Author Guest Post with Talia Aikens-Nunez: Men of the 65th

Since the regiment’s creation in 1899, the men of the 65th have proudly served the US through multiple wars, despite facing racial discrimination.

Welcome to the March 24th stop on the blog tour for Men of the 65th by Talia Aikens-Nunez with Goddess Fish Promotions. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, more author guest posts, and a giveaway! More on that at the end of this post.

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Author Guest Post

My inspiration for writing the story

About ten years ago, during a family gathering at my in-laws, my husband’s grandfather told me that he served in the military during the Korean War. He proudly explained that he served with the 65^thInfantry Regiment, the Borinqueneers. I felt ashamed because I had never heard of this unit and, if I am being truly honest, I didn’t know how to spell Borinqueneer. After he explained some of their history to me, I wanted to know more about the only Latino segregated unit in United States Army history. Next, I did what most people do today – I googled them.  Sadly, there were not many books available on them. What angered me the most was that I could not find one book appropriate for my kids to read about them. So, I decided to write one.

I researched the unit by watching documentaries on the unit, reading memoirs by commanders of the unit, reading military history books, looking up and reading old articles, talking to and interviewing former Borinqueneers. I wrote, edited, and re-wrote multiple sections of the book. Eventually, I found an editor at Lerner who was interested in this little-known story in American history. Lerner worked with me to polish the manuscript up and here we are.

Because my husband’s grandfather was the one who introduced me to their story, the book is dedicated to him and his memory. And, my kids and other kids can read about this heroic unit and how they fought for our country.

About the Book

Men of the 65th
The Borinqueneers of the Korean War
by Talia Aikens-Nunez

Publishing 2 May 2023
Zest Books

Genre: YA Non-Fiction, History
Page Count: 136
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!

Honor and Fidelity. That is the motto of the 65th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Borinqueneers, the only Puerto Rican unit in the United States Army.

Since the regiment’s creation in 1899, the men of the 65th have proudly served the US through multiple wars, despite facing racial discrimination. Their courage, loyalty, and patriotism earned them hundreds of accolades, including the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014.

But the honor and fidelity of the men of the 65th came into question in 1952, in the midst of the Korean War, when ninety-one Borinqueneers were arrested and tried for desertion and disobeying orders. How could this happen in one of the most distinguished and decorated units of the Army?

In this telling of one of the forgotten stories of the Korean War, author Talia Aikens-Nuñez guides us through the history of the Borinqueneers and the challenges they faced leading up to what was the largest court martial in the entire war. Rediscover the bravery of the men of the 65th through Aikens-Nuñez’s thorough writing and the soldiers’ firsthand accounts of the Korean War.

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Excerpt

“The Borinqueneers successfully defended the 1st Marine Division’s retreat, but they soon realized this was only part of a much larger withdrawal of UNC [United Nations Command] troops. As the retreat continued into mid-December, news came that the enemy buildup had accelerated. Chinese and North Korean forces were gathering and converging on Hungnam. The UNC’s worst fears were coming true: they were losing ground in the war.

They had to accelerate their plans in response to protect their troops and evacuate the Korean refugees that had fled to Hungnam. They ordered troops to board ships, division by division, and sail south to Pusan… Meanwhile, the 65th and the 3rd Infantry Divisions would hold the main line of resistance, providing enough cover for everyone to make it safely out of Hungnam…With each withdrawal, the enemy continued to push the Borinqueneers and the 3rd Infantry Division.

…They were exhausted from several days of fighting…The soldiers of the 65th were some of the last to leave Hungnam. They were hurried and squeezed tightly onto the final boats. Finally, they could rest and relax. Once they left, the military would destroy the port so the enemy could not use the equipment and facilities against them.

…After they loaded onto the final ship and set sail, the dynamite detonated. The soldiers looked back and watched the port explode…everything – erupted in smoke and flame.

About the Author

Talia Aikens-Nuñez is passionate about sharing with young readers the little known stories, accomplishments, and contributions of people of color from all throughout history. Aikens-Nuñez is the author of Small Nap, Little Dream, a bilingual Spanish/English picture book. She and her husband live in Connecticut with their two children.

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Giveaway Alert!

Talia Aikens-Nunez will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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