Feliz Cinco de Mayo~~Who Are The Aztec Eagles?

Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican Independence and it is one of the worlds great celebrations. So today I would like to give another thank you to a group of Mexican citizens that helped the United States in her time of need. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, in 1941, large numbers of Mexican men crossed the Texas border and joined the United States Army, to fight for a country that was not theirs. I can see your faces now; Why did people want to join in a war when their country was not involved? I will leave the fallacy of Mexican  Neutrality for another day but lets just say that Mexico was one of  our forgotten allies. One fact will attest to this fact. Forty percent of the raw materials, and much of the oil, needed to fuel our war effort came from Mexico.

More than that; her men came to support us on the battlefield. It is not known how many Mexican citizens paid the supreme sacrifice in our defense because they were automatically give US citizenship for their service. Many stayed here and some went home.

One group is well documented; El Escuadrón 201. A Mexican Fighter squadron that flew 58 combat missions in the Pacific Theater. Three hundred men, plus 31 pilots, were assigned to a squadron that was dubbed The Aztec Eagles. They flew missions in support of ground troops in the retaking of the Philippines. They also had a hand in the fight to retake Formosa, now Taiwan.

Three 'Aztec Eagle' pilots were killed in combat operations. Of the over 300 men assigned to this unit; only 10 remained alive in 2008. These men are not only a national treasure to Mexico but also to the United States.

We can further thank the Aztec Eagles, and the Mexican people, by supporting the Cinco de Mayo celebrations that are taking place all over the USA today.

Mexican and United States history binds us as one people. History teaches us that we need each other to support our freedoms.

Visit these sites to learn more about El Escuadrón 201.

http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=28282
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escuadr%C3%B3n_201
http://www.airartnw.com/aztec_eagles_story.htm

Love ya,
Night

PS...Today is also Independence Day in The Netherlands. Their celebration of their WWII Liberation. God zegene de Nederlandse! I know my Dutch sucks,,lol.