65th Infantry Regiment

The 65th Infantry was the first Puerto Rican unit to serve in the U.S. military service; enacted by the congress on March 2, 1899, a year after United States took possession of Puerto Rico from Spain. The battalion composition was four companies of around 400 volunteer’s infantries and their primary mission was the defense of the island. After a year, the battalion developed a regiment size.
On May 27, 1908, a congress’s reenactment made the 65th Infantry Regiment part of the U.S. Army. They took part in World War I (WWI), WWII and Korean War; despite all adversities they had a heroic participation against communism in Korea during Cold War. The 65th Infantry Regiment proved themselves in many battles during the Korean War because they
Two days after the invasion, President Harry S. Truman ordered U.S. air and naval forces to interfere in Korea. United States military leadership recommended the deployment of Americans ground troops. The United Nations Security Council approved unanimously a resolution authorizing military action to repel North Korea. After this action fifteen United Nations (U.N.) members were supporting South Korea with the deployment of troops. This incursion was the first military movement of the Cold War.
65th Infantry Regiment called to serve
On August 26, 1950, less than two months of the Korean War origin, the 65th Infantry Regiment was called to serve. At the time, the regiment was under strength, composed of 92 officers and 1,895 enlisted. The authorized strength was 4,000. More than fifty percent of the regiment’s officers were Americans, and all the enlisted personnel were Puerto Rican. Many of the 65th troops were World War II veterans, and most of them were bilingual, speaking English and Spanish. The Regimental Commander was COL William W. Harris a West Point graduated and WWII veteran. The Regiment left Puerto Rico and crossed the Panama Canal in the