WORCESTER, Mass. - Tuesday marked the nation’s first National Borinqueneers Day, and the City of Worcester commemorated it with a flag raising.

National Borinqueneers Day was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.  It honors the bravery, service and sacrifice of Puerto Rican military members who served in the U.S. Army’s 65th infantry regiment. 

The unit served in both World Wars and the Korean War.

Carlos Perez says his father fought in the Korean War and serving for his country was one of his greatest honors.  

“When my father was in the war, when I talked to my father, and I said ‘How was things over there, what happened?’ And he said  ‘Well, we were proud because we wanted to make our home folk proud of us and what we did,’” Perez said. “He was really surprised when he finally did get home, they waited for him and they had parades  and everything else waiting for him. They were so proud and they fought so valiantly and they did such a great job to uplift the Puerto Rican people. 

Members of the Borinqueneers received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2016.