José Quiñones Gonzales

José Abelardo Quiñones Gonzáles (April 22, 1914 - July 23,

1941) was a Peruvian military aviator who was
posthumously honored as a national hero for his actions
during the 1941 Ecuadorian-Peruvian War and one of the
most important historical figures in Peru.
Lieutenant Quiñones was a fighter pilot with the Peruvian
Air Force's 41st Escuadrilla (Squadron) and was part of a
section that carried out a low-level strafing/bombing attack
on Ecuadorian forces at Quebrada Seca on July 23, 1941.
During the raid, Quiñones' aircraft, a North American NA-50
"TORITO" (North American P-64) nicknamed Pantera, was
killed by ground fire from an Ecuadorian anti-aircraft
artillery battery.
According to Peruvian accounts, Quiñones chose to make
the ultimate sacrifice by crashing his damaged aircraft onto
the Ecuadorian position, rendering the battery inoperable.
This version of events has since been called into question by
Ecuadorian military officials, who claim there were no anti-
aircraft guns in the area.
Following his death, Quiñones was promoted to the rank of
Air Force Captain, and he was declared a national hero by
law on May 10, 1966. The FAP Captain José Abelardo
Quiñones González International Airport near his birthplace
of Chiclayo is named in his honor. Gonzales appeared on the
10 sol banknote when Peru's new currency was introduced
in 1991. He was also the subject of the 500 soles de oro
banknote issued in 1976