National Borinqueneers Day - April 13th
National Borinqueneers Day
In 2021, the U.S. Congress designated April 13th as National Borinqueneers Day. The 65th Infantry Regiment was the only Hispanic unit from the Korean War to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.
"Imagine the stress of a battlefield in Korea and how these Puerto Rican men had to make quick decisions with enemies around every corner, in very different weather, and facing two languages most of them did not dominate: Korean and English. Despite all these adverse circumstances, the members of the 65th Infantry Regiment moved forward and accomplished their mission with impressive results," said Col. Charles N. Moulton, commander of Fort Buchanan.
According to the Department of Defense, in January 1951, the 65h Infantry Regiment participated in Operation Thunderbolt, a reconnaissance-in-force, and Operation Exploitation, an exploitation mission to the Han River. By the end of the month, the regiment had advanced to a region just south of Seoul and was ordered to seize three Chinese-held hills. The assault began on January 31 and took three days. On February 2, 1951, with the objective within reach, two battalions of Borinqueneers fixed bayonets and charged the enemy position, forcing the communist soldiers to flee. It was the last U.S. Army battalion-sized bayonet charge in history.
"Thank you, Borinqueneers, for your example, and congratulations on your day. The U.S. Army's story — the most powerful Army on earth — would not be complete without the significant contributions made by soldiers assigned to the 65th Infantry Regiment," added Moulton.