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List of Puerto Ricans missing in action in the Korean War

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The United States Department of Defense has estimated that approximately 61,000 Puerto Ricans served in the military during the Korean War, most of them volunteers.[1] A total of 122 Puerto Rican soldiers were among the 8,200 people listed as missing in action (MIA). According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, there are 167 who are unaccounted for.[2] This list does not include non-Puerto Ricans who served in the 65th Infantry, nor those who were "POW" (Prisoners of War) or "KIA" (Killed in Action). Nor does the total of this list include people of Puerto Rican descent who were born in the mainland of the United States.[3]

Spain officially ceded Puerto Rico to the United States under the terms of the 1898 Treaty of Paris which concluded the Spanish–American War. It is a United States territory and upon the outbreak of World War I, the Congress enacted the Jones–Shafroth Act, which gave Puerto Ricans American citizenship with certain limitations (for example, Puerto Ricans are not allowed to vote in presidential elections).[4]

Thousands of Puerto Ricans participated in these conflicts.[1] Many lived and returned to their homeland, others either died or have been listed as missing in action.[1] The term "MIA" dates from 1946 and refers to a member of the armed services who is reported missing following a combat mission and whose status as to injury, capture, or death is unknown. The missing combatant must not have been otherwise accounted for as either killed in action or a prisoner of war.[5] The Korean War was one of two major conflicts which accounted for the most Puerto Ricans missing in action, the other being the Vietnam War.[6]

Korean War

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1992 painting depicting the Puerto Rican 65th Infantry Regiment's bayonet charge against a Chinese division during the Korean War.
PFC Ramón Núñez-Juárez

According to the online archive "All POW-MIA Korean War Casualties," the total number of Puerto Rican casualties in the Korean War was 732. Out of the more than 700 casualties suffered in the war, a total of 122 Puerto Rican men were listed as Missing in Action.[7]

It was during the Korean War that Puerto Ricans suffered the most casualties as members of an all-Hispanic volunteer unit: the 65th Infantry Regiment. One of the problems the unit faced was the language difference; the common foot soldier spoke only Spanish, while the commanding officers were mostly English-speaking.[8] In September 1952, the 65th Infantry was holding onto a hill known as "Outpost Kelly" until the People's Volunteer Army which had joined the North Koreans, overran the position. This became known as the Battle for Outpost Kelly. Twice, the 65th Regiment was overwhelmed by Chinese artillery and driven off. The Battle of Outpost Kelly accounted for 73 of the men missing in action from the total of 122.[9] Out of the 73 MIAs suffered by the regiment in the month of September, 50 of them occurred on the same day: September 18.[10]

According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency seven Puerto Ricans who were members of the United States Marine Corps, with the exception of PFC Ramón Núñez-Juárez and PFC Manuel Perez-Pizarro who were Killed In Action. PFC Enrique Romero-Nieves and PFC Ramón Núñez-Juárez were awarded the Navy Cross, the second highest medal after the Medal of Honor that can be awarded by the Department of the Navy. Ramón Núñez-Juárez, who was listed as MIA, was posthumously awarded the medal. Núñez-Juárez's remains have never been recovered and a symbolic burial with full military honors was held on October 25, 1970.[11] There is a headstone with his name inscribed above an empty grave in the Puerto Rico National Cemetery, located in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.[12] His name and that of the others are inscribed in El Monumento de la Recordación, a monument dedicated to the Puerto Ricans who have fallen in combat, located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.[13][14]

Puerto Ricans missing in action

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The following is a list with the names, ranks and the date in which 122 Puerto Ricans were listed as missing in action in the Korean War.[15]

All of these men served within the ranks of the United States Army with the exception of Ramón Núñez-Juárez and Francisco González Matías, who served in the United States Marine Corps.[7]

Name Rank MIA date
Isaac Acevedo E4Corporal 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Héctor Alfaro Alfaro E1Private 1952-09-24September 24, 1952
Hugo Álvarez E4Corporal 1951-06-05June 5, 1951
Luis Amaro García E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Euripides Amy-Colon E3Private first class 1952-02-06February 6, 1952
Lopus Andino Fonseca E1Private 1952-09-24September 24, 1952
Jorge Berríos Santiago E1Private 1952-09-24September 24, 1952
Julio Bonilla Vega E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
José Burset Meléndez E1Private 1952-09-24 September 24, 1952
A Caballero Moreno E3Private first class 1954-04-01April 1953
Juan Calderón Osorio E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
A Calimano Texidor E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Benigno Caraballo E1Private 1951-12-11December 11, 1951
Juan Caramot Ortiz E1Private 1952-09-24September 24, 1952
Miguel Cartagena Colón E1Private UnknownUnknown
Manuel Colon Aponte E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Concepción Colón E1Private 1952-07-31July 31, 1952
Luis Colón Negrón E1Private 1952-09-24September 24, 1952
José Concepción López E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
James W. Connor O3Captain 1950-12-01December 1, 1950
Zenon Cordero Cajigas E1Private 1952-09-24September 24, 1952
Ángel Cortés Ostolaza E1Private 1952-09-24September 24, 1952
Francisco Cosme Báez E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Jesús Cruz Beltrán E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
José Cruz Carrero E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Roberto Cruz Espinoza E1Private 1951-06-04June 4, 1951
Nicolás Cruz Pérez E4Corporal 1953-06-10June 10, 1953
Jesús Cruz Ramos E3Private first class 1953-06-09June 9, 1953
Pablo Cruz Rosas E3Private first class 1952-11-25November 25, 1952
Ángel Cruz Sánchez E3Private first class 1952-09-10September 10, 1952
Carlos Dávila Rivera E1Private 1952-09-14September 14, 1952
Wenceslao Delgado Ubiles E1Private 1952-10-19October 19, 1952
Luis Díaz Acevedo E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Demetrio Díaz Algarín E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Fernando Díaz Colón E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Rafael Díaz Coto E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Saúl Droz Cartagena E3Private first class 1952-12-15December 15, 1952
Carlos D. Feliciano E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Julio Feliciano Nieves E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Bienvenido Feliciano Otero E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Luis Figueroa Barbosa E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Julio Flores Navarro E1Private 1952-10-15October 15, 1952
Ismael García Clara E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Cándido García Rosado E3Private first class 1952-09-25September 25, 1952
Manuel González Bernard E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Israel González Nazario E1Private 1952-07-17July 17, 1952
Juan E. González Ortiz E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Porfirio González Renta E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Ángel González Rosario E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Israel González Saez E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Santos González E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Isidro Hernández Dones E4Corporal 1952-09-21September 21, 1952
Luis Hernández Rodríguez E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Benjamín Hernández Torres E3Private first class 1952-08-12August 12, 1952
O. Irizarry Gerena E1Private 1951-12-16December 16, 1951
A. Jiménez Olivencia E4Corporal 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Miguel Jiménez Tosado E3Private first class 1953-07-09July 9, 1953
Maximian Lacsamana E4Corporal 1950-12-03December 3, 1950
Jaime Laugier E4Corporal 1952-02-16February 16, 1952
Luis López Cronoz E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Herminio Luciano Rodriguez E1Private first class 1952-12-09December 9, 1952
Israel Malaret Juarbe E7Sergeant first class 1952-12-10December 10, 1952
Ramón Marquez De León E3Private first class 1952-10-27October 27, 1952
Luis Martínez Hernández E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Ramon Martínez Landrón E1Private 1952-09-21September 21, 1952
Luis Martínez E1Private 1952-11-06November 6, 1952
Pedro Martínez Otero E4Corporal 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Francisco Matos González E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Alberto Meléndez Meléndez E3Private first class 1952-10-23October 23, 1952
Marcial Meléndez Negrón E4Corporal 1952-09-24September 24, 1952
Luis Méndez Hernández E4Corporal 1952-07-19July 19, 1952
Salomé Mercado Hernández E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Carlos Miranda Cotto E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Roberto Molina García E3Private first class 1952-09-21September 21, 1952
Maximino Molina Gerena E4Corporal 1952-02-06February 6, 1952
Sixto Montañez Franco E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Alfredo Morales Reyes E4Corporal 1952-08-14August 14, 1952
Nelson Moreno Rosa E4Corporal 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Ramón Murga Amador E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
José A. Napoleón Escudero E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Jorge Negrón Martínez E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
José Negrón Ortiz E4Corporal 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Arcadio Nieves Larry E4Corporal 1952-09-24September 24, 1952
Ramón Núñez-Juárez E3Private first class 1952-09-08September 8, 1952
Bartolomé Pacheco E1Private 1952-01-08January 8, 1952
Juan Peña Andújar E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Miguel Pérez E3Private first class 1952-01-08January 8, 1952
Pedro Pérez Pérez E3Private first class 1952-08-12August 12, 1952
Efraín Pérez Rodríguez E4Corporal 1952-07-20July 20, 1952
Luis Pérez Villegas E1Private 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Nicolás Pizarro Matos E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Pedro Pomales Pomales E1Private 1952-09-21September 21, 1952
Pedro Angel Quiñones Velez E4Corporal 1952-09-24September 24, 1952
Marino Quirindongo E1Private 1951-12-16December 16, 1951
Marcos Reyes Rodríguez E1Private 1952-10-27October 27, 1952
William Reyes E1Private 1951-06-05June 5, 1951
Juan Rivera Carrillo E3Private first class 1952-10-28October 28, 1952
Roberto Rivera Claudio E1Private 1952-10-01October, 1952
Gilberto Rivera Cruz E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Israel Rivera Galarza E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Luis P. Rivera E3Private first class 1952-09-26September 26, 1952
Raul Rivera Rodríguez E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Rubén Rivera E1Private 1952-09-24September 24, 1952
Enrique Rodríguez E1Private 1953-07-08July 8, 1953
Alberto Rodríguez Lozada E7Sergeant first class 1951-06-04June 4, 1951
Pedro A. Rodríguez E3Private first class 1952-01-11January 11, 1952
Juan Rojas Reyes E3Private first class 1952-09-20September 20, 1952
Ramón Roque Peña E3Private first class 1952-10-16October 16, 1952
José Rosado Bravo E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Francisco Rosario Meléndez E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Ángel Salgado Torres E1Private 1952-01-08January 8, 1952
Ángel S. Sanabria E3Private first class 1952-01-28January 28, 1952
Rafael Sánchez López E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Angel L. Santiago E1Private 1951-06-03June 3, 1951
José Santiago Ortiz E3Private first class 1952-10-14October 14, 1952
Ramón Santiago Rosario E5Sergeant 1952-02-06February 6, 1952
Norberto Santos Rivero E4Corporal 1951-06-04June 4, 1951
Nicolás Santos Rosario E3Private first class 1951-12-11December 11, 1951
José Torres Cabán O2First lieutenant 1950-09-29September 29, 1950
Jorge Torres Green E1Private 1952-07-19July 19, 1952
Samuel Torres Rodríguez E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Jorge L. Vázquez E5Sergeant 1952-02-06February 6, 1952
Luis Vélez Montes E3Private first class 1952-09-18September 18, 1952
Miguel Vélez Santiago E1Private 1951-12-23December 23, 1951
Miguel A. Zayas E3Private first class 1952-02-06February 6, 1952

Their names are inscribed in El Monumento de la Recordación (The Wall of Remembrance) located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.[14]

El Monumento de la Recordación

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Historic Review on the 65 Infantry Regiment" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 29, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
  2. ^ POW/MIA Accounting Agency
  3. ^ "Korean War–Cold War". Advocacy & Intelligence Index For POWs–MIAs Archives. Archived from the original on 2007-06-24. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
  4. ^ "Jones-Shafroth Act". The Library of Congress. Archived from the original on 2019-05-08. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
  5. ^ "Definition of MIA". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
  6. ^ "CNN". Archived from the original on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2015-09-18.
  7. ^ a b "All POW-MIA Korean War Casualties: Puerto Rico". Advocacy & Intelligence Index For POWs-MIAs Archives. Archived from the original on 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
  8. ^ "History of the 65th infantry regiment – Korean War". Valeros.com. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
  9. ^ Outpost Kelly: A Tanker's Story, by Jack R. Siewert, Publisher: Fire Ant Books, ISBN 978-0-8173-5341-4
  10. ^ "The 65th Infantry Regiment on Kelly in September 1952". Mervino.com. Archived from the original on 2006-06-23. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
  11. ^ The Outpost War: US Marines in Korea Vol. 1 1952, By Lee Ballenger, Published 2000 Brassey's, p. 107, ISBN 1-57488-373-9
  12. ^ Image of Núñez-Juárez's headstone
  13. ^ "Puerto Rico National Cemetery". Interment.net. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  14. ^ a b "Monumento de la Recordación". Rootsweb.com. Archived from the original on 2007-08-18. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
  15. ^ Source of data: the Korean War Extract Data File, as of April 29, 2008, of the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Files, part of Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. You can view the full DCAS record for an individual named in the list via the Access to Archival Databases resource, or AAD. The link to the AAD main page is as follows: www.archives.gov/aad

Further reading

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