Title: Puerto Ricans in World War II - Wikipedia
Headings: Puerto Ricans in World War II
Puerto Ricans in World War II
Contents
Lead-up to World War II
World War II
Homefront
Highly decorated combatants
United States Army Air Forces
Women in the military
Puerto Rican commanders
Discrimination
Human experimentation
Post World War II
Further reading
See also
Notes
References

Content: Contents
1 Lead-up to World War II
2 World War II
2.1 Homefront
2.2 Highly decorated combatants
2.3 United States Army Air Forces
3 Women in the military
4 Puerto Rican commanders
5 Discrimination
5.1 Human experimentation
6 Post World War II
7 Further reading
8 See also
9 Notes
10 References
Lead-up to World War II
Soldiers of the 65th Infantry training in Salinas, Puerto Rico, August 1941
Before the United States entered World War II Puerto Ricans were already fighting on European soil in the Spanish Civil War. The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict in Spain that started following an attempted coup d'état committed by parts of the army, led by the Nationalist General Francisco Franco, against the government of the Second Spanish Republic. Puerto Ricans fought on behalf of both of the factions involved, the "Nationalists" as members of the Spanish Army and the "Loyalists" (Republicans) as members of the Abraham Lincoln International Brigade. Among the Puerto Ricans who fought alongside General Franco on behalf of the Nationalists was General Manuel Goded Llopis (1882–1936), a high-ranking officer in the Spanish Army. Llopis, who was born in San Juan, was named Chief of Staff of the Spanish Army of Africa, after his victories in the Rif War, took the Balearic Islands and by order of Franco, suppressed the rebellion of Asturias. Llopis was sent to lead the fight against the Anarchists in Catalonia, but his troops were outnumbered. He was captured and was sentenced to die by firing squad. MG Luis R. Esteves
Among the many Puerto Ricans who fought on behalf of the Second Spanish Republic as members of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, was Lieutenant Carmelo Delgado Delgado (1913–1937), a leader of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party from Guayama who upon the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War was in Spain in pursuit of his law degree. Delgado was an anti-fascist who believed that the Spanish Nationalists were traitors. He fought in the Battle of Madrid, but was captured and was sentenced to die by firing squad on April 29, 1937;