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1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, Military heroes who served valiantly and | ||||||
3 | honorably in wars in which this country's freedom was at stake | ||||||
4 | should be recognized by the people of this great nation; the | ||||||
5 | courage with which these soldiers fought should never be | ||||||
6 | forgotten; and
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7 | WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with | ||||||
8 | its long standing traditions, it is the sense of the members of | ||||||
9 | this body to urge Congress to recognize the 65th Infantry | ||||||
10 | Regiment, known as the Borinqueneers, and recommend that the | ||||||
11 | regiment receives the Congressional Gold Medal; and
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12 | WHEREAS, This auspicious honor is an award bestowed by the | ||||||
13 | United States Congress and is, along with the Presidential | ||||||
14 | Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United | ||||||
15 | States; it is given to persons who have had an impact on | ||||||
16 | American history and culture that is likely to be recognized | ||||||
17 | long after the achievement of the meritorious events; the | ||||||
18 | Borinqueneers have truly had this kind of impact; and
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19 | WHEREAS, Mandated by Congress in 1899, the 65th Infantry | ||||||
20 | Regiment from Puerto Rico, the Borinqueneers, played a | ||||||
21 | prominent role in American military history; the regiment has | ||||||
22 | participated in 3 United States wars, World War I, World War |
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1 | II, and, most notably, the Korean War; and
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2 | WHEREAS, Enlisted in the United States Armed Forces, the | ||||||
3 | Borinqueneers courageously shed their blood, sweat, and tears | ||||||
4 | to defend our freedoms; and
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5 | WHEREAS, The 65th Infantry Regiment of Puerto Rico earned | ||||||
6 | the sole distinction of conducting the last battalion-sized | ||||||
7 | bayonet charge in American military history; one battalion from | ||||||
8 | the 65th Infantry Regiment, the Borinqueneers, gallantly faced | ||||||
9 | overwhelming odds on February 2, 1951, while in combat against | ||||||
10 | the 9th Chinese Infantry Division; and
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11 | WHEREAS, The 65th Infantry Regiment served with | ||||||
12 | distinction and valor, earning two Presidential Unit | ||||||
13 | Citations, an Army Unit Superior Award, a Navy Unit Citation, | ||||||
14 | two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations, and the | ||||||
15 | Bravery Gold Medal of Greece; and
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16 | WHEREAS, The Congressional Gold Medal of Honor would affirm | ||||||
17 | that the 65th Infantry Regiment, the Borinqueneers, is an | ||||||
18 | American national treasure, who served their country with honor | ||||||
19 | and bravery; and
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20 | WHEREAS, In the spirit of true American heroism, the 65th | ||||||
21 | Infantry Regiment of Puerto Rico is an inspiration to every |
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1 | American; they are exceptional soldiers who deserve to be | ||||||
2 | recognized, commended, acknowledged, and remembered by the | ||||||
3 | people of the State of Illinois and the citizens of this great | ||||||
4 | nation; therefore, be it
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5 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
6 | NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
7 | we urge Congress to recognize the 65th Infantry Regiment of | ||||||
8 | Puerto Rico, known as the Borinqueneers, and further recommend | ||||||
9 | that they receive the Congressional Gold Medal based on their | ||||||
10 | gallant record of achievement on the battlefields, | ||||||
11 | particularly in Korea from 1950 to 1953; and be it further
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12 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
13 | delivered to the President of the Senate of the United States; | ||||||
14 | the Speaker of the House of Representatives; the members of the | ||||||
15 | Illinois congressional delegation; Frank Medina, National | ||||||
16 | Chair of the Borinqueneers Congressional Gold Medal Alliance; | ||||||
17 | Anthony Mele, Chairman of the 65th Infantry Regiment Honor Task | ||||||
18 | Force and great-grandson of Leonicio Beauchamp (65th Infantry | ||||||
19 | Regiment of Puerto Rico - 1917); and Javier Morales, President | ||||||
20 | of the 65th Infantry Veterans Association in Puerto Rico.
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