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Presentation Background Information: Prior to the Second World War, the relationship between the Mexico and the United States was characterized by limited commercial activity and marginal political and public relations. Resentment lingering from the U.S. – Mexican War of 1847 and subsequent incursions - felt by many Mexicans - and anger in the United States over the expropriation of American oil properties in Mexico, fueled mutual distrust and suspicion. Following a groundbreaking summit conference at Monterrey, Mexico in 1943 between United States president Franklin Delano Roosevelt and President Manuel Avila Camacho, the Mexican president committed Mexico to participate with the Allies in World War II. By presidential order, an elite unit of top aviators was formed, trained and sent into combat in the Far East. This participation of the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force – the only military force ever to serve outside Mexico – was highly successful and it, in conjunction with Mexico’s contribution of labor and materiel to the war effort, led to better relations and unprecedented economic cooperation between both countries. The unit’s training in the U.S. and deployment overseas were covered intensely by the news media in both countries, fomenting a new sense of bi-national solidarity between the Mexican and American peoples. The flight operations component of the unit – Fighter Squadron 201 – helped to liberate the Philippines from wartime Japanese occupation. The pilots were decorated by the governments of Mexico, the Philippines and the U.S. and are still considered national heroes in Mexico. The pilots became known in the Mexican press as “Eagle Fighters” and “Aztec Eagles” an historical reference to the elite warriors of the ancient Aztec state. Of the 31 pilots who flew for Mexico and the Allies in World War II, seven never returned. Just ten of these legendary aviators remain alive today. Captain P. A. Reynaldo Perez Gallardo (Mexican Air Force, retired) The son of a distinguished General of the Revolution of 1910-1917 who later served as Governor of the state of San Luis Potosi, Captain Perez was born on August 10, 1923 in the city of San Luis Potosi. Educated in Mexico and the United States, Captain Perez became fluent in English at an early age. He acquired a love for aviation from the Army pilots at a military camp where his family was stationed. He served as an infantry soldier in the Mexican Army in the 1930’s, defending the constitutional government against the rebel forces of Saturnino Cedillo, distinguishing himself in combat. He attended and graduated from, the prestigious Mexican Military Academy – the West Point of Mexico - attaining the rank of 2nd Lieutenant and serving as a Cavalry officer. During this time, he was admitted to the Military Aviation School at Guadalajara. He then led a group of aviation cadets to the United States for advanced military flight training and proudly received his pilot’s wings from the U.S. Army Air Force in early 1944. He returned to Mexico as a flight instructor in the Mexican Air Force. In July, 1944, rated one of the top fighter pilots in the Mexican Air Force, he was chosen by was chosen by President Manuel Avila Camacho to join a select group of Mexican pilots to become Fighter Squadron 201 (Escuadron Aereo de Pelea 201) at Mexico City. With great publicity on both countries, the unit was sent to air bases in Idaho and Texas for advanced tactical combat training and instruction in U.S. Army Air Force operating protocol. Upon graduation in February, 1945, the Squadron, now part of the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force, was sent to the Philippines by order of President Avila Camacho. It was the only military force in history to leave Mexico on a fighting mission. There the unit was attached to the United States 5th Air Force, in May, 1945, where it flew close air support missions, providing vital assistance to American and Filipino ground forces in the liberation of the main island of Luzon from the Japanese occupation. In addition to tactical close air support missions, Lt. Perez was one of the few pilots selected to fly hazardous Very Long Range missions to strike targets on the Japanese-occupied Chinese island of Formosa (now Taiwan). Lieutenant Perez flew 26 combat missions plus training, reconnaissance and ferry flights. The Expeditionary Air Force was highly decorated and received congratulations on its success from General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander of Allied forces in the Pacific Theater a Presidential Unit Citation from the Philippine Secretary of Defense and many other honors. The pilots became national heroes in Mexico. Lieutenant Perez Gallardo and his companions in Squadron 201 came home to a hero’s welcome on November 18, 1945, when they were honored and personally congratulated by President Avila Camacho in a national ceremony that was broadcast live by radio throughout Mexico. He and his fellow pilots were decorated by the President with the Medalla Por Servicio en el Lejano Oriente – a special medal that was the only decoration ever awarded for foreign combat by Mexican military personnel. He also received the Air Medal from 5th Air Force Commander General George Kenney, with Citation signed by U.S. President Harry S. Truman. In 1946, Lieutenant Reynaldo Perez Gallardo was promoted to Captain and given command of Fighter Squadron 201. He led the unit for five years. He proudly flew his personal P-47 fighter aircraft, which bore his apodo or nickname, “Panchito” Captain Perez left the Air Force in 1951 and began a career in civil aviation and transportation in Mexico and the United States that included service as a corporate pilot, airshow work, a transportation assignment with PEMEX, the Mexican oil agency and work as a civil aeronautics accident investigator. He also managed the aerial reconnaissance of narcotics growers’ operations for the government in the state of Michoacan, bringing his total logged flight hours to 12, 736. In the mid-1960’s he was hired as Chief of Security for the National Institute of Social Security. He served in that capacity until moving to the United States in 1984.
Captain Perez is now semi retired and lives with his wife in Austin,
Texas, where he owns a successful trucking company. He is the founder of
the Binational Society of Military History and is the subject of a
television miniseries based his life currently being filmed in Texas. The
City of Austin recently honored him for his work in giving presentations
and lectures on U.S.-Mexico history to schools, civic groups, government
organizations and military units, by declaring a special “Reynaldo Perez
Gallardo Day” on March 6, 2003. |
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