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The Mexican Expeditionary Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Expedicionaria Mexicana, FAEM) was a military aviation unit which represented
Mexico declared war on the Axis Powers in support of the Allies on May 22, 1942, following losses of oil ships in the Gulf. The ''201 Squadron'' name—also known as ''Aztec Eagles''—applied to all pilots, mechanics, armorers and other personnel who were trained in the FUERZA AÉREA EXPEDICIONARIA MEXICANA ESCUADRÓN DE PELEA 201
''Aztecamodels.com'' Accessed on 24-10-2008. Founded by order 8606 of the ''Dirección de Aeronáutica'' of the
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
on the Allied side during World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. It is notable as the only Mexican military unit ever to fight outside Mexico itself.
History
Mexico declared war on the Axis Powers in support of the Allies on May 22, 1942, following losses of oil ships in the Gulf. The ''201 Squadron'' name—also known as ''Aztec Eagles''—applied to all pilots, mechanics, armorers and other personnel who were trained in the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
from July 1944 onward to take part in the conflict. The unit was previously known as the ''Grupo de Perfeccionamiento de Aeronáutica'' ("Aeronautical Training Group").
On 29 December 1944, Mexico's Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
authorized these troops to be sent into combat''Aztecamodels.com'' Accessed on 24-10-2008. Founded by order 8606 of the ''Dirección de Aeronáutica'' of the
Secretariat of National Defense
The Mexican Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA); es, Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional is the government department responsible for managing Mexico's Army and Air Forces. Its head is the Secretary of National Defense who, like the co-equa ...
, the unit was officially made part of the Mexican Army
The Mexican Army ( es, Ejército Mexicano) is the combined land and air branch and is the largest part of the Mexican Armed Forces; it is also known as the National Defense Army.
The Army is under the authority of the Secretariat of National De ...
on 1 January 1945. Its structure was organised as Command (''Mando''), Command Group (''Grupo de Comando''), ''Escuadrón'' 201 and Reinforcement Group (''Grupo de Reemplazos''), to be consistent with the structure of a U.S. fighter squadron, though the unit flew with its own markings and remained under Mexican command—Colonel P.A. Antonio Cárdenas Rodríguez (1905–1969) was appointed its commander.
Trained on various bases in the U.S., at the end of their training they were reviewed by the Under Secretary of National Defense, general Francisco L. Urquizo on 23 February 1945 at Major's Field Airbase in Greenville, Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
. Due to their knowledge of Spanish and the victories in Europe the U.S. War department assigned these Mexican troops to the Pacific theater. They sailed out of San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
in the U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
transport ''Fairisle'' on 27 March, to aid other Allied forces in the liberation of the Japanese-occupied Philippines. On arrival in Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
on 30 April, Colonel Cárdenas was welcomed by General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...
, supreme Allied commander in the southwest Pacific. The FAEM was then given a base at camp Porac
Porac, officially the Municipality of Porac ( pam, Balen ning Porac; fil, Bayan ng Porac), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 140,751 people.
The Subic–Cl ...
, Pampanga
Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
, in the Clark Field complex on the island of Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
, forming part of 58th Fighter Group, V Fighter Command
The V Fighter Command is a disbanded United States Air Force headquarters. It was established as the 2nd Interceptor Command in June 1941, with responsibility for air defense of the northwest United States and training fighter units in its are ...
, U.S. Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organiza ...
.
FAEM's operational element— ''Escuadrón'' 201, commanded by 1° P.A. Radamés Gaxiola Andrade (1915–1966)—led 59 combat missions over Luzón and Formosa
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, press and literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of the land area of the territorie ...
, of which 50 were deemed successful, making an efficiency of 85%, dropping 252 bombs totalling and firing 138,652 machine gun rounds, with only five of its pilots killed in action. This implies a high efficiency since it was in action only from June–August 1945. At the end of the war, the FAEM returned to Mexico, where it paraded on Plaza de la Constitución
A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true geometric square, used for community gatherings. ...
in Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
on 18 November 1945.
References