Democratic Republic of the Congo Congo and the Republic of Zaire, before returning to its current name the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the time of independence, the country was named the Republic of Congo-Léopoldville to distinguish it from its neighbour the Republic of the Congo-Brazzaville. With the promulgation of the Luluabourg Constitution on 1 August 1964, the country became the DRC, but was renamed to Zaire (a past name for the Congo River) on 27 October 1971 by President Mobutu Sese Seko as part of his "Authenticité" initiative. The word "Zaire" is from a Portuguese adaptation of a Kikongo word "nzere" ("river"), a
27th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment men who died of disease, for a total of 193 fatalities. 27th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 27th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The 27th Iowa Infantry was organized at Dubuque, Iowa and mustered in for three years of Federal service on October 3, 1862. The regiment was mustered out on August 8, 1865. A total of 1172 men served in the 27th Iowa at one time or another during its existence. It suffered 1 officer and 23 enlisted men who were killed in action or