In 1944, the Mexican Air Force was offered an opportunity to fight in World War II along side the United States. Mexico formed the “Fuerza Aerea Expedicionaria Mexicana”, a three hundred man Air Force Squadron, known as Squadron 201. The members of the 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron became the only veterans of foreign wars in the history of Mexico.
In May 1942, Nazi submarines sank two Mexican tankers, and Mexico declared war against the Axis powers. Soon thereafter, President Manuel Avila Camacho offered, unofficially, to send Mexican troops to join with the United States in their war effort. The United States responded to his proposal in the spring of 1944 and Roosevelt offered the Mexican Air Force an opportunity to fight in the war with the United States. That spring, Mexico formed the “Fuerza Aerea Expedicionaria Mexicana”, a three hundred man Air Force Squadron, know as Squadron 201.
Squadron 201 flew fifty-nine combat missions from Porac and Clark Fields on the island of Luzon against Japanese positions until the war ended in August 1945. Five 201 pilots died in the Philippines. One was shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire; one died in a crash, and three ran out of fuel, crashed and died at sea after being lost in bad weather.
Returning home to Mexico on November 18, 1945, President Avila Camacho and a proud nation gave Squadron 201 a tumultuous welcome. Thirteen days later, Camacho terminated and mustered out the “Fuerza Aerea Expedicionaria Mexicana”. No other Latin American, except Brazil, stood with the Allied Nations whose citizens gave their lives for the cause of liberty. Members of Squadron 201 are the only veterans of foreign wars in the history of Mexico.
