Korean War Legacy Project

Jose E. Colon

Bio

Jose E. Colon was born and raised in Puerto Rico. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1937. He served in the Pacific during WWII and was transferred home to Puerto Rico before the atomic bombs were dropped in Japan. In Puerto Rico, he worked as a clerk at headquarters and a recruitment officer in the United States Army Reserves. At the onset of the Korean War, he called fourteen hundred U.S. Army Reservists to report to duty in the 65th Infantry Regiment 43rd Battalion. He served as Master Sergeant for the 65th Infantry Regiment, also known as The Borinqueneers, the U.S. military’s only all-Hispanic unit. The 65th engaged on the front lines with North Korean and Chinese forces at the 38th Parallel. They endured discrimination, limited replacements, and dangerous living conditions. In the end, dozens of soldiers in the 65th Infantry Regiment were court-martialed for refusing orders. After serving for twenty-four years in the military, he earned the Congressional Gold Medal.

Video Clips

From Driving to Typing

Jose E. Colon remembers his duty as a driver for the company commander after six months of service. He discusses attending night school during his eight months driving the officer to learn typing and shorthand. He recalls the time when the commander complimented his driving and offered assistance. He recounts how he immediately informed the commander about his typing and shorthand skills which led to his new assignment as a clerk at headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Tags: Basic training,Civilians,Home front,Pride

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Recruiting Efforts

Jose E. Colon reflects on his three years of service in the United States Army Reserves. He shares his main duty was to reenlist WWII veterans who had recently returned home. He notes that when the Korean War broke out in 1950, he called fourteen hundred U.S. Army Reservists to report to duty in the 65th Infantry Regiment 43rd Battalion. He adds he continued his recruiting efforts in Puerto Rico while the 65th Regiment was in Korea. He discusses the lack of replacements for the 65th Regiment and his reassignment to the 7th Regiment upon his arrival in Korea.

Tags: Civilians,Front lines,Home front,Pride

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The 65th Regiment’s Efforts and Consequences

Jose E. Colon provides an account of the 65th Infantry Regiment's movement to the 38th Parallel during the Korean War. He praises the regiment's tenacity in pushing back the Chinese, allowing United States Marines to evacuate the area. He notes, however, the poor living conditions endured by the 65th Regiment and the court-martials that followed their refusal to push forward.

Tags: Chinese,Communists,Fear,Front lines,Impressions of Korea,Letters,Living conditions,North Koreans,Physical destruction,Pride,Weapons

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Poor and Dangerous Living Conditions

Jose E. Colon presents an overview of their living conditions in Korea. He describes the South Koreans’ primitive farming and sanitation methods, which led to an infestation of snakes and rats in the unit's living quarters. He explains how the rats carried insects that caused some soldiers to develop a fever by penetrating their veins. He discusses the low quality and limited supply of food and shares his unit had only C-rations to eat while on the front lines.

Tags: Civilians,Food,Front lines,Impressions of Korea,Living conditions,Poverty,South Koreans

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