NEW BRITAIN — There was no better way to honor the Borinqueneers than a sunny and warm morning, where people joined at the Beaver Street monuments to remember the service of those who fought for their country but are too often forgotten.
Monday morning, people gathered at the Borinqueneers monument to celebrate the recognition and honor of the 65th Infantry Regiment. The 65th Infantry is called the Borinqueneers, a nickname that comes from the Indigenous Taíno’s name for Puerto Rico or “Borinquen.”
The ceremony opened with a speech by New Britain Latino Coalition President Carmelo Rodriguez Jr. and by Mayor Erin Stewart. Both highlighted that this ceremony was to honor the Borinqueneers who fought in both World Wars and the Korean War and to recognize their service to the country.
“I’m incredibly proud of the fact that we are home to such a significant monument that pays homage to the impact that the brave men of the 65th Infantry continue to have on our country,” Stewart said.
Both emphasized the importance of teaching people about those who may not have been heard as much as others, and why their services were important for the country, not only during battles, but also post-wars.
“The brave soldiers who served in the 65th Infantry not only courageously fought for our country but paved the way for many soldiers of Puerto Rican descent who served after them,” Stewart said. “It is an honor to celebrate their sacrifice and the impact of the Boriqueneer legacy that we still feel to this day.”
During the ceremony, the Marine Corps League Hardware City Department joined and performed the traditional honors.
“We’re very honored to be here just to do the honor guard for the Borinqueneers, because they are a very important division in the history of our military,” said Joe Marrocco, a Marine veteran and part of the crew who performed the honors.
Two Puerto Ricans veterans, Lesbia I. Nieves and Angel Fernandez, also spoke during the event, explaining how the Borinqueneers helped them succeed in their military careers.
Nieves is the Latina first brigadier general in the state, and said the Borinqueneers have had a strong impact on her and her career. As she met some of them during and after the service, she said the way they have served communities has been imprinted in her mind.
“It’s about continued community, civic service to ensure that we educate our up and coming leaders about what it is to be able to be part of something greater than yourself,” Nieves said.
Sharing this legacy goes through telling the story of the many who have fought and continued helping others even when retired, like Celestino Cordova. She shared his story and how for more than 40 years, he has been working, advocating, educating and informing.
“It’s about ensuring that the legacy of history never fades away. By continuing the mission of sharing their stories and how it is relevant here today and what we’re dealing with even today in 2025,” she said. “Being able to rise up as a community, as a society and say we will not go away, and we’re not going to go away.”
Fernandez has served from 1989 to 2017 and has been the first Puerto Rican that got inducted in the American Police Hall of Fame, as well to get the J. Edgar Hugo Award from the FBI.
Having family that has served in the Borinqueneers, he said he has found lots of parallels between his career challenges and their challenges at the time.
“They are our leg. We are their legacy. We learn from them. They paved the way for us,” he said. “And throughout my whole career, every time I went through adversity and every block I went through, I thought about them.”
To him, keeping the memory of those veterans also comes through teaching the younger generation about their story and how what they did has impacted today’s world.
“We need to keep educating our young kids, not just Puerto Ricans, but all the kids. The idea that everybody from every race has contributed to this country and to move forward from that and work together,” Fernandez said.
