Medardo Farías

Medardo R. Farías (2 June 1898 – 1 April 1960) was a Uruguayan Army general and pioneer of Uruguayan aviation. In 1950 he was one of the drafters of the project that sought to create an independent Air Force in Uruguay, following the example of many other countries in the world that had confirmed the strategic importance of an independent military aviation, based on the lessons learned during the course of World War II. After the realization of the project in 1953, he became the first General Inspector of the independent Fuerza Aérea Militar (Military Air Force), whose position today is equivalent to Commander-in-Chief of the Uruguayan Air Force.

Early life Farías was born on 25 June 1898, in Florida, capital city of the homonymous department in Uruguay. When he was 17 years old, he joined the Uruguayan Army via the Uruguay Military School, graduating as ensign of the Artillery Weapon in January 1919. Given his interest in aviation, however, in 1921 he entered the Escuela Militar de Aviación (Military School of Aviation), becoming part of the second course of pilots that was given by the school in the country. He received his military wings in 1923.

Creation of the Uruguayan Air Force With the rank of colonel between 1945 and 1950, he drafted and handed to his superiority a project to create an independent Air Force that was initially known as the Fuerza Aérea Nacional (National Air Force), name that was later changed to Fuerza Aérea Militar (Military Air Force). This project followed the example of many others countries of the world that had already chosen that path. His work as part of the project was carried out prior to his appointment as General Director of the Aeronáutica Militar in 1952, after he reached the rank of general.

General Farías was then designated by the Decree of the Executive Power No. 23,117 of 16 December 1953 to become its first inspector general, which in turn was established as part of the Order No.1 of the General Inspection of the Air Force, dated December 19, 1953, when his appointment finally took place.

Retirement from the Air Force The Air Force was under his command until 1 March 1955, when he was succeeded by General Hernán S. Barú, whose links with Uruguayan aviation goes back to 1923. Immediately after his retirement from the Air Force, Farías then went on to serve in the Ministry of National Defense until March 14, 1957, when he went into full retirement by law, after 38 years of service.