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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, United States Army National Guard Retired
3Brigadier General Walter McCostlin of Fox River Grove, age 81,
4is an honorably discharged veteran of the 65th Infantry
5Regiment, the "Borinqueneers"; and
 
6    WHEREAS, During "America's Forgotten War", the Korean War,
7the 65th Infantry earned a significant number of combat honors,
8including service in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in December
9of 1950; in the Korean War, members of the 65th Infantry were
10awarded more than 860 combat decorations for valor and more
11than 2,700 Purple Hearts; and
 
12    WHEREAS, After being awarded the Purple Heart as a member
13of the 65th Infantry and being discharged from Korean War
14service, Gen. McCostlin resumed his service career in the
15National Guard; after 35 years as a Guardsman and Guard
16officer, he retired in 1990 as a Colonel; and
 
17    WHEREAS, In retirement from the service, Gen. McCostlin was
18granted the rank and honors of an Illinois Army National Guard
19Brigadier General by Governor Jim Edgar; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Gen. McCostlin has spoken with the media about his
21pride in serving with the 65th Infantry; almost all of its

 

 

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1members were Spanish-speaking young men, many of them from
2Puerto Rico; the regiment served with high honor in World War
3I, World War II, and the Korean War, before being dissolved
4into other units as part of the overall U.S. Armed Forces
5transition from segregated and ethnic-concentrated units into
6desegregated units; and
 
7    WHEREAS, In deference to the heroism of the 65th Infantry,
8their combat missions, and the heritage of the United States
9Armed Forces Spanish-speaking and Hispanic servicemen and
10women, the United States Congress has voted, by special
11resolution, to present to surviving members of the 65th
12Infantry the Congressional Gold Medal; and
 
13    WHEREAS, The Congressional Gold Medal, the highest-ranking
14honor awarded by Congress, is granted to few units and their
15survivors; among previous recipients of this award are the
16surviving Tuskegee Airmen; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The Congressional Gold Medal will be bestowed to
18surviving members of the 65th Infantry Regiment, the
19"Borinqueneers", at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 13, 2016, in
20Washington, D.C.; therefore, be it
 
21    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
22NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we

 

 

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1express our deepest gratitude to Retired Brigadier General
2Walter McCostlin and to his fellow members of the 65th Infantry
3Regiment, for dedicating their lives to the service of our
4country; and be it further
 
5    RESOLVED, That we join with the United States Congress in
6marking this occasion with a moment of remembrance for the
7service of all members of the United States Armed Forces, and
8in special recognition of those of Spanish-speaking and
9Hispanic heritage; and be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to
11General Walter McCostlin and his family as a symbol of our
12respect and esteem.