{"id":68814,"date":"2016-04-27T23:05:53","date_gmt":"2016-04-27T23:05:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2016\/04\/27\/u-s-honors-puerto-ricans-who-fought-died-in-segregated-unit\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T12:09:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T12:09:10","slug":"u-s-honors-puerto-ricans-who-fought-died-in-segregated-unit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/veterans\/2016\/04\/27\/u-s-honors-puerto-ricans-who-fought-died-in-segregated-unit\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. honors Puerto Ricans who fought, died in segregated unit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico \u2014 Angel Acevedo looked down at the Congressional Gold Medal in his hands as his eyes welled with tears during a ceremony held Wednesday to honor Puerto Ricans like him who faced discrimination and waited decades to be recognized for fighting several wars under the last segregated unit in combat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 94-year-old Purple Heart recipient then pointed at a group of fellow veterans gathered in front of him at an imposing 16th-century fort from where the United States fired the first shots during World War I at a German ship leaving the U.S. territory. Acevedo praised the valor of his friends in the wars that followed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;We were in combat 66 years ago and today history has arrived to recognize us,&#8221; said Acevedo, who fought in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War as part of the 65th Infantry Regiment. &#8220;When I was wounded, those Borinqueneers saved my life.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Borinqueneers were a Hispanic unit segregated from other soldiers as were the black Tuskegee Airmen and Navajo Code Talkers. But it was not until this year that Acevedo and others like him received the highest civilian award given by Congress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;We are infinitely grateful to be recognized for what we went through and what we did,&#8221; said Acevedo, who spent eight months in a hospital in Hawaii after a mine exploded near his Jeep in Korea with such force that it threw him into a rice paddy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2346\" height=\"1740\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635973804259333242-puerto-rico-borinquen-weig-2-jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-101347\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635973804259333242-puerto-rico-borinquen-weig-2-jpg.jpg 2346w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635973804259333242-puerto-rico-borinquen-weig-2-jpg.jpg?resize=300,223 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635973804259333242-puerto-rico-borinquen-weig-2-jpg.jpg?resize=768,570 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635973804259333242-puerto-rico-borinquen-weig-2-jpg.jpg?resize=1024,759 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635973804259333242-puerto-rico-borinquen-weig-2-jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1139 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635973804259333242-puerto-rico-borinquen-weig-2-jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1519 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2346px) 100vw, 2346px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Puerto Rico war veterans walk during a ceremony to award them their Congressional Gold Medals at a ceremony in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The veterans were part of the 65th Infantry Regiment known as the Borinqueneers, which faced discrimination and was the last segregated unit in combat. (AP Photo\/Danica Coto)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span>Puerto Rico war veterans walk during a ceremony to award them their Congressional Gold Medals at an April 27 ceremony in San Juan, Puerto Rico.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span>Photo Credit: Danica Coto\/AP<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico&#8217;s representative in Congress, was among those who fought for the Borinqueneers to be recognized and said that because of their efforts Latinos have been able to integrate into the U.S. military. The Borinqueneers had once faced discrimination, such as being punished for speaking Spanish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Robert McDonald, the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, traveled to the U.S. territory for the ceremony and praised the Borinqueneers. He lamented that many died before receiving the medal, including one who single-handedly stopped an enemy assault through the night after his group was attacked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Their service in both World Wars, and especially in Korea, is truly legendary,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This medal is long overdue.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2600\" height=\"1950\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635973804252469198-puerto-rico-borinquen-weig-1-jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-101349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635973804252469198-puerto-rico-borinquen-weig-1-jpg.jpg 2600w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635973804252469198-puerto-rico-borinquen-weig-1-jpg.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635973804252469198-puerto-rico-borinquen-weig-1-jpg.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635973804252469198-puerto-rico-borinquen-weig-1-jpg.jpg?resize=1024,768 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635973804252469198-puerto-rico-borinquen-weig-1-jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1152 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635973804252469198-puerto-rico-borinquen-weig-1-jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1536 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2600px) 100vw, 2600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Puerto Rico war veteran Angel Acevedo, 94, examines his Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Acevedo was part of the 65th Infantry Regiment known as the Borinqueneers, which faced discrimination and was the last segregated unit in combat. (AP Photo\/Danica Coto)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span>Puerto Rico war veteran Angel Acevedo, 94, examines his Congressional Gold Medal on April 27 at a ceremony in San Juan, Puerto Rico.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span>Photo Credit: Danica Coto\/AP<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Echoing that sentiment was 88-year-old Rafael Gomez, who fought in Korea and said he observed how Puerto Rican soldiers often would be sent into the hardest missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;It is truly a late recognition because the majority of us have died,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the oldest living Borinqueneer soldiers honored on Wednesday was 104-year-old Martin Morales, who fought in World War II. He remained seated in his walker for the ceremony but later walked around the fort&#8217;s grounds to greet and chat with his friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Sweet Mary, this has been good,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I&#8217;ve had a happy day today.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Angel Acevedo looked down at the Congressional Gold Medal in his hands as his eyes welled with tears during a ceremony held Wednesday to honor Puerto Ricans like him who faced discrimination and waited decades to be 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