​​Hector James Santa Anna, born on 26 February 1923, in Miami, Arizona, was a Mexican-American pilot who served with distinction in the United States military during World War II and throughout his career in public service. One of seven children, he grew up in a working-class family—his father was a miner, and Hector also worked in the mines before enlisting in the Army Air Forces in 1943. He was the great-grandnephew of the 19th-century Mexican general Antonio López de Santa Anna. ​ 

​In July 1943, he graduated from flight training at Brooks Army Air Field in San Antonio, Texas, the only Latino cadet in a class of 97. Initially assigned to train Central and South American military pilots in Waco, Texas, due to his fluency in Spanish, Santa Anna later volunteered for combat duty. Between November 1944 and March 1945, he flew 35 bombing missions over Western Europe. For his actions, he was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses, five Air Medals, and a Commendation Medal. ​ 

​After the war, Santa Anna remained in service, joining the newly established United States Air Force. He participated in the Berlin Airlift (1948–1949), flying 127 missions to support Allied efforts during the Soviet blockade. His later assignments took him to the Pentagon, where he served as special assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs. ​ 

​Retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1964, Santa Anna continued his public service in civilian roles at NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration. Under President Richard Nixon, he served as the White House representative for the Office of Equal Opportunity and on the Cabinet Committee on Opportunities for Spanish-Speaking People. He remained active in aviation as a flight instructor. ​ 

​In 2006, just months before his death, his story was featured in Voices of Valor, a play about Latino service members in WWII. He was the only real historical figure included. Hector Santa Anna passed away on 9 December 2006. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.​