Corporal Gregorio Russe-Cordero

Early Life

Gregorio Russe Cordero was born on December 28, 1928, in Morovis, Puerto Rico. His father was Longino Russe, a farmer and shopkeeper. Longino’s parents (Gregorio’s grandparents) were Felipe Russe and Juana Negron. His mother was Candida Cordero, a housewife, daughter of Jose Carmen Cordero and Carmen Marrero. Longino and Candida had one other child, Gregorio’s older brother, Ramon. 

Gregorio graduated from high school in Manati and subsequently enlisted in the National Guard. Just before the Korean War, he married Juanita Pagan from Manati, Puerto Rico.

Homefront

In the mid-twentieth century, Morovis was a small, rural town nestled in Puerto Rico’s mountains. The towns of the Cordillera Central were known for their lush vegetation and tight-knit communities. In 1950, the population was just under 29,000. Most families lived in modest wooden homes without running water or electric lighting. The town’s economy centered around agriculture, especially sugar cane and tobacco, and construction work. Many earned less than $50 a week. Men worked in the fields, and women were often employed as teachers, housekeepers, or secretaries. Shopping was done at small local stores with no malls or supermarkets. Families were typically large, sometimes with ten or more children. Gender roles were traditional, with men as breadwinners and women expected to manage the home.

Daily life in Morovis was shaped by poverty, but also a strong sense of community and simplicity. People mostly ate rice, beans, soups, and bread, with meat being a rarity. Music and dance were key forms of entertainment, with pasodobles and romantic boleros heard over the radio during parrandas (social events). Religion—mainly Catholicism—was deeply ingrained in daily life, though churches were few. Education was limited; schools were small, poorly resourced, and split into short morning or afternoon sessions. Despite economic hardship, many remember the era as peaceful, with less crime and violence, and a lifestyle centered on family, resilience, and shared joys in modest surroundings.

At the same time, there were major changes in the wider world. In 1950, three major events impacted Puerto Rico. First, the U.S. Congress passed Law 600, which began the process of transforming the island to self-government through a new Constitution. Second, the Nationalist Party spearheaded a violent rebellion against the U.S. regime that was quickly put down. Finally, the outbreak of the Korean War led to the mobilization of thousands of young Puerto Rican men to fight communism 10,000 miles from home. Gregorio Russe Cordero would soon be one of them. 

Military Experience

Gregorio Russe was called to active duty on September 10, 1950. Assigned to training in Tortuguero, Puerto Rico, he was promoted to corporal in March 1951. He was assigned to the 65^th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Borinqueneers. 

The Borinqueneers occupy a unique spot in the history of the military and Puerto Rico. Starting as a volunteer regiment in the colonial period, they developed into the U.S. Army’s only all-Spanish unit, serving together in both World Wars. But it was in Korea that they truly distinguished themselves. They were one of the first units deployed in the war, and it marked the only time in U.S. military history that a segregated Latino unit served together in combat. Their brave service earned the praise of military commanders and made them heroes back home. The Borinqueneers were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2013.

Corporal Russe departed from San Juan on the USS General William Mitchell on June 28, 1951. He spent ten months in Korea as a tank driver from July 1951 to May 1952. For his service, he received the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal with one bronze star, and the United Nations Service Medal. These awards reflect his bravery and commitment. He was honorably discharged at Fort Buchanan in June 1952.

Veteran Experience

Russe, now a war Veteran, boarded PanAm flight 526 to New York on July 22, 1952. He joined thousands of other Puerto Ricans in the first Great Migration. In New York, he settled in on West 110^th Street and worked for many years in the cafeteria at Gimbap Department Store. In 1955, he earned a certificate in mechanical dentistry, and in 1956, he returned to the island for a few months and worked to install light posts as electricity came to Morovis for the first time. Back in New York, he married Francisca Santos in 1971, but the marriage did not last, and she returned to her family in Mexico.

In 1974, Russe returned to his hometown permanently. He worked for the city parks department until the early 2000s, when he retired. Russe did not seek Veterans’ benefits despite his service to his country. His family recalled that he said, “He was all right and did not want to steal money from the government.” 

He was known as a devout Catholic in his community and belonged to his church’s choir. He cared for his parents until their deaths. He spoiled his nieces and nephews, taking them for pizza after church. They remember him as a man of strong character, famous to the local children because he was an entrepreneur who sold candy out of the back of his car. He was an avid reader with many books, including Dante’s The Divine Comedy. 

Commemoration

Corporal Russe passed away in 2022, surrounded by his loving family. He is buried at the Morovis National Cemetery in Morovis, Puerto Rico.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

1950 Census of Population Preliminary Counts. U.S. Department of Commerce. August 1, 1950. https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/pc-04/pc-4-05.pdf.

“Census of Housing, 1950.” U.S. Department of Commerce. 1953. https://censo.estadisticas.pr/sites/default/files/Decenal/USCB_CensusofHousingVol1P7_1950.pdf.

“Furioso Duelo a Tiros en el Barrio Obrero; Tropas Guardia Nacional Ocupan Jayuya.” El Mundo [San Juan, PR], November 1, 1950. https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/newspapers/mndo19501101-01.1.1.

Gonzalez Russe, Carmen. Personal interview with the author. October 14, 2024.

Gregorio Russe. Certificate of Military Service. Russe Family Records.

Gregorio Russe Cordero. Birth certificate. Puerto Rico. December 23, 1928.

Gregorio Russe-Cordero. DD-214. National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

Gregorio Russe Cordero. Death certificate. Puerto Rico. July 27, 2022.

Gregorio Russe Cordero. New York, U.S. Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1957. http://ancestry.com.

Gregorio Russe Cordero, Official Military Personnel File (partial), Department of the Army. National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

Gregorio Russe-Cordero. U.S. Navy Muster Rolls, 1949-1971. https://fold3.com. 

Martinez, Ada. Personal interview with the author. Nov 17, 2024.

Puerto Rico. Morovis Municipio. 1930 U.S. Census. Digital images. http://ancestry.com.

Russe Family Records. Courtesy of Aimy Cruz Russe. 

“Text – H.R.1726 – 113th Congress (2013-2014): To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 65th Infantry Regiment, known as the Borinqueneers.” Statute. Congress.gov, June 10, 2014. Library of Congress. https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/1726/text. 

“Truman Convierte en Ley el Bill de la Constitución Tropas E.U. Van a Posiciones de Combate Suwon.” El Mundo [San Juan, PR], July 4, 1950. https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/newspapers/mndo19500704-01.1.1. 

Secondary Sources

Aikens-Nunez, Talia. Men of the 65^th: The Borinqueneers of the Korean War. Zest Books, 2023.

Borts, Lawrence H. Medals and Ribbons – The Medals and Ribbons of The United Nations. Medals of America Press, 1998.

Dolcater, Captain Max W., Ed. 3d Infantry Division in Korea. Toppan Printing Company, 1953.

“Gregorio Russe-Cordero.” Find a Grave. Updated August 1, 2022. Accessed May 2, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/242230537/gregorio-russe-cordero.

“Gregorio Russe-Cordero.” Veterans Legacy Memorial, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed May 2, 2025. https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/GREGORIORUSSECORDERO/a11221.

Marxuach, Sergio M. “The Puerto Rican Economy: Historical Perspectives and Current Challenges.” Lecture presented at Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín, San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 13, 2007. https://grupocne.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/FLMM.pdf. 

“Morovis Puerto Rico.” Boricua Online. Updated 2024. Accessed November 15, 2024.  https://boricuaonline.com/en/isabela-puerto-rico/.

“Municipio de Morovis.” Enciclopedia de Puerto Rico. Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades. 2024. Accessed November 15, 2024. https://enciclopediapr.org/content/municipio-de-morovis/. 

Soulet, Noemi Figueroa, Director. Borinqueneers: A Documentary on the all-Puerto Rican 65^th Infantry Regiment. El Pozo Productions, 2007.

Villahermosa, Gilberto H. Honor and Fidelity: The 65^th Infantry In Korea, 1950-1953. U.S. Army Center of Military History, 2009.

This profile was funded by a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.