Photo By Tech. Sgt. Daniel Farrell | The Borinqueneers are presented with 106th Rescue Wing coins during a Hispanic...... read more read more
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inqueneersAirman 1st Class Daniel H. Farrell
GABRESKI AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Westhampton Beach N.Y.– New York Air National Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing saluted seven Hispanic Korean War vets as the centerpiece of the wing’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration on Oct. 15, 2017.
The seven men, who traveled from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York City to participate, were members of the Army’s 65th Infantry Regiment. The regiment was based on Puerto Rico, recruited locally, and were nicknamed “the Borinqueneers.”
The name comes from the Taino people’s name for Puerto Rico.
During the Korean War the unit’s members earned 10 Distinguished Service Crosses, 256 Silver Stars and 606 Bronze Stars, and 2,771 Purple Hearts. Master Sgt. Juan Negron was awarded the Medal of Honor.
But the Puerto Rican Soldiers also had to fight prejudice from other Americans. They were Hispanic, and they spoke Spanish as their first language.
“I think it’s important to recognize what the Borinqueneers did for us,” said Senior MSgt. Lindsay Cunningham, the 106th Human Resource Advisor. “Not only did they have to deal with the war, but they had to deal with racism of the time.”
“They were called the rice and beans battalion by their white counterparts,” Cunningham said. “They fought for a country that at the time, wasn’t very nice toward them.”
On April 13, 2016, when President Barack Obama and Congress presented the regiment’s Soldiers with the Congressional Gold Medal to recognize their service.
Today the 65th Infantry is a part of the Puerto Rico Army National Guard.
The wing reached out to the Borinqueneers’ Congressional Gold Medal Committee in Washington DC, to invite the veterans to the event.
Airmen filled the wing auditorium to celebrate and pay tribute to the veterans and watched as each was presented with a wing coin by Lt. Col. Paul A. Salas, of the 106th Inspector General Complaints office.
“It was great seeing our base recognize them,” said Senior Airman Tatiana J. Garcia, a 106th Personnel Specialist. “These guys are heroes and it was an honor having the chance to meet them.”
In addition to paying tribute to the Borinqueneers, the 106th’s second annual Hispanic Heritage Month celebration featured traditional songs and dance, and a video highlighting the sacrifices of the 65th Infantry.
Master Sgt. Andres M. Velasquez, 106th Security Forces training manager, and Staff Sgt. Wendy Crow, 106th Aerospace Medical Technician, who kicked off the event by dancing Cumbia, a traditional musical genre from Latin America, both feel the observance of Hispanic culture is vital.
“Hispanic Heritage Month is important to us because it gives us a sense of pride,” said Velasquez and Crow. “It also gives us the ability to help educate our peers on the different cultures that we have within one.”
Although at times it was very emotional, the celebration ended with smiling faces and more dancing.
When 106th Wing Commander Col. Michael W. Bank was approached with the idea two years ago, he was all for it, said Cunningham. The base is around 25 percent Hispanic, so for us this is huge and it’s great to have so much support from our fellow wingmen.
| Date Taken: | 10.16.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 11.08.2017 09:05 |
| Story ID: | 254567 |
| Location: | WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 114 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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