Batallón Casadores de la Patria # 25, circa 1896

Military Records

     

Puerto Rico has a longstanding tradition of citizen-soldiers and local militia in its over five hundred year old history going back to the year 1510.

The Milicias Urbanas de Puerto Rico was first organized in 1693 and reorganized in 1765 as the Milicias Diciplinadas de Puerto Rico. After the Lares Uprising of 1868, the Spanish doubting the loyalty of Puerto Ricans, began to disband these companies, including the Compañia de Artilleros Morenos de Cangrejos, a separate company of black Puerto Ricans. The milicias, are the direct lineal ancestors of two of today’s Puerto Rico National Guard Units, the 295th and 296th Infantry. The milicias were replaced in 1871 by another similar organization, El Instituto de Voluntarios.
 

Vintage photograph of the number 1 Battalion of the Institute of Volunteers of Puerto Rico, created in 1870 by Governor Don Laureano Sanz. The purpose of this group was to maintain the order among civilians and to support the Veteran Forces in case of war. Although membership was voluntary, once the flag of oath was administered, the new

members were subject to the same military code as the regular army. In 1898, the Institute also became an armed political party as its members were affiliated with a Spanish political party.   In 1899, the U.S. Congress authorized the establishment of a military unit comprised of Puerto Ricans and in 1900 the Porto Rico Battalion was established. Through successive reorganizations this unit became the Porto Rico Voluntary Infantry, The Porto Rican Provisional Regiment of Infantry, the Porto Rico Regiment, U.S. Infantry and finally in 1920, the 65th Regiment, U.S. Infantry. The Puerto Rico National Guard eventually became the 296th Infantry Regiment (“Alerta Esta” - "Always Alert"). (1992 painting depicting the Puerto Rican 65th Infantry Regiment's bayonet charge against a Chinese division during the Korean War. Photo courtesy U.S. Army Center for Military History. )       Our Heroes The participation of the Puerto Ricans in the defense of the interests of the United States has been significant and in some cases, like in the Korean War, decisive. Sirvieron (Served) Heridos (Wounded) Muertos en Combate (Died in Combat) Quedan Vivos (Still Alive) Primera Guerra Mundial (World War I) (1914-1918) 18,000 5 1 110 Segunda Guerra Mundial (World War II) (1939-1945) 65,034 165 33 30,000 Guerra de Corea (Korean War) (1950-1953) 61,000 3,049 756 38,000 Guerra de Vietnam (Vietnam War) (1963-1973) 48,000 3,000 332 33,000 Golfo Pérsico (Persian Gulf) (1990-1991) 4,300 ? 1 ? Source: El Nuevo Día Newspaper, 30 May 2004