Event Details
On Saturday, July 11, 2026, American Legion Mount Holly Post 11 will host the 99th Annual Captain Emilio Carranza Memorial Service at the Carranza Memorial Historic Site in Wharton State Forest. The ceremony will begin at 1:00 p.m. and, in keeping with nearly a century of tradition, will take place rain or shine—regardless of thunderstorms, extreme heat, or any inclement weather.
As the organization approaches the centennial of Captain Emilio Carranza’s historic goodwill mission and tragic death in 1928, this year’s memorial carries special significance. For 98 consecutive years, members of Mount Holly Post 11 have faithfully upheld the solemn promise made by their predecessors: to honor Captain Carranza every year without interruption and to preserve the ideals of friendship and goodwill between Mexico and the United States.
One of the highlights of this year’s commemoration will be the visit of a delegation of senior members of American Legion Post 11 to Mexico City, where they will participate as honored guests in the commemorative ceremony organized by the Mexican Air Force in honor of Captain Emilio Carranza’s life, sacrifice, and enduring legacy of international goodwill.
As a result of this historic visit, the Mexican Air Force has reinstated the public memorial ceremony traditionally held at Captain Carranza’s burial site. During the COVID-19 pandemic, commemorative observances had been temporarily moved to a private ceremony within a Mexican Air Force installation due to public health restrictions.
Preparations for the Mexico City visit are being made possible through the collaborative efforts of several organizations and individuals dedicated to preserving Captain Carranza’s legacy. In addition to the support of the Mexican Air Force, members of the Carranza family, American Legion Post 2 of Mexico City, and the Sociedad Mexicana de Estudios Aeronáuticos Latinoamericanos (SMEAL) are helping coordinate and support the commemorative activities surrounding the visit of the Mount Holly Post 11 delegation.
Another major highlight of the 2026 memorial will be the resumption of the traditional commemorative luncheon hosted by American Legion Post 11 following the New Jersey ceremony. This year will also mark the long-awaited return of the Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Nueva York, whose performances have become a beloved tradition of the annual Carranza commemorations.
In 1928, Captain Emilio Carranza of the Mexican Air Force undertook a goodwill flight to the United States in response to Charles Lindbergh’s celebrated journey to Mexico City. Throughout his visit, Carranza was enthusiastically welcomed by thousands of Americans and quickly became a symbol of friendship between the neighboring republics.
Contemporary newspaper accounts described immense crowds gathering in New York City to pay tribute to the fallen aviator before his body was returned to Mexico. On July 19, 1928, The New York Times reported that “200,000 on Funeral Route See Flier’s Coffin Draped in Two Flags Borne to Train,” while military escorts, honor guards, and aircraft flyovers accompanied the solemn procession.
Members of Mount Holly Post 11 played a central role in recovering Captain Carranza’s body from the dense Pine Barrens and accompanying his remains on their return journey to Mexico. In the years that followed, Post 11 established an enduring annual tradition of remembrance at the crash site, preserving Captain Carranza’s legacy and the spirit of friendship between both nations for nearly a century.
The monument at the Carranza Memorial site, erected in 1933 using stone sent from Mexico, continues to stand as a symbol of international friendship, remembrance, and goodwill between the peoples of Mexico and the United States.
“The People of Mexico Hope That Your High Ideals Will Be Realized.”
For additional information, media inquiries, or directions to the memorial site, please contact:
American Legion Mount Holly Post 11