Lieutenant Placido Vigil

Placido Vigil was born in Espanola NM on August 17, 1920 to Mr and Mrs Placido Vigil. Raised in Espanola, he graduated from Espanola HS in 1939 and the next fall enrolled at NMAMC to study Agriculture. He departed after one year and enrolled at Highlands to study aviation. While there he earned his civilian pilot wings. In November of 1942 he enlisted in the USAAF and was sent to training. In February 1944 he was commissioned at Fort Sumner Field and awarded his wings. From there he went to various training fields across the south, finally landing at Palacios TX where he was flying aircraft that were assigned the mission of towing targets. On May 24 1944 he was asked to fly as co-pilot aboard a Navy Hell Diver. The aircraft took off at 11:00 a.m. and immediately encountered an engine fire. The craft was seen with its engine ablaze and at a low altitude. The radio operator called that they were bailing out. Before that was possible however, the plane crashed approximately three miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. All of the five crew members perished in the crash. The ensuing search recovered three of the five missing bodies. Lt Vigil’s body was never recovered. Today he is memorialized at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cemetery in Espanola NM. Lt Placido Vigil was 23 years of age at the time of his death.