BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo honored the brave service members of the 65th Infantry Regiment — known as the Borinqueneers — during a ceremony Saturday at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park.
The event took place near the Hispanic American Veterans Memorial and marked National Borinqueneers Day, a day designated by Congress in 2021 to recognize the contributions of the U.S. Army unit made up primarily of Puerto Rican soldiers. The regiment served in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.
Among those in attendance was Ventura Colón, a U.S. Army veteran who was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Buffalo in the 1950s, shortly before being drafted. He reflected on the meaning of the day.
“We are very appreciative — and so is our community,” Colón said. “It’s reflected in the people you see here today.”
Colón now serves as president of the Hispanic American Veterans Monument. He helped lead the effort to build the memorials at the Naval Park that honor Hispanic veterans in Western New York.
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