Comentarios

I have read many of the commments listed about the Borinqueneers. My Father Emilio Morales Gonzalez joined in 1950-51 from Ft Buchanan. My Father comes from Ciales and my Mother from Orocovis. Jibaros (Hillbillies) and i am very Proud of every Puerto Rican who has servered and is still serving. I am a retired HMC (FMF). A Hospital Corpsman whom served out of 23 years, a little over 18 years with the USMC, from the Grunts to Recon to 3 front line tours.. I state this because if my Father had not joined during the Korean Conflict me and my brothers would have never had the life i have today… And God Bless every Borinqueneers.. Without YOU there would be no us that have served in Vietnam, Beruit, Kosovo, Panama, Desert Shield/Storm and Iraq and Afganistan. I served from 1983 to 2007 and have researched and read everything i could about the Proud Bornqueneers… Your Struggle & Fight is what keep us going.. My Brother MSGT Miguel Gonzales (Combat Medic), just retired and he has been on the Front lines also.. So Thank You and the people whom researched and put this together so the Legacy still lives of the Borinqueneers… i want my children here in the U.S. to know and keep it alive and yes i do take them to Puerto Rico every year so they dont forget there Proud Heritage… Semeper Fi… Vivat Jesus

I understand Miguels feelings about the service of our Puerto Rican soldiers, I had the same feelings myself and have personally experienced racism, however; I do not share his conclusion about the so called “American Reality”. It is actually a WORLD reality, including Puerto Rico where Puerto Ricans who speak Spanish with an accent, like myself, are called “Newyorkricans” and told to “go back home to New York”. During my military service and life experience I have learned their is hatred and discrimination ALL OVER the world, not just the United States. The only place you will find the perfect world is in Heaven. At least in the USA they are actively trying to right the many wrongs they have committed in the past. In my lifetime I have seen much progress. It is true the USA invaded Puerto Rico and we were a colony for many years, but since 1952 Puerto Rico again and again has freely chosen it present political status. I believe most of the Borinqueneers of the 65th Infantry were volunteer soldiers. Soldiers do not get to chose which wars they will fight. In addition, by freely chosing to continue to be part of the USA, Puerto Ricans automatically had to serve in its wars. As a Christian I believe the response to ignorance and racism is forgiveness and educating those you come in contact with. Chosing the path of hatred turns you into the very people you despise.

I’am a Boricua and a veteran of the viet-nam war era. I am of the opinion that even though many Puertoricans feel great pride in the acomplishments of the 65th,there are many issues that are being overlooked in this historical tale. for starters,I believe that it was an inmoral act for the U.S. to send Puertoricans to fight their wars.Puerto Rico did not choose/elect/pleaded/nor ask to be mandated american citizenship it was imposed on us by the congress of the U.S..without the consent of the people. They certainly did not willingly ask to fight americas wars. It was more a necessity than a free choice (go fight or continue to go hungry).they were nothing more than cannon fodder and to this day they havent been properly recognized Even today after having served in the military and having lived here for 46 years I still feel the comptempt that is so obvius to me or any Boricua who is living here.their courage and “patriotism” has been put to question by ignorant americans that dont even know that we are “american citizens” ,Instead of pride i feel a deep sadness and anger for all those Boricuas that served and gave their lives for a country that never cared a damm about them.I know in my heart that americans dont care a damm about my culture my little island my people or the many thousands of Boricuas that have died fighting American wars. No amount of ribbons medals or certicates can extinguish the bitter taste of discrimination and comptent that is part and parcel of this “american reality”.

I must say that I am impressed with the documentary “The Borinqueneers”, the reaction of our brothers and sisters that have served, and mostly with the faculty that have taken the time and many hours to put this DVD alive into our history to reveal the truth of what took place there in Korea. It is inpressive to know that many people have come forward to reveal what transpired there and not what the Govenment said it did. Our brothers and sisters want to clarify what happened in Korea, they want to put the truth out in the open for future generations to come…….. to teach them a little of our culture and involvement with the military. Our people fought with dignity and were victorious. Many of them didn’t returned home to their families and were not properly recognized. If they did, they were not given the proper medal for their service. I, myself, am retired from the United States Army after serving 33 years, 10 months, and 5 days of service. I worked with the 6th Brigade in Fort Buchanan during the years 1996-1999, and met many dedicated soldiers in Puerto Rico following the tradition of our elders……. shoes that we cannot fill. I would like to say…thank you, great job…..and let’s educate those that don’t know our place in history.

Sincerely Hector Collazo SFC, USA Retired

I was moved beyond measure over the valor displayed by the men of the 65th infintry as depicted in your documentary The Borinqueneers. My Puerto Rican father was 22 when he volunteered for the army. He could have easily been one of the fallen of the Korean war had it not been for the Army rejecting men with “flat feet”. The Borinqueneers reminded me of the courage of many of the Puerto Rican men that are/were our dads, uncles and brothers. Thank you for telling their story. I am filled with sorrow for the men who lost their lives and pride for the sacrifice they made. God bless them all.

I have a pic of the 65 batalion when the were deploid from puerto rico, my grand father is in the front row of the pic and you don’t have him in any of your pics . His name was Digno Emerito Nieves.So I would like to hear back from you all and maybe add some history that is obviosly lost to your biography.

Editor’s Reply:  We would be happy to accept your photos.  Please follow the submission guidelines on our website.  Visit this link:  http://borinqueneers.com/howtosubmit

Saludos a todos los Soldados y Veteranos Boricuas. Mi Abuelo Eladio “Yayo” De Leon de Patillas, PR sirvio en la guerra de Korea. Muy pocas veces me hizo commentarios de su experiencia, siempre fue muy reservado. Estoy sumamente orgulloso de mi abuelo por su sacrificio como soldado pero sobretodo por el ser humano que fue en vida. Donde podria comunicarme para averiguar sobre la participacion de mi Abuelo. Cualquier expediente o informacion seria apreciada.

Iwould like to have imformation on my brother Francis Richard SWAINSON,KIA ON JULY17TH 1953,FRIENDS , PICTURES,ANYTHING WOULD HELP. thank you jim flohr

Saludos para todos, en especial a todos los veteranos.Es bien emocionante ver a estos valientes heroes que pusieron y ponen el nombre de Puerto Rico en alto por sus grandes hazanas en el campo de batalla.Dieron a demostrar que somos igual o hasta mejor que el soldado americano,y eso me enorgullece.Tengo fotos de mi abuelo Agustin Santana Cruz el cual sirvió en el 65 inf. WWII,Korea y Vietnam y mi tio Roberto Santana Morales tambien en el 65 inf. en la div. tanques.Me gustaria saber como postear las fotos en esta pagina.Seria un privilegio tenerlos junto los demas soldados que aparecen en esta pagina.Le agradecere su ayuda.

Mi Papa, Pablo Correa (Puertorriqueño)sirvió en la Guerra de Korea desde septiembre de 1953 hasta octubre de 1955. El nunca nos habló de su experiencia militar, tampoco en nosotras (mis hermanas y yo)al reencontrarnos con él tuvimos la inquietud de preguntarle..ya que por muchos años vivimos separados…recien pude encontrar una Certificación de Servicio Militar (NA FORM 13038)que me permitirá poner sus cenizas en el Cementerio Nacional de Puerto Rico….Quisiera poder conseguir fotos de esa época de mi Papá vestido de Militar o de civil o encontrar a algun veterano que lo conoció, compartió con él y pueda contarnos algo de esa experiencia en Korea o en las Bases Militares Q estuvieron…Me mantengo buscando información, pero hasta ahora no he conseguido nada….Espero esa Gran Sorpresa…de Q alguien me de una respuesta por aqui….Saludos a Todos los Veteranos Boricuas, latinos y de EU……