Borinqueneer In Texas On The Ship

Meet highly decorated and recipient of The Borinquenner Congressional Gold Medal for serving with the 65th Infantry Regiment, Sergeant First Class (Ret) Angel Rosario. This veteran served in the Vietnam and Korean Wars. He takes us on a journey of when he left on the “big ship and saw the island getting smaller and smaller” when a Corporal assigned as a 11E, serving and controlling armored combat vehicles…tanks. SFC (Ret) Rosario remembers most the pain of having to leave his wife and children behind and of the many lives lost while he and his fellow soldiers were enduring the pains of war. While reminiscing, he recounts that it took 35 days on the ship and once docked onto snow, the fighting began. A sense of pride emerges, “I am very proud to have served alongside many Borinqueneers who served our great country,” adding that with that pride also came freedom.

DAV KEL-LAC Chapter 114

Rosario expresses gratitude, “I am so happy to know that we, and the history of the 65th Infantry Regiment, will not be forgotten thanks to DAV Kel-Lac Ch 114.” This Helotes, Texas Chapter lead by Cmdr. Luis A. Cortes, and backed by devoted officers, members, and families continues to make history across the United States and Puerto Rico in representing veterans and their triumphs. The writing had been in the works and a lot of brainstorming took place when first presenting TX Senate Resolution 480, to Past Sen. Van De Putte (2013), TX Senate Proclamation to Past Sen. Uresti (2015), and Tx Resolution 15R2480 to Past Rep. Galindo (2015). Kel-Lac Ch. 114 initiated these proclamations and resolutions to House and Senate as constituents when approval for a 2-mile strip on HWY 16 erected The Borinqueneers sign honoring the same. Rosario was present. “I was so blessed to have my wife, Luz Rosario, present before she lost the fight to cancer in January of 2020. This was not all, there was also Texas Law HB 912, that allows issuance of specialty license plates for recipients of the Borinqueneers Congressional Gold Medal.

Accompanied by his daughters, Yvette Rosiaio and Ruth Games, who took pictures at the event he exclaimes his excitement, “… proud and honored to have been the first recipient in the state of Texas to have received the Texas Borinqueneers Specialty License Plates. The law was passed with the immeasurable support of Texas Senator Jose Menendez and Texas House Representative Ph.D. Philip Cortez.

CORTES DISABLED VETERANS AND ALLIANCE, INC.

Countless interviews and bill writing sessions later, Cmdr. Luis A. Cortes opens his own Non-Profit becoming the CEO of an organization that continues the legacy of spearheading projects for Texas and Puerto Rico Veterans. On a recent trip to Puerto Rico to present the ideas of a Borinqueneers and Veterans Memorial and a change in street name to honor their service, Cortes, never imagining the impact of this request, left the same week with confirmation of acceptance to both. Aguadilla City Ordinance 32 (2022) which authorized a change in street name to Avenida Los Boriqueneers “Borinqueneer Avenue” took place with the blessing of City of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Mayor Hon. Julio Roldan-Concepcion. This endeavor was accompanied by setting a site for the memorial at the Aguadilla Paraíso Del Mar Cemetery directed by Joseph Cortes, CEO of Puerto Rico Somos Gente, an outfit that rebuilds homes lost in disasters like the catastrophic Hurricane Maria. SFC (Ret) Angel Rosario remembers Puerto Rico fondly, and is convinced that the “beautiful island of Puerto Rico will be blessed with this memorial,” To all this one question remains…How do you see this “Welcome Home” making an impactful legacy for our future, military communities in Puerto Rico, and our American Nation? To which Borinqueneer SFC (Ret.) Angel Rosario responds, “glad to see that before I pass that people are keeping the legacy of the 65th alive and that they will know about our sacrifices and be educated more and more about what the 65th Regiment represents.”