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Marine aviation pioneer Michael Aguilar honored in Southern California

The Los Angeles native, the first Marine general of Mexican descent, is helping bring a Marine Corps aviation museum to Irvine.

Image credit: U.S. Marine Corps via Wikimedia Commons, public domain; official archival portrait of Michael J. Aguilar

Retired Brig. Gen. Michael Aguilar was honored by Rep. Dave Min on Thursday during Hispanic Heritage Month, NBC Los Angeles reported September 24. Aguilar, 76, is a Los Angeles native who became the first American of Mexican descent to reach the rank of general officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.

What it means locally

After retiring from the Marine Corps in 2001, Aguilar continued working to preserve the service’s aviation history. He now serves as president of the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation and is leading the effort to establish the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine.

Full report and further details: Read original report →