Ángel Liberal Lucini facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ángel Liberal Lucini
Chief of Defence
In office 11 January 1984 – 31 October 1986
Monarch	Juan Carlos I
Prime Minister	Felipe González
Minister	Narcís Serra (as Defence minister)
Succeeded by	air Lieutenant General Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá
Personal details
Born	(1921-09-19)September 19, 1921 Barcelona, Catalonia
Died	2 October 2006(2006-10-02) (aged 85) Ruber Clinic, Madrid, Spain
Military service
Allegiance	Spain
Branch/service	Spanish Navy
Years of service	1938– 1986
Rank	Admiral General (1999)
Unit	JEMAD
Commands	Chief of Defence Staff

Ángel Liberal Lucini was a very important Spanish admiral and soldier. He was born on September 19, 1921, in Barcelona, Spain, and passed away on October 2, 2006. He is best known for being the very first Chief of the Defence Staff (JEMAD) in Spain. He held this top military job from January 1984 to October 1986.

Ángel Liberal Lucini's father was also a military officer. Sadly, his father died during the Spanish Civil War in 1936.

Ángel Liberal Lucini joined the Naval Academy in Cádiz when he was about 16 or 17 years old, in 1938. He finished his training and graduated in 1942. He was very young when he started commanding ships. At just 23, in 1945, he was in charge of his first ship, the Torpedo boat LT 25. Later, he commanded other ships like the Arcila in 1949 and the Alcalá Galiano in 1962. He never took part in the Civil War during his time in the Navy.

He also studied at the Naval War College, where he learned about naval warfare. He even worked there as a deputy director and helped with teaching at the Military Naval School in 1961. For a time, he was a naval attaché at the Spanish Embassy in the United States.

What did Ángel Liberal Lucini do after his military service?

Ángel Liberal Lucini held many important roles in the government and military.

• In 1977, he became the Secretary General of the Navy when the Ministry of Defence was created.
• He played a role during a challenging time in Spain in 1981, when there was an attempted takeover (known as 23-F). He helped to manage the situation.
• He was also the Secretary General for Defence Economic Affairs and the Undersecretary of Defence.
• During 1981, the Spanish Military joined the Atlantic Alliance (which is now called NATO).
• He worked closely with Admiral Nieto Antúnez as his chief cabinet for four years.
• He was one of the people who helped create the Department of Defence.
• In 1996, he became a member of the Council of State, which is a top advisory body in Spain.

Ángel Liberal Lucini also helped with important talks between Spain and North America to create a Friendship and Cooperation Agreement.

What were his ranks and commands?

Ángel Liberal Lucini moved up through the ranks in the Navy:

• In 1974, he became a rear admiral.
• In 1977, he became a vice admiral.
• In 1982, he reached the rank of admiral.
• From January 1983 to January 1984, he was the captain general of the Mediterranean maritime zone.

In January 1984, he was chosen to be the first Chief of the Defence Staff (JEMAD). In this role, he worked closely with Lieutenant General Gutiérrez Mellado. During this time, Spain officially joined NATO.

He represented the Spanish military at the NATO Military Committee and even served as its president for one year, from 1984 to 1985. He also helped with discussions about the Gibraltar dispute.

After finishing his time as the Chief of the Defence Staff in October 1986, he moved to the reserve force. Lieutenant General Gonzalo Puigcerver from the air force took over his role. In 1999, Ángel Liberal Lucini received an honorary promotion to admiral general.

Who were his family members?

Ángel Liberal Lucini's father was named Angel Liberal Travieso. He was born in Puerto Rico in 1891. His father was an aide to the Captain General of Valladolid in 1931 and his assistant in 1936. During the Spanish Civil War, his father died while trying to stop rebellious troops.

His mother was Ana María Fernández Núñez-Mota. He had three siblings: María Gloria, Eduardo, and María Concepción. His brother Eduardo was also a lieutenant in the Navy and commanded a destroyer called Marqués de la Ensenada. His mother's father was an admiral, and three of her brothers also served in the Navy.

When did Ángel Liberal Lucini pass away?

Ángel Liberal Lucini died on October 2, 2006, at the Ruber Clinic in Madrid. He was 85 years old.

What awards did he receive?

Ángel Liberal Lucini received many important military and civil awards for his service:

Military decorations
	Grand Cross of the Royal and Military Order of San Hermenegildo
	Grand Cross of Aeronautical Merit
	Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild (Insignia, Knight Commander and Cross)
	Cross of Aeronautical Merit
	Grand Cross of the Order of Carlos III
	Grand Cross of the North American Legion of Merit in Command
	Grand Cross of Isabel la Católica
	Medal of the Order of Constitutional Merit
	Grand Cross of Civil Merit
	Grand Cross of Naval Merit
	NATO Meritorious Service Medal

See also

In Spanish: Ángel Liberal Lucini para niños