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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION |
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| INTRODUCED BY CRUZ, YOUNGBLOOD, STABACK, KORTZ, McGEEHAN, W. KELLER, BUXTON, DONATUCCI, CALTAGIRONE, BOYLE, GEORGE, JOSEPHS, PASHINSKI, SIPTROTH, PAYTON, PHILLIPS, CLYMER, M. O'BRIEN, VULAKOVICH, HESS AND D. COSTA, MARCH 23, 2010 |
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| REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, MARCH 23, 2010 |
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| A RESOLUTION |
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1 | Urging the Citizens' Advisory Committee of the United States |
2 | Postal Service to issue a United States postal stamp honoring |
3 | the heroism of the "Borinqueneers" of the 65th Infantry |
4 | Regiment of the United States Army, the only all-Hispanic |
5 | unit in the history of the United States Army. |
6 | WHEREAS, The 65th Infantry Regiment of the United States Army |
7 | was created in 1899 by the Congress of the United States as a |
8 | segregated unit composed primarily of Puerto Ricans with mostly |
9 | continental officers; and |
10 | WHEREAS, The unit was nicknamed the "Borinqueneers" after |
11 | "Borinquen," the word given to Puerto Ricans by the island's |
12 | original inhabitants, the Taino Indians; and |
13 | WHEREAS, The Borinqueneers displayed valiant and meritorious |
14 | service in World War I, World War II and the Korean War; and |
15 | WHEREAS, During the Korean War, the 65th Infantry Regiment |
16 | earned praise from General MacArthur, participated in nine major |
17 | campaigns and was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation, a |
18 | Meritorious Unit Commendation and two Republic of Korea Unit |
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1 | citations; and |
2 | WHEREAS, Individual members of the unit during the Korean War |
3 | earned ten Distinguished Service Crosses, 421 Silver Stars and |
4 | 156 Bronze Stars; and |
5 | WHEREAS, In 1956, the Borinqueneers became the last |
6 | segregated unit to be deactivated and became the only unit ever |
7 | to be transferred from an active United States Army component to |
8 | the Puerto Rican National Guard; and |
9 | WHEREAS, The 1st Battalion, 65th Infantry Regiment was |
10 | assigned to the 92nd Infantry Brigade and today continues its |
11 | service during the Global War on Terrorism; and |
12 | WHEREAS, Since inception of the unit, more than 20,000 Puerto |
13 | Ricans have served as Borinqueneers, but their contributions and |
14 | sacrifices have gone largely unnoticed by the country at large; |
15 | and |
16 | WHEREAS, Honoring the Borinqueneers with a commemorative |
17 | United States postal stamp would be a fitting and lasting |
18 | tribute for the brave soldiers of the 65th Infantry Regiment and |
19 | would serve to educate the American public about their existence |
20 | and service; therefore be it |
21 | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the |
22 | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Citizens' Advisory |
23 | Committee of the United States Postal Service to issue a United |
24 | States postal stamp honoring the heroism of the "Borinqueneers" |
25 | of the 65th Infantry Regiment of the United States Army, the |
26 | only all-Hispanic unit in the history of the United States Army. |
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