Full Text of SR0160 98th General Assembly
SR0160 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The United States 65th Infantry Regiment, better | 3 | | known as the Borinqueneers, traces its lineage from the first | 4 | | U.S. Infantry Battalion of native Puerto Rico Volunteer Troops | 5 | | authorized by Congress in 1899; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, During World War I, after Puerto Rico | 7 | | patriotically requested that the Selective Service
Draft law be | 8 | | extended to Puerto Rico, the 65th Infantry Regiment went to war | 9 | | with the strength of 1,969 men; the unit bravely defended the | 10 | | Panama Canal and fought overseas for liberty; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, After serving in both the North African and | 12 | | European theaters during World War II, the 65th Infantry | 13 | | Regiment stayed after Germany's surrender to serve in dangerous | 14 | | security, anti-sabotage, and other occupation missions around | 15 | | Kaiserslautern and Mannheim, Germany; the troops of the 65th | 16 | | were among the last units to come home from the war; and
| 17 | | WHEREAS, In 1950, after arriving in Pusan, the men of the | 18 | | 65th Infantry Regiment were one of the first fighting | 19 | | infantrymen of the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division (The Rock of the | 20 | | Marne) to fearlessly meet the enemy on the battlefield of | 21 | | Korea; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, In 1950, the 65th Infantry Regiment bravely | 2 | | protected the 1st Marine Division, the
Army's 7th Infantry | 3 | | Division, and their supply lines as they withdrew from a large | 4 | | Chinese army near the Manchurian border that had recently | 5 | | agreed to support North Korea during the campaign; and | 6 | | WHEREAS, The 65th Infantry Regiment held their own against | 7 | | overwhelming enemy forces in a rear-guard action during the | 8 | | strategic evacuation of Hungnam, helping United Nations and | 9 | | U.S. forces to successfully return to South Korea to fight | 10 | | again another day; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, In 1951, the 65th Infantry Regiment fought for | 12 | | three days before the 449th and 262nd
Battalions fixed bayonets | 13 | | and boldly charged the Chinese troops in order to force an | 14 | | enemy retreat and take the disputed hill through the last | 15 | | bayonet charge in U.S. Army history; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, The 65th Infantry Regiment saved the 3rd Division | 17 | | Headquarters and its commanding general while camping nearby | 18 | | when they spotted the enemy approaching and organized a | 19 | | counterattack after an enemy infantry regiment infiltrated the | 20 | | lines; and
| 21 | | WHEREAS, During the Korean War, Puerto Rico represented | 22 | | some 61,000 soldiers who served the U.S. Army; Puerto Rico |
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| 1 | | sustained one casualty for every 660 of its inhabitants, | 2 | | proportionately suffering more casualties than a majority of | 3 | | states; and | 4 | | WHEREAS, 6,000 Puerto Rican soldiers served in the 65th | 5 | | Infantry Regiment, distinguishing themselves over a three-year | 6 | | period and receiving awards for bravery; the soldiers of the | 7 | | 65th were also credited with the last regimental bayonet | 8 | | assault in U.S. Army history; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, The Borinqueneers selflessly served and | 10 | | sacrificed, repeatedly giving credence to General Douglas | 11 | | MacArthur's statement that "the gallant 65th Infantry... by | 12 | | valor, determination, and a resolute will to victory give daily | 13 | | testament their invincible loyalty to the United States", | 14 | | ensuring our prosperity as they faced segregation, | 15 | | discrimination, and unequal American citizenship; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, The Borinqueneers helped pave the way for full | 17 | | integration of the United States Armed Forces and ensuring | 18 | | equal U.S. citizenship and civil rights for all that reside in | 19 | | the United States under our flag; and
| 20 | | WHEREAS, Major achievements are attributed to many of those | 21 | | who returned to civilian life and earned leadership positions | 22 | | and respect as businessmen, corporate executives, religious |
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| 1 | | leaders, lawyers, doctors, educators, bankers, and political | 2 | | leaders; and | 3 | | WHEREAS, The U.S. 65th Infantry Regiment's colors were | 4 | | passed to the Puerto Rico National Guard in 1959; this marks | 5 | | the only instance in U.S. Army history that Active Unit Colors | 6 | | were turned over to a National Guard Unit, rather than retired; | 7 | | and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, The U.S. 65th Infantry Regiment has repeatedly | 9 | | displayed its bravery in combat, earning Battle Campaign Awards | 10 | | for Naples-Foggian, Rome-Arne, Central Europe, and Rhineland | 11 | | Campaigns during World War II, and nine Korean Battle Campaign | 12 | | Awards, the Presidential and Meritorious Unit Commendations, | 13 | | two Korean Presidential Unit Citations, the Greek Gold Medal, | 14 | | the Navy Unit Commendation, and others during the Korean War; | 15 | | its individual members have received 10 Distinguished Service | 16 | | Crosses, 258 Silver Stars, 628 Bronze Stars, and over 2,700 | 17 | | Purple Hearts, among many other individual awards; and | 18 | | WHEREAS, These brave Borinqueneers have earned their place | 19 | | alongside the great list of American heroes and are deserving | 20 | | of being honored, commended, and never forgotten by this august | 21 | | body and the United States of America for their great feats of | 22 | | courage; therefore, be it
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| 1 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL | 2 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the United | 3 | | States 65th Infantry Regiment (the Borinqueneers) for their | 4 | | painful sacrifices, selfless service, gallantry in battle, | 5 | | great contributions, and steadfast loyalty to our nation; and | 6 | | be it further
| 7 | | RESOLVED, That we urge Congress and the President to award | 8 | | the Congressional Gold Medal to the Borinqueneers of the U.S. | 9 | | 65th Infantry Regiment; and be it further | 10 | | RESOLVED, That we encourage the Governor of the State of | 11 | | Illinois to issue a proclamation articulating his support in | 12 | | granting the Congressional Gold Medal to the U.S. 65th Infantry | 13 | | Regiment and to utilize his resources in realizing the | 14 | | aforementioned request; and be it further | 15 | | RESOLVED, That we commend the efforts of the original US | 16 | | 65th Infantry Regiment Association for their work as the | 17 | | principle keepers of the Borinqueneers' brave flame of devotion | 18 | | to Duty, Honor, and Country; and be it further | 19 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be sent | 20 | | to the President of the United States, the President of the | 21 | | United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of | 22 | | Representatives, the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, the |
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| 1 | | members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation, the Speaker | 2 | | and Minority Leader of the Illinois House of Representatives, | 3 | | the President of the US 65th Veterans' Association, the | 4 | | Chairman of the Borinqueneer CGM Alliance, and the Puerto Rican | 5 | | Agenda Committee.
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