There has only been one segregated Latino unit in U.S. military history. The Army refers to them as the 65-Infantry Regiment, but the members of that unit have long referred to themselves as the 鈥淏orinqueneers."
鈥淚t's a combination of 鈥楤or铆ken,鈥� which is what the name of Puerto Rico [is] by the original people that lived there, ,鈥欌�� said New Haven author . 鈥淎nd then the 鈥榚ers鈥� came from 鈥榖uccaneers,鈥� who were the Spanish pirates.鈥�
Aikens-Nu帽ez said she found out about the Borinqueneers during a Christmas visit with her husband鈥檚 family that spurred her to action.
鈥淢y husband was born and raised in Puerto Rico. His grandfather told me he was a part of the famed 65th [Infantry Regiment],鈥� Aikens-Nu帽ez said. 鈥淚 felt really ashamed because I didn't know who these men were.鈥�
She said that sent her to Google to find out more. The problem was there was very little information on the web either. And, she says, she couldn鈥檛 find a book detailing the exploits of the regiment.
鈥淢y husband turned to me and said, 鈥榃ell, I guess you need to write it!鈥欌�� Aikens-Nu帽ez said.
A defining moment
A decade later, in 2023, Aikens-Nu帽ez debuted her book
Despite the title specifically referencing their service in the Korean War, Aikens-Nu帽ez explained The Borinqueneers have actually been around since .
鈥淭hey served in World War I [and] World War II,鈥� Aikens-Nu帽ez said, 鈥渂ut they really made their mark in the Korean War, where they actually experienced combat.鈥�
It was on Christmas 1950 when the Borinqueneers had their defining moment, Aikens-Nu帽ez said.
鈥淭hey were actually in North Korea, and the Marines have become surrounded by North Korean and Chinese soldiers,鈥� Aikens-Nu帽ez said. 鈥淪o they created a line from where the Marines were out to the port, and led the back part of that to make sure that they kept the enemy at bay and helped to rescue different units in the military that were a part of the Korean War.鈥�
While serving in Korea, , including four Distinguished Service Crosses,125 Silver Stars, Presidential and Meritorious Unit Commendations, two Korean Presidential Unit Citations, and the Greek Gold Medal for Bravery. But, Aikens-Nu帽ez said the Borinqueneers service also got them into trouble with their own superior officers.
鈥淭here were a couple areas where they lost some ground, and one of the notable ones is called . And so, after the defeat, the military changed to a new commander. His goal was to 鈥榖ring discipline鈥� to the unit. So he ordered all of the men to shave their mustaches and beards until, as he put it, they can prove their manhood. He also removed their name, Borinqueneers,鈥� Aikens-Nu帽ez said.
The commander鈥檚 effort went even further, trying to strip the unique identity away from members of the 65th.
鈥淗e removed their specialized rations of rice and beans. And rice and beans, it was just a little something that the military did to kind of remind the men of home,鈥� she said.
Facing a double standard
Aikens-Nu帽ez said things went from bad to much worse at the subsequent .
鈥淚t was essentially an impenetrable rock, so they couldn't dig in, and they were too far in front of the mainline resistance to get air support,鈥� Aikens-Nu帽ez said. 鈥淪o day after day, they went on fighting on this hill, losing many, many, many men. So at one point, some of the men refused to fight, so those men were court-martialed, the largest court martial of the Korean War.鈥�
Ninety-one members of the 65th were court-martialed after the Jackson Heights debacle and sentenced to prison. However, the Secretary of The Army a year later after a public outcry. He blamed poor leadership and racism for the Borinqueneers' harsh treatment.
Aikens-Nu帽ez said an episode that soon followed in the infamous battle for Jackson Heights highlighted the double standard the 65th was facing.
鈥淎 bit after the time when they [the Borinqueneers] refused to fight, another unit 鈥� they refused to fight,鈥� Aikens-Nu帽ez said. 鈥淭hat was a white unit. They were not court-martialed.鈥�
Learn more
Author Talia Aikens-Nu帽ez will be at , talking about her book, 鈥淢en of the 65th: The Borninqueneers of the Korean War.鈥�
