BUFFALO, N.Y. — Local veterans were honored Thursday at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park on National Borinqueneers Day.
The National Borinqueneers Day Commemoration ceremony held in Buffalo honors all local veterans who served with the 65th Infantry Regiment.
National Borinqueneers Day is held April 13 to honor the 65th Infantry Regiment, a unit of predominantly Puerto Rican soldiers who fought in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.
Military medals were presented posthumously to the family of Buffalo-native Pedro Rodriguez DeJesus.
Names of all local Borinqueneers, both living and deceased were read during a wreath laying ceremony.
Members of the 65th Infantry earned over 10 Distinguished Service Crosses, 258 Silver Stars, 628 Bronze Stars, 2,771 Purple Hearts, several citations and commendations, and received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2016.
The WNY Hispanic Veterans Memorial Committee, the Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York, and the American Legion Gabriel A. Rodriguez Post 1928 collaborated for Thursday's event.