José Quiñones Gonzales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José Quiñones Gonzales
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| Birth name | José Abelardo Quiñones Gonzáles |
| Born | April 22, 1914 Pimentel, Lambayeque, Peru |
| Died | July 23, 1941 (aged 27) Quebrada Seca, Ecuador (today Peru) |
| Allegiance |  Peru |
| Service/ |
Peruvian Air Force Paratrooper Company |
| Years of service | 1935–1941 |
| Rank | Grand General of the Air of Peru (posthumous) |
| Battles/wars | Ecuadorian–Peruvian War
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José Abelardo Quiñones Gonzáles (born April 22, 1914 – died July 23, 1941) was a brave Peruvian military pilot. He became a national hero for his actions during the Ecuadorian–Peruvian War in 1941.
Early Life and Dreams
José Quiñones was born in the port town of Pimentel on April 22, 1914. He was the third child of José María Quiñones Arízola and María Juana Rosa Gonzales Orrego.
He went to a local school run by nuns for his first studies. Later, he attended the Colegio Nacional San José de Chiclayo. The school's head, Karl Weiss, encouraged students to try gliding. José Quiñones loved this activity. He was inspired by famous Peruvian pilots like Jorge Chávez and Juan Bielovucic.
In 1928, his family moved to Lima. He continued his high school education there. First, he went to Colegio Sagrados Corazones Recoleta. Then, he finished his studies at the College of Our Lady of Guadalupe from 1930 to 1932. Even though his parents did not want him to, he decided to join the Peruvian Air Force.
Becoming a Pilot
In 1935, José Quiñones joined the Jorge Chávez Central Aviation School. He was part of the Comandante CAP José Lucas Raguz Verán class. At the school, he was known for being very good at flying and learning new aviation skills.
Four years later, on January 21, 1939, he became an ensign. He was the top student in his class for fighter pilots. Because of this, he received the "Golden Wing" award from the Air Force. On his graduation day, he surprised everyone with an amazing air show. He flew his plane upside down, almost touching the ground! You can still see videos of this incredible flight today.
After becoming an officer, he was sent to Squadron No. 4 in Ancón. A few months later, he moved to the Las Palmas base. From there, he joined the 21st Fighter Squadron in Chiclayo. He even had a dog named Hawk, who sometimes flew with him!
Quiñones was also part of the 41st Squadron, flying North American NA-50 planes. He was a member of the first High Aerobatics Squadron. When the paratrooper unit was formed, he trained hard and made jumps from planes over Chiclayo.
A Heroic Act
Lieutenant Quiñones was a fighter pilot in the 41st Squadron of the Peruvian Air Force. On July 23, 1941, he was part of a group attacking Ecuadorian forces at Quebrada Seca. During this attack, Quiñones' plane, a North American NA-50 "TORITO" (also called Pantera), was hit by enemy fire from the ground.
Peruvian stories say that instead of jumping out of his damaged plane to safety, Quiñones chose to crash his plane into the enemy position. This action reportedly stopped the enemy's guns. However, Ecuadorian military officials have said that there were no anti-aircraft guns in that area.
Remembering a Hero
After his death, José Quiñones was promoted to the rank of Air Force Captain. On May 10, 1966, a law officially declared him a national hero.
The FAP Captain José Abelardo Quiñones González International Airport near his hometown of Chiclayo is named in his honor. When Peru introduced new money in 1991, Quiñones' picture appeared on the 10 sol banknote. He was also on the 500 soles de oro banknote issued in 1976.
See also
In Spanish: José Abelardo Quiñones para niños
