Miguel Ángel Escalera

Miguel Ángel Escalera

Dominican Immigrants|Dominican Veterans|Dominicans in Politics|Dominicans in the United States|Rafael Leónidas Trujillo|World War II

CUNY Dominican Studies Institute

The Escalera Family, Edward De Jesús

1921 - 2016

Edward De Jesús, Principal Investigator / Curator

Ruth Lizardi, Coordinator / Assistant Curator

Dr. Ramona Hernández, Director, CUNY DSI & Professor of Sociology, The City College of New York

Anthony Stevens-Acevedo, Assistant Director

Idilio Gracia Peña, Chief Archivist

Sarah Aponte, Chief Librarian

Jessy J. Pérez, Archivist

Jhensen Ortiz, Assistant Librarian

Groana G. Meléndez, Photography Editor

Norma Guzmán and Donald Mounts, Researchers

Dr. Tim Williams, Senior Editor

Mariel Acosta, Katie Duarte, Shaday Fermín, and Anthony Stevens-Acevedo, Editors

John P. Bimbiras, Edward De Jesús, Jhensen Ortiz, Jessy J. Pérez, Sophia Monegro and Natalie A. Studt, Biography Text Writers

Isabelia Herrera, Grant Writer

Javier Pichardo, Graphic Artist

Sponsor: CUNY Dominican Studies Institute

Sponsor: Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at The City College of New York

Sponsor: Latino Americans: 500 Years - National Endowment for the Humanities

Sponsor: American Library Association

Sponsor: New York City Council

Sponsor: Smithsonian Latino Center

Sponsor: Center for Puerto Rican Studies (Centro)

Sponsor: The Documentary Forum - CCNY Center for Film, Journalism, and Interactive Media

Sponsor: Dominican Students Association

24" x 36" panel

English

Miguel Ángel Escalera was born on January 20, 1921, in La Romana, Dominican Republic. He moved to New York City on July 2, 1940 at the age of 19. During WWII, Escalera enlisted in the U.S. Army on December 3, 1942. He served as a Technician 5th Grade in the 100th infantry Division, helping to supply ammunition to the front lines. In 1944, he was an infantry sergeant and led a platoon of 30 soldiers through Germany. Escalera was awarded the Silver Star Medal of gallantry in action while engaged in combat after saving the lives of his entire platoon in an ambush in Germany. Other decorations include two Presidential Unit Citations, two Combat Bronze Stars, a Combat Expert Infantry Badge, and a medal from the government of France for his role in the liberation of the Town of Bitche.

After his service in the military, he worked as a plant manager for the Heifetz Co., a manufacturer of lamp fixtures. In 1957, Escalera moved to Clinton, Connecticut when the company relocated. In Clinton, Escalera joined the American Legion where he became a volunteer assisting older veterans. As a result of his service to his community, Escalera was selected five times to the Board of Selectmen, worked with the town's Board of Ethics, the Affordable Housing Committee, and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Historical Commission. He remained an advocate for Clinton's older citizens for more than three decades. In 1990, he received the Clinton Chamber of Commerce Annual Award of Distinction for Public Service; and in 1991, he received a Successful Aging award sponsored by Connecticut Community Care Inc., a nonprofit homecare organization for elderly and disabled people. Today he lives a quiet life with his family.