Congressional Gold Medal Sought for Borinqueneers

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Puerto Rican veterans are seeking the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of the contributions they made fighting for the United States. They want the recognition other former segregated military units, such as the Tuskegee Airmen and the Navajo Code Talkers, have received.
As reported by Fox News Latino, Puerto Rican soldiers were known as the Borinqueneers in the wars of the last century. Frank Medina, the president of the Boriqueeneers Congressional Gold Medal Alliance, and a number of Borinqueneer veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the recent conflicts in the Middle East now want the recognition that other former segregated military units, such as the Tuskegee Airmen and the Navajo Code Talkers, have been granted.
Members of the Borinqueneers alliance have started a campaign, both on the island and in the mainland U.S., to spur Congress to award the medal to the Puerto Rican veterans and raise awareness for the adversity the soldiers faced on the battle field and upon return to civilian life. “They served their country and then they got back to Puerto Rico to find that they don’t have the same status as other soldiers,” said Javier Morales, the president of the 65th Infantry Veterans Association.
This Latino-American unit was mainly made up of Puerto Ricans, but also included some recruits with other Latino backgrounds, as well as continental officers. The Borinqueneer who later achieved the highest rank, a Mexican-American from Texas named Richard E. Cavazos, became the first ever Latino-American Four-Star Army General.
An additional priority is to identify all living Borinqueneers. They, or friends and relatives, should email the Borinqueneers Congressional Gold Medal Alliance at 65thCGM@gmail.com.
 


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