Sergeant First Class Agustín Ramos Calero (June 2, 1919 – February 10, 1989) was awarded 22 decorations and medals from the U.S. Army for his actions during World War II and the Korean War, thus becoming the most decorated Puerto Rican and Hispanic soldier in the

United States military The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...

during that war.Who was Agustín Ramos Calero?
"Interview: "The Borinqueneers", August 2005; Captain Charles E. Boyle; Operations and Intelligence Section of the 65th Regimental Headquarters from 1950-1951

Early years

Calero was born and raised in the town of Isabela, Puerto Rico, which is located in the northern region of

Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...

. The economic situation in Puerto Rico during the 1930s was difficult as a result of the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

. Due to the shortage of jobs in the island, many Puerto Ricans joined the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

which offered a guaranteed income.

World War II

In 1941, Calero joined the Army and was assigned to Puerto Rico's 65th Infantry Regiment at Camp Las Casas in Santurce, Puerto Rico. There he received his training as a

rifleman A rifleman is an infantry soldier armed with a rifling, rifled long gun. Although the rifleman role had its origin with 16th century hand cannoneers and 17th century musketeers, the term originated in the 18th century with the introduction o ...

. Upon the outbreak of World War II, Calero was reassigned to the Third U.S. Infantry Division and sent to Europe. In 1945, Calero's company was in the vicinity of

Colmar Colmar (; ; or ) is a city and commune in the Haut-Rhin department and Alsace region of north-eastern France. The third-largest commune in Alsace (after Strasbourg and Mulhouse), it is the seat of the prefecture of the Haut-Rhin department ...

, France and engaged in combat against a squad of German soldiers in what is known as the Battle of Colmar Pocket. Calero attacked the squad, killing ten of them and capturing 21 shortly before being wounded himself. Following these events, he was nicknamed "One-Man Army" by his comrades. For these actions he was awarded the

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against a ...

. Calero had been wounded a total of four times in Europe when the war ended. He was awarded a total of 22 decorations and medals for his actions, making him the Puerto Rican soldier with the most military decorations in all of the United States during that conflict.

Korean War

Calero returned to Puerto Rico and was reassigned once more to the 65th Infantry Regiment. The 65th Infantry departed from Puerto Rico on August 26, 1950, when the United States became involved in the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

. They arrived in Pusan,

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

on September 23. In Korea, Calero was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the regiment. He was the personal assistant to the regimental commander, Brigadier General (then Colonel) William W. Harris.

Later years

Calero retired from the U.S. Army in 1962 after total of 21 years of service. He retired with the rank of Sergeant First Class. At the end of his years, Calero suffered from terminal

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

. Sergeant First Class Agustín Ramos Calero died on February 10, 1989, at 69 years of age and was buried with full military honors in the Puerto Rico National Cemetery in

Bayamón, Puerto Rico Bayamón (, ) is a Bayamón barrio-pueblo, city and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in Puerto Rico. Located on the northeastern coastal plain, it is bounded by Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Guaynabo to the east, Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, Toa A ...

Honors

His hometown, Isabela, honored his memory by naming an avenue after him. In 2020 SFC Agustín Ramos Calero was posthumously inducted to the Puerto Rico Veterans Hall of Fame. In 2022 SFC Agustín Ramos Calero was posthumously inducted to the 3rd Infantry Division Marne Hall of Fame.

Notes

Military awards and decorations

Among Calero's decorations were the following: Foreign unit decorations. * Fourragère cord, granted by France to the Third Infantry Division. The Bravery Gold Medal of Greece was given by the Government of Greece to the 65th Infantry Regiment and to the members of the regiment who fought in the Korean War. * Chryssoun Aristion Andrias (Bravery Gold Medal of Greece) Congressional Gold Medal On June 10, 2014, President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

, signed the legislation known as "The Borinqueneers CGM Bill" at an official ceremony. The Bill honors the 65th Infantry Regiment with the

Congressional Gold Medal The Congressional Gold Medal is the oldest and highest civilian award in the United States, alongside the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It is bestowed by vote of the United States Congress, signed into law by the president. The Gold Medal exp ...

.Richard Payerchin, "President Obama to honor Army's Puerto Rican regiment the Borinqueneers," ''The Morning Journal'', June 9, 2014.
/ref>

References

External links

Who was Agustín Ramos Calero?
Retrieved November 19, 2006.

Retrieved November 19, 2006.

Retrieved November 19, 2006. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ramos, Agustin Calero 1919 births 1989 deaths Burials at Puerto Rico National Cemetery United States Army non-commissioned officers United States Army personnel of World War II United States Army personnel of the Korean War People from Isabela, Puerto Rico Puerto Rican Army personnel Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) Recipients of the Silver Star