Borinqueneers Gold Medal Act Nears Quota Of Co-Sponsors Needed In Congress

By Larry Bystran, Fox News Latino

Simply put, the 65th Infantry Regiment Borinqueneers are the Latino-American equivalent of the famed Tuskegee Airmen and Navajo Code Talkers. The Borinqueneers must be recognized in like fashion with the Congressional Gold Medal, and take their rightful place in American history.

Hailing from Puerto Rico, the 65th Infantry Regiment Borinqueneers were the largest, longest-standing (1899-1959), and only active-duty segregated Latino military unit in U.S. history.

Like the Tuskegee Airmen, Navajo Code Talkers, Women Airforce Service Pilots, Nisei Soldiers, and Montford Point Marines who’ve already been recognized with the Congressional Gold Medal, the Borinqueneers overwhelmingly distinguished themselves in service and heroism, all the while enduring the additional hardships of segregation, discrimination, and adverse circumstances.

The youngest of these remaining Latino-American heroes are in their 80s and 90s, having served in World War II and the Korean War.

New co-sponsors of bill H.R.1756 in the U.S. House of Representatives have put the Borinqueneers Congressional Gold Medal Alliance at 204 or 70 percent of the 290 co-sponsors needed to further the House version of the Borinqueneers Congressional Gold Medal Act, the alliance reported on December 30th.

The U.S. House of Representatives bill was introduced this past spring by Representatives Pedro Pierluisi (D-PR) and Bill Posey (R-FL).

Click HERE to read the full story.

[Photo courtesy of Fox News Latino]

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