Ángel Salas Larrazábal

Ángel Salas Larrazábal (1 October 1906 – 19 July 1994) was a Spanish military officer, military attaché, and flying ace. He fought for the Nationalist faction during the Spanish Civil War and was the first commander of the Blue Squadron of World War II during Operation Barbarossa. Salas began his military career in the Spanish Army as an artilleryman. He joined the Spanish Aviation Corps in 1928 and became a fighter pilot. Salas helped suppress the Asturian Revolution of 1934. While he was assigned to the Spanish protectorate in Morocco, he joined the Nationalists of the Spanish Civil War. He engaged in several aerial battles and became a flying ace. He became the first commander of the Blue Squadron that fought alongside the Luftwaffe during Operation Barbarossa. Salas became a military attaché in 1944 and was a Spanish representative to Nazi Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, and France. Salas was a flight instructor for the North American F-86 Sabre during the 1950s. He became a member of the Regency Council in 1974 and was one of three people who led Spain in an interim capacity from 20 to 22 November 1975 after the death of General Francisco Franco. In 1991, King Juan Carlos I promoted Salas to captain general of the Air Force ad honorem. Salas died in Madrid on 19 July 1994.