Council members María Quiñones-Sánchez and David Oh presented a resolution to City Council recognizing 2015 as the “Year of the Borinqueneers - United States Army 65th Infantry Regiment” in Philadelphia, to honor and celebrate the remarkable military accomplishments of the Puerto Rican Regiment.

The resolution was adopted on Jan. 22 during the City Council session.

“Councilwoman Quiñones-Sánchez and I introduced this resolution because we believe that the Borinqueneers are deserving of this recognition for their military service,” Oh said. “This highly decorated military regiment displayed courage and valor while sacrificing their lives for freedom, despite facing segregation and prejudice.”

The 65th Infantry Regiment was a Puerto Rican regiment of the United States Army which participated in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. The unit decided to call themselves the “Borinqueneers,” a term derived from the Taino word for Puerto Rico meaning “Land of the Brave Lord.”

The Borinqueneers 65th Infantry Regiment was the largest, longest-standing, and only active-duty segregated Latino military unit in United States history.

“This all-volunteer regiment exemplified the kind of dedication and honor that Puerto Ricans and the larger Latino communities have in service of our country. It is important that the history of their service is memorialized to ensure that Puerto Ricans claim the full value of their American citizenship,” Oh said. “It is an honor to call 2015 the ‘Year of the Borinqueneers’ and I hope that this acknowledgment serves as a reminder to our communities that Latinos have and continue to make impactful contributions to our country.”