Carmen Vazquez Rivera

Carmen Maria Vazquez Rivera de Figueroa (February 15, 1922 – March 8, 2025) was a Puerto Rican United States Army and Air Force officer and nurse who served in both World War II and the Korean War. She was the wife of Puerto Rican politician, lawyer, medical doctor, and scholar Leopoldo Figueroa.

Early years and background Carmen Maria Vazquez Rivera was born on February 15, 1922, in Cidra, Puerto Rico. Vazquez is the daughter of Maria Engracia Rivera y Rodriguez and Nicasio Vazquez Noguera. She was the first of six children, and niece of the regional Cidra-based businessman Manuel Rivera, Maria Engracia's brother. Carmen and her siblings Nicasio, Laura, Roberto, Jose and Carola, were raised in Cidra.

Medical career In 1938 Vazquez decided to pursue a career in medicine at the age of sixteen and began studies to become a nurse. This position was reversed in April 1944, and Vazquez joined the United States Army that first year in December as a nurse. She quickly served in numerous leadership capacities, including becoming Head Nurse in charge of the orthopedic department with the 161st General Hospital at San Juan's Fort Brooke and held the rank of Second Lieutenant. She was later transferred to the Hospital of Trinidad in 1946, after which she was honorably discharged and returned to her civilian nursing career. During her time with the U.S. Air Force, Vazquez won a beauty pageant of women in the armed services. During the crowning ceremony, singer Elvis Presley was present and performed for the crowd present. As the winner, Vazquez briefly danced with Presley during his performance and would keep the tiara she was crowned with as a memento until her death. The pair were married following the conclusion of WWII, though they would divorce before the end of the decade. The story of her death was subsequently covered in Spanish by Diario Las Americas, the second oldest Spanish language newspaper in the United States.