Honor and Fidelity. That is the motto of the 65th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Borinqueneers: Men of the 65th: The Borinqueneers of the Korean War a YA Military Nonfiction by Talia Aikens-Nunez Book Tour with Giveaway
MEN OF THE 65TH
Talia Aikens-Nunez
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GENRE: YA nonfiction
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BLURB:
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. -pages 65-67
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Talia
Aikens-Nuñez writes chapter books, picture books, and nonfiction for children.
Her daughter inspired her to write her OMG Series of books about an accidental
little witch. She and her husband live on a river in Connecticut with their
daughter and son.
Amazon
buy link:
https://www.amazon.com/Men-65th-Borinqueneers-Korean-War-ebook/dp/B0BNT3ZRZQ/
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GIVEAWAY
Talia Aikens-Nunez will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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