National Hispanic Heritage Month: José M. Portela

Retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General José M. Portela, who was born in San Juan in 1949, has established several noteworthy aviation records. He was the first native of Puerto Rico to become a brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.  In 1972, he became the youngest person to serve as commander of a C-141 Starlifter aircraft. Portela’s contributions as a civilian have included serving as a safety expert for the Airline Pilots Association.

For more information about José M. Portela, please check out   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/José_M._Portela and http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/559890/brigadier-general-jose-m-portela/.