Fausto Vega Santander

Fausto Vega Santander
Fausto Vega Santander
Nickname(s)	Cacho, Cachito
Born	November 19, 1923; Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico
Died	June 1, 1945 (aged 21); Luzon, Philippines
Allegiance	Mexico
Service/branch	Mexican Air Force
Years of service	1940–1945
Rank	Sub-lieutenant
Unit	Escuadrón 201
Battles/wars	World War II South Pacific Theatre; Battle of Luzon;

Fausto Vega Santander (born November 19, 1923 - June 1, 1945) was a Mexican aviator who died in a crash while training during World War II.

Fausto Vega Santander was born in Tuxpan, Veracruz, his parents were Albino Vega and María Santander. Vega Santander did his primary education at primary school Enrique C. Rebsamen in his hometown.

Military career

In 1940, after graduating from high school, Vega Santander joined to the Mexican Air Force. Fausto Vega Santander graduated from Military Aviation School as Sub-lieutenant and then served as a special instructor in the aviation school in Guadalajara, Jalisco, in 1944.

Since May 1942 in Mexico was found in a State of War against the Axis powers (Germany, Italy and the Empire of Japan). Mexico sent to the South Pacific Theatre the Escuadrón 201^[1] in March 1945 including Sub-lieutenant Fausto Vega Santander. The squadron was attached to the 58th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during the liberation of the main Philippines island of Luzon in the spring of 1945.

On 1 June 1945, the young airman crashed during dive bombing practice against an islet at the firing range near Tabones Island off Luzon.^[2]^[3] The USAAF search and rescue team did not locate P-47D-15-RA Thunderbolt 42-23228^[4] which sank into the Luzon Sea without a trace.

Legacy

In Mexico City in Chapultepec Park the Escuadrón 201 had its Commemorative mausoleum near the Niños Héroes monument.

The Mexican poet Germán Muriel Azarria, wrote to the young aviator in limericks through the poem entitled "Eaglet fallen."

References

↑ http://www.dutcheastindies.webs.com/201squadron.html
↑ "Subteniente P.A. Fausto Vega Santander". Conoce la Sedena / Antecedentes Históricos / Fuerza Aérea Mexicana (in Spanish). Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2015. Tuvo el triste honor de ser el Primer Militar Mexicano que falleció en el Teatro de Operaciones del Pacífico, el día 1 de junio de 1945, en un accidente aéreo, cuando en una formación de ocho aviones, al mando del Teniente P.A. José Espinosa Fuentes, realizaba una misión de entrenamiento de bombardeo inclinado contra un islote, localizado aproximadamente a una milla y media al sureste de las pequeñas Islas Tabones, situadas frente a la costa occidente de la Isla Luzón, Filipinas. El Servicio de Búsqueda de la Fuerza Aérea Norteamericana, confirmó que el avión P-47 se había hundido en el mar sin que el Piloto apareciera.
↑ Unander, Sig (2008). "Strike of the Aztec Eagles!". Air Art Northwest. Cornelius, Oregon. Retrieved 19 June 2015. On June 1, 1945, a dive-bombing training mission was flown in which Lt. Fausto Vega Santander, the youngest pilot in the squadron, was killed on his 18th birthday. A flight of four fighters led by Lt. Carlos Garduno Nunez was making attacks on a target on an island a few miles off the west coast west of Luzon. Lt.Vega was killed when his P-47 inexplicably rolled suddenly to the right and crashed into the sea at high speed, exploding on impact, according to Lt. Moreno, who followed him over the target. His body was never recovered.
↑ Mendieta, Antonio (May 31, 2002). "The Team". Mexican Expeditionary Air Force 201st Fighter Squadron (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 June 2015. Numero De Serie: 42-23228; Tipo: P-47D-15-RA; Codigo del Escuadron201: Desconocido; Prestado por la USAF, descartado el 1ro. de Junio de 1945 a las115 horas cuando choco en el mar al conducir practicas de bombardeo en picada. Tte. Fausto Vega Santander murio en el acto. El lugar del accidente fue reportado a media milla Sur-Oeste de la isla Tabones.

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[1] ttp://www.dutcheastindies.webs.com/201squadron.html

[2] "Subteniente P.A. Fausto Vega Santander". Conoce la Sedena / Antecedentes Históricos / Fuerza Aérea Mexicana (in Spanish). Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2015. Tuvo el triste honor de ser el Primer Militar Mexicano que falleció en el Teatro de Operaciones del Pacífico, el día 1 de junio de 1945, en un accidente aéreo, cuando en una formación de ocho aviones, al mando del Teniente P.A. José Espinosa Fuentes, realizaba una misión de entrenamiento de bombardeo inclinado contra un islote, localizado aproximadamente a una milla y media al sureste de las pequeñas Islas Tabones, situadas frente a la costa occidente de la Isla Luzón, Filipinas. El Servicio de Búsqueda de la Fuerza Aérea Norteamericana, confirmó que el avión P-47 se había hundido en el mar sin que el Piloto apareciera.

[3] Unander, Sig (2008). "Strike of the Aztec Eagles!". Air Art Northwest. Cornelius, Oregon. Retrieved 19 June 2015. On June 1, 1945, a dive-bombing training mission was flown in which Lt. Fausto Vega Santander, the youngest pilot in the squadron, was killed on his 18th birthday. A flight of four fighters led by Lt. Carlos Garduno Nunez was making attacks on a target on an island a few miles off the west coast west of Luzon. Lt.Vega was killed when his P-47 inexplicably rolled suddenly to the right and crashed into the sea at high speed, exploding on impact, according to Lt. Moreno, who followed him over the target. His body was never recovered.

[4] Mendieta, Antonio (May 31, 2002). "The Team". Mexican Expeditionary Air Force 201st Fighter Squadron (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 June 2015. Numero De Serie: 42-23228; Tipo: P-47D-15-RA; Codigo del Escuadron201: Desconocido; Prestado por la USAF, descartado el 1ro. de Junio de 1945 a las115 horas cuando choco en el mar al conducir practicas de bombardeo en picada. Tte. Fausto Vega Santander murio en el acto. El lugar del accidente fue reportado a media milla Sur-Oeste de la isla Tabones.