Historical Profile: Puerto Rican Veterans Memorial

Puerto Rican Veterans Memorial - Boston, MA.

Boston, MA. – Located in the south end section of Boston, the Puerto Rican Veterans Memorial is dedicated to all Puerto Rican veterans who have served in the United States military. The memorial site and sculptures were created by Robert Shure and Skylight Studios, Inc.

The focal point of the memorial is a statue of two soldiers. One soldier is wearing a contemporary Army combat uniform and the other soldier is wearing a desert camouflage uniform. At the base of the statue it reads: “La libertad no es gratis,” which means in English: “Freedom is not free.”

In addition to the statue of the two soldiers, the memorial includes a bust of Roberto Clemente and a Purple Heart Monument. Roberto Clemente was a U.S. Marine Corps reservist and the first Latin American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

One section of the Memorial reads: “In honor of all Puerto Rican Veterans who have served our country: In 1999, Boston’s Puerto Rican veterans dedicated a memorial at this site to honor the valiant contribution made by Puerto Rico’s 65th Infantry Regiment during the Korean War. The Memorial was expanded in 2013 in order to venerate the sacrifice made by all Puerto Rican veterans who have served in every war and armed conflict from the Revolutionary War to the present time. This Memorial honors and provides a living monument to those who have worn the uniforms of all branches of the Armed Forces and served with honor, loyalty, and distinction to preserve the liberty that we all enjoy.”

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