Named historically important Mexican Aviation grouping that includes man's personal photograph album and A-2 USAAF style leather flight jacket.
 
Photograph ablum has several photo of Cabrera in uniform and one of him standing next to airplane wearing the jacket in this grouping. Also photographs of him in Califorina, United States.
 
Beautiful 1930's brown leather flight jacket, similar to that of the United Stated Army Air Force A-1 and A-2 jackets. Has knit collar, cuffs, waistband and zipper front. Only damage is small interior wear/hole to the lining above the right fron of jacket near the zipper-waistband area.
Leather is excellent condition.
 
Major P.A. Raúl E. Foullon Cabrera’s service with the 202nd Air Squadron (1944–45) at El Ciprés, Baja California Norte, and its relationship with the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF).
 
World War II:
 
1. Command of the 202nd Air Squadron (1944–45)
Location: The 202nd was based at El Ciprés Airfield, a strategic site 6 miles south of Ensenada, Baja California Norte. This airfield was part of a broader U.S.-Mexico defense plan to monitor the Pacific coast for potential Japanese threats.
 
Aircraft: The squadron operated AT-6 Texans and later Douglas A-24B dive-bombers, as recorded in the 1944 Mexican Air Force order of battle.
 
Role:
Coastal Patrol: Conducted surveillance missions along the Baja California peninsula, collaborating with Mexican gunboats and U.S. radar stations to detect enemy submarines or aircraft.
Joint Training: Engaged in exercises with U.S. forces, though Foullon Cabrera’s unit primarily focused on national defense under General Lázaro Cárdenas’ Pacific Zone Command.
 
2. U.S.-Mexico Military Collaboration at El Ciprés
 
Defense Cooperation:
El Ciprés was one of three airfields (with Camalu and Trinidad) proposed by the U.S. Fourth Air Force in 1942 to extend early-warning coverage for Southern California. Though the U.S. initially delayed funding, Mexico independently developed the site.
 
Joint Patrols: Mixed U.S.-Mexican platoons (with U.S. officers in civilian attire) patrolled Baja California to debunk rumors of Japanese bases. Foullon Cabrera’s squadron likely supported these efforts.
 
Logistical Ties:
The U.S. provided radar technology (e.g., SCR-270 stations) and trained Mexican personnel, though Foullon Cabrera’s direct involvement isn’t documented.
Mexican pilots, including those from the 202nd, occasionally trained at U.S. bases like Naval Air Station San Diego, fostering tactical interoperability 7.
 
 
3. Foullon Cabrera’s Leadership Context
Transition from Cavalry to Aviation: His cavalry background (pre-1930) and instructor role at Puebla’s 5 de Mayo Aviation School shaped his operational approach, blending ground support with aerial tactics.
Post-202nd Assignments: After El Ciprés, he commanded the 203rd Squadron (1946) in La Paz, another key Cold War-era base, indicating his continued role in border security.
 
4. Legacy of U.S.-Mexico Wartime Ties
While the 201st Squadron (Aztec Eagles) became the face of bilateral combat cooperation, units like the 202nd under Foullon Cabrera laid groundwork for postwar alliances, including the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD). El Ciprés later housed Cold War-era radar systems, reflecting its enduring strategic value.
 
Major P.A. Raúl E. Foullon Cabrera (1907–1976)
Early Career & Aviation Background
Born: 1907 in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Military Entry: Enrolled in the Military School of Aeronautics (January 1930) as an instructional officer, transferring from the Cavalry as a lieutenant.
Pilot Wings: Earned on January 31, 1931.
 
Early Service:
1st Air Regiment: Participated in the 1933 search for Spanish pilots Barberán and Collar (who disappeared flying from Spain to Cuba).
Cedillo Rebellion (1938): Fought against Saturnino Cedillo’s uprising.
Promotion (1938): Made Captain 1st Class (Pilot Aviator) for combat merits.
Flight Instructor: Served at the 5 de Mayo Aviation School (Puebla).
Command: of the 201st Air Squadron (Pre-Aztec Eagles, 1944)
Tenure: April 1, 1944 – August 21, 1944.
 
The 201st Air Squadron was not yet the "Aztec Eagles" (which formed later under Col. Antonio Cárdenas Rodríguez for WWII deployment).
 
Foullon Cabrera’s command appears to have been during the unit’s early organization phase before its transformation into an expeditionary force.
 
Later Squadron Commands:
202nd Air Squadron (1944–45): Based at Ciprés, Baja California Norte.
203rd Air Squadron (Jan. 1946): Stationed in La Paz, Baja California Sur.
Post-WWII Promotions & Leadership Roles
1949: Commander of the 4/0 Air Group.
1952: Promoted to Brigadier General (Pilot Aviator).
1965: Promoted again to Brigadier General.
Assigned as Commander of Military Air Base No. 1 (Santa Lucía, State of Mexico).
1972: Elevated to Major General (Pilot Aviator).
 
Key Appointments:
Commander of the Paratrooper Brigade.
Air Inspector & General Staff Advisor.
Retirement: October 16, 1975 (age limit).
Death: November 6, 1976, in Mexico City.
 
Historical Context:
The 201st Before the Aztec Eagles
The 201st Air Squadron existed before Mexico’s WWII involvement.
Under Foullon Cabrera (1944), it was likely a domestic training/defense unit.
By 1945, it was reorganized into the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force (FAEM) and deployed to the Pacific as the Aztec Eagles under new leadership.
 
Legacy:
Foullon Cabrera was a key figure in early Mexican military aviation, bridging the interwar and Cold War eras.
Though not part of the Aztec Eagles' combat history, his command laid groundwork for the unit’s later fame.