Carmelo Delgado Delgado | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1913-04-20)April 20, 1913 |
| Died | April 29, 1937(1937-04-29) (aged 24) vicinity ofValladolid,Spain |
| Cause of death | Execution by firing squad |
| Allegiance | Puerto Rico / Spanish Second Republic |
| Branch | Abraham Lincoln International Brigade |
| Years of service | Spain: 1936–1937 / Puerto Rico Nationalist Party liberation armed forces: 1932- |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Battles / wars | Spanish Civil War *Battle of Madrid |
| Awards | Spanish Civil War Medal of the International Brigades |
Carmelo Delgado Delgado[note 1] (April 20, 1913 – April 29, 1937) was a leader of thePuerto Rican Nationalist Party. Delgado joined theAbraham Lincoln International Brigade and fought against theSpanish Nationalists in theSpanish Civil War. Delgado Delgado, aPuerto Rican by birth and national origin, is thought to be the first U.S. citizen to die inSpain's civil war.
Delgado was one of three siblings born to Eladio Delgado Berrios and Flora Delgado Gonzalez in the town ofGuayama, Puerto Rico. He spent his early childhood on his parents' farm located inGuamani barrio and later moved with his family to the Calle (Street) Concordia esquina (Corner) Hostos in the town of Guayama. There he received his primary and secondary education.[1]
Delgado enrolled and was accepted in theUniversity of Puerto Rico, where he befriended Puerto Rican poet and NationalistJuan Antonio Corretjer. Delgado became a pro-independence political activist and follower of Dr.Pedro Albizu Campos. He was a member of theCadets of the Republic (Cadetes de la República), the youth organization of thePuerto Rican Nationalist Party. After earning his bachelor's degree, he moved to Spain in pursuit of a law degree.[1]
On September 22, 1935, Delgado left for Spain and upon his arrival enrolled in theCentral University of Madrid. He arrived in a Spain which was about to be confronted with acivil war between theloyalists andrebels. Delgado became politically active as a supporter of the Spanish Second Republic and upon the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, joined theAbraham Lincoln International Brigade. The Abraham Lincoln Brigade was made up mostly of volunteers from the United States, which included Puerto Ricans andCubans who served in the Spanish Civil War in theInternational Brigades.[2] Delgado wrote to his friend, Puerto Rican Nationalist leader Carlos Carrera Benítez, the following letter:
"Everyday I have more faith in our country (Puerto Rico) and I see the day coming when our people, like the people of Spain will take arms to squash the tyrants (the United States) with the same valor and resolution that the people of Spain have taken against their military and political traitors." "How I wish that you were in Spain!. I know that you would not stand with your arms crossed and that together we would write a page that would be considered an honor in our land and a motive of pride for the land of our grandfathers" "No one in Puerto Rico should know that I have joined the revolution"[1]
Delgado was involved in theBattle of Madrid, when he became unaware that his troops were ordered to retreat. He was captured and sent toValladolid, where he faced a military war tribune. TheUnited States Embassy offered to help, however Delgado refused their offer. According to Corretjer: "Carmelo Delgado preferred to die before a firing squad than to beg for his live to the "Yankee".[3]
Carmelo Delgado Delgado was executed on April 29, 1937 by firing squad, becoming one of the firstUnited States citizens that died in that conflict.[4] The news of his execution reached Puerto Rico and was posted on the front page ofEl Mundonewspaper on July 25, 1937, as "Se confirma la ejecución del joven Carmelo Delgado" (The execution of Carmelo Delgado, a young man, has been confirmed).[5]
Carmelo Delgado Delgado was awarded the following:
Spanish Civil War Medal of the International Brigades
