Aztec Eagles: Squadron 201

Standards:

1. History. The student understands the impact of significant national and international

decisions and conflicts during World War II on the United States.

2. Geography. The student understands the impact of geographic factors on major events.

3. Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use

information acquired from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology

Objectives:

1. The students will be able to develop an appreciation of the sacrifices service members

endure for love of country and the character it takes to be a good citizen and successful

soldier.

2. The students will be able to critically analyze a photograph and deduce what life was like

for Squadron 201 airmen.

3. The students will be able to gain greater appreciation and understanding of the

contributions/roles Mexican Americans have made in defense of the USA.

4. The students will be able to articulate the contributions of the WASPs and Squadron 201

during World War II.

Subject Matter: squadron, sacrifice, aircraft, deploy, training

Materials:

Handout: Aztec Eagles Timeline

Handout: Photograph Analysis Sheet

Handout: Photos

Media: Squadron 201 from Eravision

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXxMihY5Now )

Show picture of Thunderbolt aircraft via powerpoint slide

Procedure:

Set:

Show picture of the Thunderbolt Model Aircraft and ask question about its

markings. Have students identify both the Mexican national colors on the tail and

the US round insignia on the wing.

Essential Question: How did Mexico and the United States work together

during WWII to defend our homeland?

Media:

1. Students will view the film on Squadron 201.

2. Students will be asked to take notes on this film that will later be used for

classroom activities and discussion.

Discussion:

1. Squadron 201 was the first Mexican combat unit to do what? (Be sure to

mention that this unit was jointly created by both the US and Mexican

militaries)

2. What action(s) did Squadron 201 perform during World War II? List or

discuss.

3. Which group was instrumental in training the Mexican airmen?

4. Which US state hosted the military bases where the Mexican pilots were

trained?

5. How many men served in Squadron 201?

Teacher Presentation:

1. Handout Aztec Eagle Timeline

2. Review major events in the squadron’s history.

Group Photo Analysis Activity:

1. Handout one Photo Analysis Sheet to each student.

2. Have students get into groups of three.

3. Give each group a photograph to analyze. Make sure all six photos are

distributed throughout each group.

4. Students should fill in Photo Analysis Handout.

5. Discuss as a large group

Close: Ask students to explain why Mexican Squadron 201 is important during World

War II?

Assessment: 1. The teacher will informally observe the students taking notes from the movie.

2. The teacher will informally assess student understanding during the large group

discussion.

3. The teacher will formally assess students’ level of completion of the photo analysis

handout.

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?38270-Mexican-pilots-during-world-war-2

Step 1. Observation

A. Study the photograph for 2 minutes. Form an overall impression of the photograph and then examine individual items. Next, divide the photo into quadrants and study each section to see what new details become visible. _________________________________________________________________________

B. Use the chart below to list people, objects, and activities in the photograph.

People Objects Activities

Step 2. Inference

Based on what you have observed above, list three things you might infer from this photograph. _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________

Step 3. Questions

A. What questions does this photograph raise in your mind? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

B. Where could you find answers to them? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

Photo Analysis Worksheet

http://www.damasocanales.com/vintage/1943-f-2001-cadetes-atras-jpg/

http://www.damasocanales.com/vintage/1943-f-2001-cadetes-atras-jpg/

http://theortegablog.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-mother-escuadron-201-and-mexican.html

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123192836

http://southpadretv.tv/aztec-eagles-mexicos-fighter-pilots-of-wwii-1555/

http://theortegablog.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-mother-escuadron-201-and-mexican.html

Photographs

#1-Original Vintage U.S. Army corps at Randolph Field Texas training Mexican cadets official

military press photograph – Circa 1940. Single Weight Glossy Finish with Border.News release

tracing paper flap- Attached to Reverse Bottom Edge Reads: ‘News Release’ – ‘Gulf Coast Air

Corps Training Center’ – ‘Randolph Field, Texas’ – ’Mexican cadets train too’ – ’Army air

forces contract flying school, Corsicana field, Corsicana Texas, U.S.A.’ – ‘Five Mexican

Youths’ – with Identifications as Shown Below – ‘After the Cadets Receive Their Pilot’s Wings

They Will Return to Mexico as Officers in the Mexican Air Corps’.

#2-WWII 1st Mexico Fighter Pilot 1st Lieutenant Jose Espinosa KIA Burial Philippine Island

Official Period 8 x 10 Inch News Captioned 17 July 1945 Dated Photograph. This is the real

deal! Lt. Espinosa was a member of the Mexican Air Force’s 201st Fighter Squadron serving in

the Philippines. He was buried at the American Cemetery in Manila with full military honors

under the American flag held by members of his squadron.

#3-Escuadrón Aéreo de Pelea 201 (201st Air Fighter Squadron), known as the "Aztec Eagles,"

consisted of an elite group of 33 pilots recruited from all over Mexico under the command of

Colonel Antonio Cardenas Rodriguez. The entire unit included 300 support personnel and 25 P-

47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft that were organized in 1942 during the administration of

President Manuel Avila Camacho. In the summer of 1944, the squadron was sent to Randolph

Field near San Antonio to begin several months of training before shipping out to the war zone in

support of Americans fighting the Japanese in places like the Philippine Islands and Formosa

(Taiwan).

#4-U.S. Air Force, Philippine Army and Mexican Air Force members admire the representation

of "Panchito Pistoles", the mascot of the Escuadrón 201, painted on a wing fragment of a

Japanese aircraft. "Panchito Pistoles" stared in the Walt Disney film "The Three Caballeros" and

was adopted by their unit.

#5-Laredo, July 25, 1944. Thirty eight pilots and 260 support personnel, all members of an elite

group of airmen known as the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force were reporting for duty. From

Laredo, they were transported to Randolph Field in San Antonio, where they were given medical

exams and tested for flight and weapons experience. Next, the squadron was sent to the army

base at Pocatello, Idaho, where they received extensive training in each man’s area of specialty,

such as armament, communication, or engineering. Next, was the Gunnery School at Harlingen.

Training included combat air tactics, formation flying and gunnery practice over Padre Island.

The pilots received further aviation instructions and training at Majors Field in Greenville, where

they were presented with their with their battle flag Under the command of Col. Antonio

Cardenas Rodriquez, Squadron 201, now dubbed the Aztec Eagles, were attached to the United

States Army, Air Force 58th Fighter Group.

#6-The pilots of Escuadrón 201 returned to Mexico in November of 1945 as national heroes.

During the following nine months, the surviving pilots toured dozens of Mexican cities and

towns where patriotic pride erupted everywhere. Town plazas were brightly decorated in red,

white and green banners as local townsfolk gathered to catch a glimpse of the famed unit

The "Aztec Eagles" The 201st FS , 58th FG

Founding

December 7, 1941 the United States Naval base at Pearl Harbor attacked by the Japanese-

America is now at war.

Mexico as is most of Latin America neutral – although it is sending some supplies to the

United States

May 13, 1942, a Mexican oil tanker headed to the United States was torpedoed by a

German U-boat, killing 13 crewmen.

After the sinking of a second tanker and the Mexican public’s demand for reprisal

Mexican President Manuel Avila Camacho declared war on the Axis powers.

This was the first occasion that Mexico’s government sent forces to fight outside of the

country's territory.

The Mexican Expeditionary Air Force (MEAF) is Mexico's only military organization

that saw combat overseas in World War II in the Pacific Theater.

Operational

The MEAF and its operational unit--the 201st Squadron--were part of the Allied forces

that battled against the Axis in the South West Pacific Area. The 201 Squadron or “

Escuadron 201” was a Mexican Fighter Squadron, part of the Fuerza Aerea

Expedicionaria Mexicana (FAEM or MAEF).

The 201st Fighter Squadron coined the nickname Aguilas Aztecas, or Aztec Eagles

The 201st Squadron, through Lend-Lease Agreement, trained in the United States from

August 1944 to March 1945 and was equipped to conduct combat operations.

The 201st Fighter Squadron, was mostly the result of coordination in the Joint Mexican-

United States Defense Commission (JMUSDC). The Squadron consisted of

approximately 42 officers and 249 enlisted men, most of them fluent in English, to arrive

to Randolph Field, TX, on 1944.

Pacific Theatre

The Aztec Eagles were attached to the American 58th

Gighter Group during the liberation

of the Philipine Island of Luzon in 1945.

The Eagles lost 5 pilots (one was shot down, one crashed, and three ran out of fuel and

died at sea); and three others died in accidents during training.

In 791 sorties against Japanese Forces the 201st did not lose any pilots to enemy action.

Combat Missions Flown - 96 Missions completed by the 201st

Offensive Sorties Flown -785 53 ground missions flown in support of American troops

Defensive Sorties Flown - 6 4 fighter sweeps into the islands of

Aircraft Lost in Combat - 0 1 dive bombing mission against the Port of Karenko

Aircraft Damaged in Combat - 5 1 convoy escort mission in the sea north of the Philippines

Pilots Killed in Combat - 0

Pilots Killed in Action - 4

Pilots Missing - 1

* The Escuadrón 201 is still an active duty squadron.