Original Member of Mexican Airforce Squadron 201 Honored In Cozumel

The last surviving member of the infamous Cozumel Airforce Squadron 201 was recently honored in a ceremony commemorating the Aguilas Aztecas, (Aztec Eagles in English).  The military aviation school’s event was attended by 120 pilots and their families. On hand was Efraín Ovando Hernandez, a 92 year old retired pilot, who was one of the first members of Squadron 201.

During World War II the squadron was attached to the 58th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during the liberation of the main Philippine island of Luzon in the summer of 1945.   The Aguilas Aztecas flew 96 combat missions.

Three of their original fighter planes are displayed, with their distinctive “Pancho Pistolas”  emblem, at the entrance to the Airforce Base, located in the northern hotel zone of Cozumel.

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This story originally appeared in the weekly Cozumel 4 You NEWS – the island’s number one source of positive information about our island!  Be sure and subscribe to the weekly NEWS to find out all the island events!

Laura Wilkinson
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