Have you ever been to the beach at Luquillo? You know Balneario de Luquillo - La Monserrate, ya that one. Well did you ever imagine that you were swimming over a possible sunken ship? No, what about the the partial remains of a human being? If you're like me you are like no way, not at Luquillo, I've been there hundreds of times. Well, yes way.
Called in to investigate a report of human remains, Wednesday police divers may have made an archaeological discovery in Luquillo: bones and possible artifacts from a colonial-era ship. The divers found a cannon, pieces of a ship, human bones, a sword and a medal engraved with the name Isabel II, said Sgt. Angel Rivera Rodriguez, a spokesman for Puerto Rico's police department.
Divers were dispatched to Playa Monserrate after a fisherman reported finding what he thought were human remains, Rivera said. The artifacts turned up in six different spots across the sea floor, said Laura del Olmo, director of archaeology at the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, which sent a team of experts to the site.
According to archeologists, the pieces appear to be from the 17th or 18th century but further analysis is required before their exact age can be confirmed, she said. Divers planned to continue exploring the area for more artifacts, Sgt. Rivera said.
Flickr Creative Commons Contributor: wallyg
The Luis Muñoz Marin Foundation is asking persons possessing materials of a documentary nature about Inés María Mendoza, or Doña Inés as she was known, to donate the materials to the foundation. They are looking for photographic images, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and any audio or video recordings.
For those of you who were sleeping during Puerto Rican History class, Doña Inés was married to Luis Muñoz Marin and became Puerto Rico's First Lady when her husband became the first democratically elected governor in 1948. She lived in La Fortaleza for 16 years after her husband was successfully re-elected tree times.
The foundation wishes to incorporate the materials into a 100th birthday celebration for Doña Inés, who had she still be living today would have turned 100 back on January 9th. If you have anything that you think might be of interest to the foundation, please contact them at (787) 755-7979 or with electronic mail: flmm at coqui dot net.
This just came through by inbox today, but I found the information extremely interesting. So while it's a day late, I liked to share a few excerpts and encourage you all to read through it. Having traveled up 65th Infantry street hundreds of times, it's fascinating to read the history. Here excerpted from "Salute Latinos for defending America" from the The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle:
"Among those we need to remember this Memorial Day are the brave men of Puerto Rico's 65th Infanteria/Infantry Regiment who, like many others, sacrificed much to defend the American way of life.The article goes on to point out that a documentary of "Los Borinqueneers" will soon be released by filmmaker Noemi Figueroa Soulet, which provides a poignant account of the military history of the Puerto Rican soldier.
The 65th or "Los Borinqueneers" (derived from "Boriken," the Taino Indian name for Puerto Rico) was a segregated Army unit composed of Puerto Ricans. The 65th began as an all-volunteer unit in 1899, soon after the Spanish-American War, when the U.S. government cultivated Puerto Rico as a strategic buffer in defense of U.S. interests in the region."
Through the use of rare film footage and interviews with 65th Infantry members and their American commanders, the documentary will offer keen insight into the personalities that drove many decisions made in the field during the Korean War.