Honor and Fidelity – The 65th Infantry Regiment

.    The Korean War This segregation continued during the Korean War, but McArthur held the 65thin such high regard that he pushed for them to become integral in many of the fraught battles fought throughout the war. Its unit members were in fact some of the first to engage in the fighting, including against the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.   When the U.S. Marines withdrew from the Chosin Reservoir in December 1950, the 65th stayed behind to protect the rear. Attached to the 1st Marine Division, the regiment was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for its actions. By the time the war had ended, the 65th had amassed 10 Distinguished Service Crosses, 256 Silver Stars and 606 Bronze Stars—but at the cost of some 750 killed and 2,400 wounded in action. Despite the heroics of the men in the 65th, discrimination continued, culminating during the Korean War with a mass court martial. A hundred and sixty-two Puerto Ricans of the 65th Infantry were arrested, 99 soldiers court martialed and 91 found guilty and sentenced to prison terms after their failure to hold Hill 391. Later negations between the U.S. government led to clemencies for everyone involved, and a 2001 Army report cited a number of issues leading up to the court martials, including blatant discrimination against the Puerto Rican soldiers. The 65th as an all-Puerto Rican regiment was disbanded in the mid-‘50s, but many of its members, including Flores’ cousin, who was assigned to Germany later in his career, decided to remain in the military. And finally, the 65th is getting the recognition it deserves, including having streets named after it in the Bronx, New York, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Honor and Fidelity The goal of having the 65th awarded the Congressional Gold Medal is now gaining traction in Congress, thanks to the help of several organizations, including the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Hispanic American Veterans of Connecticut, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the American GI Forum and the National Puerto Rican Coalition. (For more information, visit www.65thcgm.org.) “Because there are so few remaining members of the original all-Puerto Rican 65th Regiment left it’s very important that we recognize them now. They should be honored and receive the medals they rightly deserve so they can pass them down to their family members,” Flores says. “This will help preserve their motto: ‘Honor Et Fidelitas,’ or ‘Honor And Fidelity.’” Antonio (Tony) Flores Jim Utsler’s other articles: Costa Rica: An Investment Opportunity for Hispanic Business Demographics and Tastes Can Be Key to Success