The United States Flag, a symbol of freedom and the American way of life. This was not exactly the case during the early 1950's. With our world soon at war, our country faced racial controversies that would later accompany its victories at war into the history pages of the year 1952. The 92nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, formally the 65th Porto Rico Infantry Regiment is a regiment unlike any other. It is rich in history in that it was amongst the first U.S. Territories .
abroad to form a national military of citizens from another country. The 65th would later own its fair share of victories during the world campaigns of World War I, II, and later the Korean War. However, it wasn't until the mass Court Martial of G Company 2-65th Infantry Regiment, seen as a racist attack on the Regiment by Continental Officers, that their ill-fated stories of ethnic discrimination were told.
The 65th Infantry Regiment, originally the Porto Rico Provisional Regiment of Infantry is a Regiment rich in history. Although some of its members fought during the civil war, this Regiment was not formally recognized by the U.S. War Department until the 1898 Treaty of Paris. After which an Army Appropriation Bill enacted through an Act of Congress on 2 March 1898 ordered the U.S. presence and massing of an all-volunteer force of Puerto Ricans. Although .
the Regiment consisted of mostly Spanish speaking foot soldiers, the U.S. Senate ordered that men wishing to the regiment undergo a series of mental and physical examinations; this indoctrination process was the first cultural barrier faced by the Porto Rico Provisional Regiment. Since little of its volunteers spoke English only a select few where commissioned to serve at the grade of Second Lieutenant, meaning that the mostly Spanish speaking Regiment .
was to be commanded by American Commissioned and Noncommissioned Officers.
Despite its regional segregation, Soldiers of the Porto Rico Provisional Regiment pressed forward.