The United States Department of Defense has estimated that approximately 61,000 Puerto Ricans served in the military during the Korean War, most of them volunteers. A total of 122 Puerto Rican soldiers were among the 8,200 people listed as missing in action (MIA). According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, there are 167 who are unaccounted for. This list does not include non-Puerto Ricans who served in the 65th Infantry, nor those who were "POW" (Prisoners of War) or "KIA" (Killed in Action). Nor does the total of this list include people of Puerto Rican descent who were born in the mainland of the United States.
Spain officially ceded Puerto Rico to the United States under the terms of the 1898 Treaty of Paris which concluded the Spanish–American War. It is a United States territory and upon the outbreak of World War I, the Congress enacted the Jones–Shafroth Act, which gave Puerto Ricans American citizenship with certain limitations (for example, Puerto Ricans are not allowed to vote in presidential elections).
Thousands of Puerto Ricans participated in these conflicts. Many lived and returned to their homeland, others either died or have been listed as missing in action. The term "MIA" dates from 1946 and refers to a member of the armed services who is reported missing following a combat mission and whose status as to injury, capture, or death is unknown. The missing combatant must not have been otherwise accounted for as either killed in action or a prisoner of war. The Korean War was one of two major conflicts which accounted for the most Puerto Ricans missing in action, the other being the Vietnam War.
Korean War
According to the online archive "All POW-MIA Korean War Casualties," the total number of Puerto Rican casualties in the Korean War was 732. Out of the more than 700 casualties suffered in the war, a total of 122 Puerto Rican men were listed as Missing in Action.
It was during the Korean War that Puerto Ricans suffered the most casualties as members of an all-Hispanic volunteer unit: the 65th Infantry Regiment. One of the problems the unit faced was the language difference; the common foot soldier spoke only Spanish, while the commanding officers were mostly English-speaking. In September 1952, the 65th Infantry was holding onto a hill known as "Outpost Kelly" until the People's Volunteer Army which had joined the North Koreans, overran the position. This became known as the Battle for Outpost Kelly. Twice, the 65th Regiment was overwhelmed by Chinese artillery and driven off. The Battle of Outpost Kelly accounted for 73 of the men missing in action from the total of 122. Out of the 73 MIAs suffered by the regiment in the month of September, 50 of them occurred on the same day: September 18.
According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency seven Puerto Ricans who were members of the United States Marine Corps, with the exception of PFC Ramón Núñez-Juárez and PFC Manuel Perez-Pizarro who were Killed In Action. PFC Enrique Romero-Nieves and PFC Ramón Núñez-Juárez were awarded the Navy Cross, the second highest medal after the Medal of Honor that can be awarded by the Department of the Navy. Ramón Núñez-Juárez, who was listed as MIA, was posthumously awarded the medal. Núñez-Juárez's remains have never been recovered and a symbolic burial with full military honors was held on October 25, 1970. There is a headstone with his name inscribed above an empty grave in the Puerto Rico National Cemetery, located in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. His name and that of the others are inscribed in El Monumento de la Recordación, a monument dedicated to the Puerto Ricans who have fallen in combat, located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Puerto Ricans missing in action
The following is a list with the names, ranks and the date in which 122 Puerto Ricans were listed as missing in action in the Korean War.
All of these men served within the ranks of the United States Army with the exception of Ramón Núñez-Juárez and Francisco González Matías, who served in the United States Marine Corps.
| Name | Rank | MIA date |
|---|---|---|
| Isaac Acevedo | E4Corporal | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Héctor Alfaro Alfaro | E1Private | 1952-09-24September 24, 1952 |
| Hugo Álvarez | E4Corporal | 1951-06-05June 5, 1951 |
| Luis Amaro García | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Euripides Amy-Colon | E3Private first class | 1952-02-06February 6, 1952 |
| Lopus Andino Fonseca | E1Private | 1952-09-24September 24, 1952 |
| Jorge Berríos Santiago | E1Private | 1952-09-24September 24, 1952 |
| Julio Bonilla Vega | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| José Burset Meléndez | E1Private | 1952-09-24 September 24, 1952 |
| A Caballero Moreno | E3Private first class | 1954-04-01April 1953 |
| Juan Calderón Osorio | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| A Calimano Texidor | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Benigno Caraballo | E1Private | 1951-12-11December 11, 1951 |
| Juan Caramot Ortiz | E1Private | 1952-09-24September 24, 1952 |
| Miguel Cartagena Colón | E1Private | UnknownUnknown |
| Manuel Colon Aponte | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Concepción Colón | E1Private | 1952-07-31July 31, 1952 |
| Luis Colón Negrón | E1Private | 1952-09-24September 24, 1952 |
| José Concepción López | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| James W. Connor | O3Captain | 1950-12-01December 1, 1950 |
| Zenon Cordero Cajigas | E1Private | 1952-09-24September 24, 1952 |
| Ángel Cortés Ostolaza | E1Private | 1952-09-24September 24, 1952 |
| Francisco Cosme Báez | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Jesús Cruz Beltrán | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| José Cruz Carrero | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Roberto Cruz Espinoza | E1Private | 1951-06-04June 4, 1951 |
| Nicolás Cruz Pérez | E4Corporal | 1953-06-10June 10, 1953 |
| Jesús Cruz Ramos | E3Private first class | 1953-06-09June 9, 1953 |
| Pablo Cruz Rosas | E3Private first class | 1952-11-25November 25, 1952 |
| Ángel Cruz Sánchez | E3Private first class | 1952-09-10September 10, 1952 |
| Carlos Dávila Rivera | E1Private | 1952-09-14September 14, 1952 |
| Wenceslao Delgado Ubiles | E1Private | 1952-10-19October 19, 1952 |
| Luis Díaz Acevedo | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Demetrio Díaz Algarín | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Fernando Díaz Colón | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Rafael Díaz Coto | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Saúl Droz Cartagena | E3Private first class | 1952-12-15December 15, 1952 |
| Carlos D. Feliciano | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Julio Feliciano Nieves | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Bienvenido Feliciano Otero | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Luis Figueroa Barbosa | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Julio Flores Navarro | E1Private | 1952-10-15October 15, 1952 |
| Ismael García Clara | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Cándido García Rosado | E3Private first class | 1952-09-25September 25, 1952 |
| Manuel González Bernard | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Israel González Nazario | E1Private | 1952-07-17July 17, 1952 |
| Juan E. González Ortiz | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Porfirio González Renta | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Ángel González Rosario | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Israel González Saez | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Santos González | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Isidro Hernández Dones | E4Corporal | 1952-09-21September 21, 1952 |
| Luis Hernández Rodríguez | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Benjamín Hernández Torres | E3Private first class | 1952-08-12August 12, 1952 |
| O. Irizarry Gerena | E1Private | 1951-12-16December 16, 1951 |
| A. Jiménez Olivencia | E4Corporal | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Miguel Jiménez Tosado | E3Private first class | 1953-07-09July 9, 1953 |
| Maximian Lacsamana | E4Corporal | 1950-12-03December 3, 1950 |
| Jaime Laugier | E4Corporal | 1952-02-16February 16, 1952 |
| Luis López Cronoz | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Herminio Luciano Rodriguez | E1Private first class | 1952-12-09December 9, 1952 |
| Israel Malaret Juarbe | E7Sergeant first class | 1952-12-10December 10, 1952 |
| Ramón Marquez De León | E3Private first class | 1952-10-27October 27, 1952 |
| Luis Martínez Hernández | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Ramon Martínez Landrón | E1Private | 1952-09-21September 21, 1952 |
| Luis Martínez | E1Private | 1952-11-06November 6, 1952 |
| Pedro Martínez Otero | E4Corporal | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Francisco Matos González | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Alberto Meléndez Meléndez | E3Private first class | 1952-10-23October 23, 1952 |
| Marcial Meléndez Negrón | E4Corporal | 1952-09-24September 24, 1952 |
| Luis Méndez Hernández | E4Corporal | 1952-07-19July 19, 1952 |
| Salomé Mercado Hernández | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Carlos Miranda Cotto | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Roberto Molina García | E3Private first class | 1952-09-21September 21, 1952 |
| Maximino Molina Gerena | E4Corporal | 1952-02-06February 6, 1952 |
| Sixto Montañez Franco | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Alfredo Morales Reyes | E4Corporal | 1952-08-14August 14, 1952 |
| Nelson Moreno Rosa | E4Corporal | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Ramón Murga Amador | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| José A. Napoleón Escudero | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Jorge Negrón Martínez | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| José Negrón Ortiz | E4Corporal | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Arcadio Nieves Larry | E4Corporal | 1952-09-24September 24, 1952 |
| Ramón Núñez-Juárez | E3Private first class | 1952-09-08September 8, 1952 |
| Bartolomé Pacheco | E1Private | 1952-01-08January 8, 1952 |
| Juan Peña Andújar | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Miguel Pérez | E3Private first class | 1952-01-08January 8, 1952 |
| Pedro Pérez Pérez | E3Private first class | 1952-08-12August 12, 1952 |
| Efraín Pérez Rodríguez | E4Corporal | 1952-07-20July 20, 1952 |
| Luis Pérez Villegas | E1Private | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Nicolás Pizarro Matos | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Pedro Pomales Pomales | E1Private | 1952-09-21September 21, 1952 |
| Pedro Angel Quiñones Velez | E4Corporal | 1952-09-24September 24, 1952 |
| Marino Quirindongo | E1Private | 1951-12-16December 16, 1951 |
| Marcos Reyes Rodríguez | E1Private | 1952-10-27October 27, 1952 |
| William Reyes | E1Private | 1951-06-05June 5, 1951 |
| Juan Rivera Carrillo | E3Private first class | 1952-10-28October 28, 1952 |
| Roberto Rivera Claudio | E1Private | 1952-10-01October, 1952 |
| Gilberto Rivera Cruz | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Israel Rivera Galarza | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Luis P. Rivera | E3Private first class | 1952-09-26September 26, 1952 |
| Raul Rivera Rodríguez | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Rubén Rivera | E1Private | 1952-09-24September 24, 1952 |
| Enrique Rodríguez | E1Private | 1953-07-08July 8, 1953 |
| Alberto Rodríguez Lozada | E7Sergeant first class | 1951-06-04June 4, 1951 |
| Pedro A. Rodríguez | E3Private first class | 1952-01-11January 11, 1952 |
| Juan Rojas Reyes | E3Private first class | 1952-09-20September 20, 1952 |
| Ramón Roque Peña | E3Private first class | 1952-10-16October 16, 1952 |
| José Rosado Bravo | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Francisco Rosario Meléndez | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Ángel Salgado Torres | E1Private | 1952-01-08January 8, 1952 |
| Ángel S. Sanabria | E3Private first class | 1952-01-28January 28, 1952 |
| Rafael Sánchez López | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Angel L. Santiago | E1Private | 1951-06-03June 3, 1951 |
| José Santiago Ortiz | E3Private first class | 1952-10-14October 14, 1952 |
| Ramón Santiago Rosario | E5Sergeant | 1952-02-06February 6, 1952 |
| Norberto Santos Rivero | E4Corporal | 1951-06-04June 4, 1951 |
| Nicolás Santos Rosario | E3Private first class | 1951-12-11December 11, 1951 |
| José Torres Cabán | O2First lieutenant | 1950-09-29September 29, 1950 |
| Jorge Torres Green | E1Private | 1952-07-19July 19, 1952 |
| Samuel Torres Rodríguez | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Jorge L. Vázquez | E5Sergeant | 1952-02-06February 6, 1952 |
| Luis Vélez Montes | E3Private first class | 1952-09-18September 18, 1952 |
| Miguel Vélez Santiago | E1Private | 1951-12-23December 23, 1951 |
| Miguel A. Zayas | E3Private first class | 1952-02-06February 6, 1952 |
Their names are inscribed in El Monumento de la Recordación (The Wall of Remembrance) located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
See also
- Military history of Puerto Rico
- 65th Infantry Regiment
- Henry Barracks, Puerto Rico
- Camp Las Casas
- List of Puerto Ricans missing in action in the Vietnam War
- List of Puerto Rican military personnel
- Borinqueneers Congressional Gold Medal
References
- ^ "Historic Review on the 65 Infantry Regiment" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 29, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
- POW/MIA Accounting Agency
- "Korean War–Cold War". Advocacy & Intelligence Index For POWs–MIAs Archives. Archived from the original on 2007-06-24. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
- "Jones-Shafroth Act". The Library of Congress. Archived from the original on 2019-05-08. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
- "Definition of MIA". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
- "CNN". Archived from the original on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2015-09-18.
- ^ "All POW-MIA Korean War Casualties: Puerto Rico". Advocacy & Intelligence Index For POWs-MIAs Archives. Archived from the original on 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
- "History of the 65th infantry regiment – Korean War". Valeros.com. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
- Outpost Kelly: A Tanker's Story, by Jack R. Siewert, Publisher: Fire Ant Books, ISBN 978-0-8173-5341-4
- "The 65th Infantry Regiment on Kelly in September 1952". Mervino.com. Archived from the original on 2006-06-23. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
- The Outpost War: US Marines in Korea Vol. 1 1952, By Lee Ballenger, Published 2000 Brassey's, p. 107, ISBN 1-57488-373-9
- Image of Núñez-Juárez's headstone
- "Puerto Rico National Cemetery". Interment.net. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-07-09.
- ^ "Monumento de la Recordación". Rootsweb.com. Archived from the original on 2007-08-18. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
- Source of data: the Korean War Extract Data File, as of April 29, 2008, of the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Files, part of Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. You can view the full DCAS record for an individual named in the list via the Access to Archival Databases resource, or AAD. The link to the AAD main page is as follows: www.archives.gov/aad
Further reading
- Puertorriquenos Who Served With Guts, Glory, and Honor. Fighting to Defend a Nation Not Completely Their Own; by Greg Boudonck; ISBN 978-1497421837
- Historia militar de Puerto Rico; by Hector Andres Negroni; Sociedad Estatal Quinto Centenario (1992); ISBN 84-7844-138-7
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