The School the Aztec Eagles Built

Review
By School Library Journal

A tribute to Air Fighter Squadron 201 (the Aztec Eagles) and Sgt. Ángel Bocanegra del Castillo, whose actions ensured the building of a school in the village of Tepoztlán, Mexico. The work begins with a quick refresher on relations between the United States and Mexico from 1830 to World War II, leading up to the creation of the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force. Readers follow as the pilots train and eventually join the Pacific theater in the Philippines. Running parallel to this historical narrative is the account of Bocanegra del Castillo and his journey from schoolteacher to military pilot. When the president of Mexico, Ávila Camacho, asked the soon-to-deploy Aztec Eagles if they had any requests, Bocanegra del Castillo asked for a proper school to be built in his village of Tepoztlán. By the time the squadron returned to Mexico at the end of World War II, the school had been built and named after the squadron. The importance of the school to this community is strongly emphasized. The text briefly describes the military action in which the squadron was involved. Well-captioned vintage photos appear on every page. VERDICT The intersection of military history, biography, and the power of community is unique. An additional purchase for those looking for a multifaceted work of history.