FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Oliver Fajardo, National Historian
Email:
June 11, 2014
Washington, D.C. — Latinos have a long, rich history in the United States (U.S.) armed forces. Yesterday, in a historic ceremony, the last segregated military unit in U.S. history was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by President Barrack Obama. The Borinqueneers join baseball legend Roberto Clemente as the only Latinos to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
The 65th Infantry Regiment, better known as the “Borinqueneers”, was a military unit comprised of mostly Puerto Ricans. Originally organized as the Porto Rico Provisional Regiment of Infantry in 1901, the unit was renamed the 65th Infantry Regiment in 1920 after serving in the Panama Canal Zone during World War I. During World War II, the Borinqueneers served in Europe and faced the Wehrmacht at several engagements. The regiment distinguished itself during the Korean War. The Borinqueneers fought gallantly against the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, at times fighting opposition that had greater numbers. The Borinqueneers made a famous bayonet charge against the enemy during this conflict. The Borinqueneers make us proud of being Americans and Latinos and now have a place in history.
We would like to thank two Brothers who have worked diligently and have contributed their time to make this day possible. Brother Wilson Camelo owns Camelo Communication and provided pro-bono marketing, public relations and social media services to the Borinqueneers Congressional Gold Medal Alliance. Brother Camelo was inducted into the fraternity in the spring of 1993 at Lambda Chapter (University of Connecticut). Brother Camelo obtained coverage on USA Today, Al Punto con Jorge Ramos, and National Public Radio (NPR) among others so that the Borinqueneers story could be told. This unit is an important piece of American history that future generations will remember.
Brother Gabriel Botero Jr. serves as U.S. Senator (Connecticut) Richard Blumenthal’s Military and Veterans Outreach Aide. In 2013, the staff of Representative Pedro Pierluisi (Resident Commissioner – Puerto Rico) approached the staff of Senator Blumenthal to introduce a companion senate bill to a recently introduced house bill for the Congressional Gold Medal. Brother Botero was instrumental in getting the Senator to support the idea and introduce a senate version of the bill as an original cosponsor (Senate Bill S-1174).
Brother Botero worked tirelessly with his Senate colleagues, veterans groups, advocates, and Brother Camelo to help the bill gain Senate co-sponsors. To get the Congressional Gold Medal, Senate Bill S-1174 needed a minimum of 67 Senate co-sponsors (and 290 co-sponsors in the respective U.S. House of Representatives bill).
We thank the Borinqueneers for their service and to Brother Camelo and Brother Botero for providing services to this group of veterans. In addition, we would like to thank Brother Camelo and Brother Botero as they themselves are veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
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Founded on December 1, 1975 at Kean University in Union, New Jersey, Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. is the first nationally recognized Greek-letter organization founded as a Latin fraternity. The membership of Lambda Theta Phi is open to all college men who support its values of scholarship, respect for all cultures, community service, and the advancement and fair treatment of Latinos in the United States. Lambda Theta Phi was the first Latin Fraternity to be recognized by the North-American Inter-Fraternity Conference (NIC), a member of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO), and has over 140 Chapters and Colonies across the United States. More information about Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. can be found at www.Lambda1975.org.