Thursday was a big day for Connecticut’s Puerto Rican community. Not only did the state Capitol kick off this weekend’s Puerto Rican Parade festivities with a ceremonial flag raising, but U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal also announced that he has been planning legislation to honor the “Borinqueneers”, the only Puerto Rican segregated unit that served in WWI, WWII and the Korean War, during the event.
The Capitol’s raising of the Puerto Rican national colors in recognition of Sunday’s celebration created an opportune moment for Blumenthal to address his plans to introduce a proposal into the Senate similar to H.R. 1726, which requests that Congress award the 65th Infantry Division, also known as the Borinqueneers, the Congressional Gold Medal.
During the Korean War, the peak of the division’s achievements, the Borinqueneers participated in nine major campaigns, earned two Presidential Unit Citations, a Meritorious Unit Commendation and two Republic of Korea Unit Citations. In the entire history of the highly decorated unit, members have earned ten distinguished service crosses, 258 Silver Stars, 628 Bronze Stars and more than 2,700 Purple Hearts.
Blumethal was joined by members of the Greater Hartford Puerto Rican Parade and Hispanic American Veterans of CT for the ceremony.
Later Thursday afternoon he tweeted, “Great to see proud faces of the Borinqueneers, who valiantly served in our armed forces, at #Hartford flag raising.”
