New Haven, Conn. (September 11, 2024) – “Honor and Fidelity” is the motto of the 65th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Borinqueneers, the only Puerto Rican unit in the United States Army. To honor National Hispanic Heritage Month, Connecticut author Talia Aikens-Nuñez will share the 65th’s story—one of forgotten sagas of the Korean War—and the challenges they faced leading up to the largest court martial in the war in “Men of the 65th: The Borinqueneers of the Korean War,” at the New Haven Museum on October 3, 2024, at 6 p.m., preceded by a reception at 5:30 p.m. Register for this free event here.
Since the regiment’s creation in 1899, the men of the 65th have proudly served the U.S .through multiple wars, despite facing racial discrimination. The Borinqueneers fought in World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Due to segregation, Aikens-Nuñez says, it was not until the Korean War that they were able to demonstrate their determination, bravery and courage.
Aikens-Nuñez will base her lecture on her book of the same title, underscoring the courageousness of the men of the 65th and the soldiers’ firsthand accounts of the Korean War. The commander of the United Nations Forces, General MacArthur, visited the unit on the Korean battlefield and praised their “brilliant record of achievement in battle.” But the honor and fidelity of the men of the 65th came into question in 1952, when 91 Borinqueneers were arrested and tried for desertion and disobeying orders. Years later the convictions were overturned for the Borinqueneers and they were given honorable discharges.
Guided by her experience of raising bi-cultural children, Aikens-Nuñez was inspired to contribute to the literary landscape with a noble purpose—crafting multicultural children’s books that would resonate across diverse backgrounds. The catalyst for this unexpected journey was the birth of her daughter, who is illuminated in Aikens-Nuñez early works. It was the birth of her son that caused her to slightly shift her direction. Several years ago, while searching for a Halloween costume, Aikens-Nuñez asked her son if he wanted to be a superhero. “Brown boys can’t be superheroes,” he responded.” Devastated that her son could personally connect with those stories, she took him to see “Black Panther” and “Spiderman” (the Miles Morales version). For the next few Halloweens, he was a superhero and read every book available on Black Panther and Miles Morales. It was this experience that made her recognize the importance of identity through film and literature. When she heard the story of the Borinqueneers and she could not find one young adult or children’s book on them, she knew she had to write it. “Men of the 65th,” like her earlier stories, is rooted in the idea that literature should foster a sense of identity and belonging for readers, young and old.
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