Hispanic Airmen bolster Air Force heritage Published Oct. 15, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Ashley J. Thum 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Hispanic Airmen have helped forge the Air Force's path from the early days of the Army Air Corps to the current climate of air, space and cyberspace dominance. Whether training the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II, shooting down enemy MiG-15s in the Korean War, or contributing to today's worldwide contingency operations, evidence of their role in ensuring the Air Force's success abounds. Oftentimes, that success has come from an unexpected source. The majority of Airmen who served in the early to mid-1900s were recruited, but the branch also relied heavily on volunteers - and not just from within the country's borders. The 201st Fighter Squadron consisted of 300 Mexican expeditionary air force pilots and ground troops who volunteered to serve with the 58th Fighter Group in 1945. With the use of P-47 Thunderbolts, the men known as the Aztec Eagles put an estimated 30,000 Japanese troops out of action in an effort to end the Japanese occupation of Formosa and Luzon in the Philippines. Mexican air force Lt. Col. Jose G. Vega Rivera later wrote about the results of their efforts. "They were part of the forces of liberation that fought against the oppressor and attained victory," Vega Rivera said. "Mexico's participation in combat overseas brought international prestige and strengthened U.S.-Mexico relations." Less than a decade after World War II ended and only three years after becoming an independent branch, the Air Force's strength was tested as conflict erupted on the Korean peninsula. Hispanic Airmen from the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing provided vital firepower. Capt. Manuel J. Fernandez, 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron F-86 Sabre pilot, previously served as a flight instructor and flew during the famed Berlin Airlift. Fernandez completed more than 120 combat missions and his record of shooting down 14.5 enemy aircraft earned him a spot among the top three fighter pilots of the Korean War. The Air Force has since evolved through its participation in several operations as part of the war on terrorism, providing close air support and other special operations capabilities to coalition forces. Chief Master Sgt. Ramon Colon-Lopez, now the command chief of Air Forces Central Command, spent many years as a pararescueman assigned to the 48th Rescue Squadron, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, and as a special tactics element leader for the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope AFB, North Carolina. Involved in Operations Southern and Northern Watch, Colon-Lopez also deployed to Southwest Asia multiple times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2007, he became the first Hispanic Airman to receive the Air Force Combat Action Medal. An estimated 12.8 percent of today's Air Force is of Hispanic descent, continuing the tradition of many who came before them. The branch routinely recognizes the contributions of Hispanic Airmen through its observance of Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 every year. Master Sgt. Reinhard Albuera, 4th Component Maintenance Squadron production superintendent, coordinated the 4th Fighter Wing's celebration in 2014. "There are a lot of observance months, each one specific to a different race or culture," Albuera said. "The important thing to take away from months like this is that it's not only for people of that culture to celebrate, it's a chance for everyone to come together and embrace the values and traditions that culture has to offer." Albuera said just as new generations learn from and build on the experiences of those past, so the Air Force can benefit from the combined talents its Airmen bring from their diverse backgrounds. "People need diversity all the time, not just during observance months," Albuera said. "We need Airmen with motivation and good ideas for the future."