it was during the Korean War that Puerto Ricans suffered the most casualties as members of an all-Hispanic volunteer unit. One of the problems that they faced was the difference in languages: the common foot soldier spoke only Spanish, while the commanding officers were mostly English-speaking Americans. Another problem that they faced was the climate. However, despite the hardships suffered by the members of the 65th Infantry, Puerto Ricans served with pride and honor.

1 World War I
2 World War II
3 Korean War
- 3.1 Mass court-martial
4 Present
5 Quote
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] World War I

On July 1, 1898, "The Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry, United States Army" was created and approved by the U.S. Congress on May 27, 1908. They trained in Camp Las Casas in Santurce, a section of San Juan. On May 3, 1917, the Regiment recruited 1,969 men, considered at that time as war strength. On May 14, 1917, the Regiment was sent to Panama in defense of the Panama Canal Zone. The Regiment returned to Puerto Rico on March 1919 and was renamed "The 65th Infantry" by the Reorganization Act of June 4, 1920.

[edit] World War II

Soldiers of the 65th Infantry training in Salinas, Puerto Rico. August 1941.

In 1942, at the outbreak of World War II, the 65th Infantry underwent an extensive training program and in 1943, it was sent to Panama to protect the Pacific and the Atlantic sides of the Isthmus. On 1944, the Regiment was sent to North Africa, arriving at Casablanca where they underwent further training. By April 29, 1944, the Regiment had landed in Italy and moved on to Corsica. On September 22, 1944, the 65th Infantry landed in France and was committed to action on the Maritime Alps at Peira Cava. They suffered a total of forty seven battle casualties. The first Puerto Rican to be killed in action from the 65th Infantry was Sgt. Angel Martinez, from the town of Sabana Grande. On April 20, the 65th overran a subcamp of the Flossenburg Concentration Camp. On March 18, 1945, the Regiment was sent to the District of Mannheim, Germany and assigned to Military Government activities, anti-sabotage and security missions. In all, the 65th Infantry participated in the battles of Naples-Fogis, Rome-Arno, Central Europe and of the Rhineland. On October 27, 1945 the Regiment sailed from France arriving at Puerto Rico on November 9, 1945.

[edit] Korean War

This 1992 painting depicts the Puerto Rican 65th Infantry Regiment's bayonet charge against a Chinese division during the Korean War. Photo courtesy U.S. Army Center for Military History.

On August 26, 1950, the 65th Infantry departed from Puerto Rico and arrived in Pusan, Korea on September 23, 1950. It was during the long sea voyage that the men nicknamed the 65th Infantry "Borinqueneers". The name is a combination of the words "Borinquen" (which was what the Tainos called the island before the arrival of the Spaniards) and "Buccaneers". The men of the 65th were among first infantrymen to meet the enemy on the battle fields of Korea. One of the hardships suffered by the Puerto Ricans was the lack of warm clothing during the cold and harsh winters. The enemy made many attempts to encircle the Regiment, but each time they failed because of the many casualties inflicted by the 65th. The 65th was part of a task force which enabled the U.S. Marines to withdraw from the Chosin Reservoir on December 1950. When the Marines were encircled by the Chinese Communist troops close to the Manchurian border, the 65th rushed to their defense. As a consequence, the Marines were able to return safely to their ships.

Among the battles and operations in which the 65th participated was the Operation "Killer" of January 1951, becoming the first Regiment to cross the Han River. On April 1951, the Regiment participated in the Uijonber Corridor drives and on June 1951, the 65th was the third Regiment to cross the Han Ton River. The 65th was the Regiment which took and held Cherwon and they were also instrumental in breaking the "Iron Triangle" of Hill 717 on July 1951. On November 1951, the Regiment fought off an attack by two Regimental size enemy units, with success. Colonel Juan Cesar Cordero Davila was named commander of 65th Infantry on February 8, 1952, thus becoming one of the highest ranking ethnic officers in the Army.

On July 3, 1952, the Regiment defended the MLR for 47 days and saw action at Cognac, King and Queen with successful attacks on Chinese positions. On October the Regiment also saw action in the Cherwon Sector and on Iron Horse, Hill 391, whose lower part was called "Jackson Heights" (see: Col. Carlos Betances Ramirez). On September 1952, the 65th Infantry was holding on to a hill known as "Outpost Kelly". Chinese Communist forces which had joined the North Koreans, overran the hill in what became known as the Battle for Outpost Kelly. Twice the 65th Regiment was overwhelmed by Chinese artillery and driven off.

[edit] Mass court-martial

Col. Cordero Davila was relieved of his command by Col. Chester B. DeGavre, a West Point graduate and a "continental," a officer from the mainland United States and the officer staff of the 65th was replaced with non-Hispanic officers.

DeGavre ordered that unit stop calling itself the Borinqueneers, cut their special rations of rice and beans, ordered the men to shave off their mustaches and had ome of them wear signs that read "I am a coward".

It is believed that humiliation, combat exhuastion and the language barrier where factors that influenced some of the men of Company L in their refusal to continue to fight.

On December 1954, One hundred and sixty-two Puerto Ricans of the 65th Infantry were arrested, Ninety-five soldiers were court martialed and Ninety-one were found guilty and sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to 18 years of hard labor. It was the largest mass court-martial of the Korean War. The Secretary of the Army Robert Stevens moved quickly to remit the sentences and granted clemency and pardons to all those involved.

An Army report released in 2001 blamed the breakdown of the 65th on the following factors: a shortage of officers and noncommissioned officers, a rotation policy that removed combat-experienced leaders and soldiers, tactics that led to high casualties, an ammunition shortage, communication problems between largely white, English-speaking officers and Spanish-speaking Puerto Rican enlisted men, and declining morale. The report also found bias in the prosecution of the Puerto Ricans, citing instances of continental soldiers who were not charged after refusing to fight in similar circumstances, before and after Jackson Heights.

Though the men who were court martialed were pardoned, there currently is a campaign for a formal exoneration.

Company "C" on patrol

On June 1953, the 2nd Battalion conducted a series of successful raids on Hill 412 and on November the Regiment successfully counter attacked enemy units in the Numsong Valley and held their positions until the truce signing between all parts involved.

The 65th Infantry was awarded battle participation credits for the following nine campaigns: 1. UN Defense-1950, 2. UN Offense-1950, 3. CCF Intervenntion-1950, 4. First UN Counterattack Offensive-1951, 5. UN and CCF Spring Offensive-1951, 6. UN Summer-Fall Offensive-1951, 7. 2nd Korean Winter 1951-52, 8. Korean Summer-Fall-1952 and 9. 3rd Korean Winter-1952-53.

10 Distinguished Service Cross, 256 Silver Star Medals and 606 Bronze Star Medals for valor were awarded to the men of the 65th Infantry. According to "El Nuevo Día Newspaper, 30 May 2004" a total of 756 Puerto Ricans lost their lives in Korea, from all four branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. More then half of these were from the 65th Infantry (This is without including non-Puerto Ricans).

Unit citations:

Presidential Unit Citation (twice)

Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation (twice)

Meritorious Unit Commendation (twice)

The Greek Gold Medal of Bravery

[edit] Present

The 65th Infantry returned to Puerto Rico and was deactivated in 1956. However, Brig. General Juan Cordero, Puerto Rico's Adjutant General, persuaded the Department of the Army to transfer the 65th Infantry from the regular Army to the Puerto Rican National Guard. This was the only unit ever transferred from active component Army to the Army Guard.

El Monumento de la Recordación

The 65th Infantry was recognized as a World War II liberating unit by the U.S. Army's Center of Military History and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1994. Puerto Rico honored the unit by naming one of its principal avenues "La 65 de Infanteria" in San Juan.

The names of those who perished in combat are inscribed in "El Monumento de la Recordación" (Monument of Remembrance), which was unveiled on May 19, 1996 and is situated in front of the Capitol Building in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

[edit] Quote

On February 12, 1951, General Douglas MacArthur, was quoted in Tokyo saying the following: “The Puerto Ricans forming the ranks of the gallant 65th Infantry on the battlefields of Korea…are writing a brilliant record of achievement in battle and I am proud indeed to have them in this command. I wish that we might have many more like them.”