Bill > HM37

This Memorial recognizes and honors the Mexican 201st Squadron, also known as the "Aztec Eagles," for their significant contributions to the United States during World War II. This all-volunteer unit of 350 pilots and ground personnel was formed in 1944 and, after enduring discrimination during training in the United States, bravely served in the liberation of the Philippines. Attached to the United States Army Air Forces' 58th Fighter Group, they flew Republic P-47D-30-RA Thunderbolt fighter aircraft, accumulating two thousand hours of combat flying and executing dangerous missions. Despite losing seven pilots, their service improved relations between Mexico and the United States, and they remain the only Mexican military unit to have engaged in combat outside their national borders. The memorial encourages national recognition of their contributions and calls for copies to be sent to relevant cultural and governmental entities.