65th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The Borinqueneers, a Puerto Rican regiment whose valor and sacrifices in Korea challenged the U.S. Army's own prejudices.
1910–2001 (age 91)·Puerto Rican regiment of the United States Army·Birthday: July 8·The Greatest Generation
Biography
For over a century, the 65th Infantry Regiment served as a point of fierce pride and complex struggle for Puerto Rico. Created after the island became a U.S. territory, the regiment was long relegated to support roles. The Korean War changed everything. Thrust into the front lines, the soldiers—nicknamed the Borinqueneers after Puerto Rico's indigenous name—fought with extraordinary tenacity in brutal conditions, earning praise for their bayonet charges and defensive stands. Yet they also faced systemic discrimination, including segregated units and orders delivered in English, a language many didn't fully command. A controversial mass court-martial in 1952 marred their record, but their overall heroism was undeniable. Their service forced the Army to integrate Puerto Rican soldiers more fully, and their long fight for recognition culminated in the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
65th was born in 1910, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When 65th Was Born
The biggest hits of 1910
65th's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1910Born
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1915Started school
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Became a teenager
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1926Could drive
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1928Could vote
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1931Turned 21
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1940Turned 30
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1950Turned 40
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1960Turned 50
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 60
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 70
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 80
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2001Died at 91
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
Key Achievements
- They were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014 for their pioneering service and sacrifices.
- The regiment participated in nine major campaigns during the Korean War, from the Pusan Perimeter to the stalemate along the 38th parallel.
- They executed the last recorded battalion-sized bayonet charge in U.S. Army history, against Chinese forces in Korea in 1951.
- Their service directly contributed to the desegregation of Puerto Rican soldiers within the U.S. Army structure.
Did You Know?
Their nickname, 'Borinqueneers,' combines 'Borinquen' (the Taino name for Puerto Rico) with 'Buccaneers.'
The regiment was originally organized as the 'Porto Rico Provisional Regiment of Infantry' in 1901.
In World War I, the regiment was posted to Panama to guard the canal, not to the European front.
A famous photograph from Korea shows a soldier of the 65th, Pablo Perez, holding the regiment's flag on a snowy hill.
“We fought for a flag that did not see us as equal citizens.”
