IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1039 

Expressing support for the designation of April 13, 2020, as ‘‘National 

Borinqueneers Day’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 1, 2020 

Miss GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N of Puerto Rico (for herself, Mrs. MURPHY of Florida, 

Mr. SERRANO, Mr. POSEY, Ms. SHALALA, Mr. SOTO, Mr. STEUBE, Mr. 

HASTINGS, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. WEBSTER of 

Florida, Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. LEWIS, Mr. KING of New 

York, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. SAN NICOLAS, Mr. COLE, and Mr. CONNOLLY) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 

in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of April 13, 2020, 

as ‘‘National Borinqueneers Day’’. 

Whereas, in 1898, Puerto Rico became a territory of the 

United States and, the following year, Congress authorized raising a military unit of volunteer soldiers on the 

island, which was organized as the ‘‘Puerto Rico Regiment of Volunteer Infantry’’; 

Whereas, in 1908, Congress incorporated the regiment as 

part of the regular United States Army as the ‘‘Puerto 

Rico Regiment of Infantry’’; 


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•HRES 1039 IH 

Whereas, in 1917, after the United States entry into World 

War I, the Puerto Rico Regiment of Infantry was sent 

to Panama to defend the Panama Canal Zone; 

Whereas, in 1920, Congress redesignated the unit as the 

65th Infantry Regiment of the United States Army; 

Whereas during World War II, the 65th Infantry Regiment 

served in North Africa and Europe, including combat operations in France and Germany for which members of 

the unit received commendations for valiant service, including 1 Distinguished Service Cross, 2 Silver Stars, 2 

Bronze Stars, and 90 Purple Hearts; 

Whereas, in 1950, the 65th Infantry Regiment deployed to 

South Korea, and during the voyage the soldiers nicknamed the unit the ‘‘Borinqueneers’’, a reference to the 

native Taı ́no Tribe’s name for the island of Puerto Rico; 

Whereas during the Korean war, the 65th Infantry Regiment 

(hereinafter, the ‘‘Borinqueneers’’) engaged in substantial 

combat operations on the Korean Peninsula, and the unit 

played a central role in several important offensives and 

counter-offensives that earned it well-deserved admiration 

and commendation; 

Whereas the Borinqueneers’ extraordinary service during the 

Korean war resulted in the Regiment receiving 2 Presidential Unit Citations (Army and Navy), 2 Republic of 

Korea Presidential Unit Citations, a Meritorious Unit 

Commendation (Army), a Navy Unit Commendation, the 

Chryssoun Aristion Andrias (Bravery Gold Medal of 

Greece), and campaign participation credits for United 

Nations Offensive, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) 

Intervention, First United Nations Counteroffensive, 

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•HRES 1039 IH 

fensive, Second Korean Winter, Korea Summer-Fall 

1952, Third Korean Winter, and Korea Summer 1953; 

Whereas the Borinqueneers’ extraordinary service during the 

Korean war also resulted in numerous individual commendations and awards for its soldiers, including 1 

Medal of Honor, 9 Distinguished Service Crosses, more 

than 250 Silver Stars, more than 600 Bronze Stars, and 

more than 2,700 Purple Hearts; 

Whereas, in 1956, the 65th Infantry Regiment was deactivated from the regular United States Army and, in 1959, 

its units and regimental number were assigned to the 

Puerto Rico National Guard; 

Whereas, in 1982, the United States Army Center of Military 

History officially authorized designating the 65th Infantry Regiment as the ‘‘Borinqueneers’’; and 

Whereas, on April 13, 2016, Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the 65th Infantry Regiment in recognition of the Borinqueneers’ numerous contributions to 

American history and outstanding military service from 

World War I through the recent conflicts in Afghanistan 

and Iraq: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) expresses support for the designation of 

3 ‘‘National Borinqueneers Day’’; 

4 (2) recognizes the bravery, service, and sacrifice 

5 of the Puerto Rican soldiers of the 65th Infantry 

6 Regiment in the armed conflicts of the United 

7 States in the 20th and 21st centuries; 


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•HRES 1039 IH 

1 (3) expresses deep gratitude for the contribu2 tions to the Armed Forces that have been made by 

3 hundreds of thousands of patriotic United States 

4 citizens from Puerto Rico; and 

5 (4) urges individuals and communities across 

6 the United States to participate in activities that are 

7 designed— 

8 (A) to celebrate the distinguished service of 

9 the military veterans who served in the 65th In10 fantry Regiment, known as the 

11 ‘‘Borinqueneers’’; 

12 (B) to pay tribute to the sacrifices made 

13 and adversities overcome by Puerto Rican and 

14 Hispanic military service members; and 

15 (C) to recognize the significant contribu16 tions to American history made by the 65th In17 fantry Regiment, known as the 

18 ‘‘Borinqueneers’’. 

Æ 


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