Pelagio A Cruz was the first Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief-of-Staff from the Philippine Air Force.
13 Facts About Pelagio Cruz
2.
Pelagio Cruz was born on June 16,1912, in Balag, Bulacan.
3.
Pelagio Cruz entered the Philippine Military Academy in 1932, and was commissioned as Third Lieutenant upon graduation in 1935.
4.
Pelagio Cruz earned his wings in September 1936 at the Philippine Army Air Corps Running School in Camp Murphy.
5.
At the outbreak of World War II Cruz was assigned as an executive officer of the PAAC Provisional Regiment in Bataan and joined the Bulacan Guerilla Unit after the surrender of the Philippines to the Imperial Japanese Army.
6.
Pelagio Cruz became the commanding officer of Lipa Air Base from August 1946 to 8 June 1947, and further the acting chief of the Philippine Air Force from 9 June 1947 to 27 October 1947 at the temporary rank of colonel.
7.
Pelagio Cruz assumed the post as the commanding officer of the PAF from 28 October 1947 to 16 March 1951 and was promoted with a temporary rank of brigadier general on 20 May 1949.
8.
Pelagio Cruz then entered the Command General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, United States in September 1951.
9.
Pelagio Cruz again took command of the PAF as commanding general, from 3 November 1953 to 31 July 1956, and his promotion to brigadier general was confirmed on 10 March 1954.
10.
Pelagio Cruz was commissioned as the vice chief of staff for the AFP from 1 January 1959 to 30 December 1961, and eventually the chief of staff, AFP from December 1961 to 30 August 1962.
11.
Pelagio Cruz was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general on 1 January 1962.
12.
Pelagio Cruz retired from the active military service on 1 September 1962.
13.
Pelagio Cruz died on October 21,1986, at Quezon City, Philippines at the age of 74.