Lieutenant General Pelagio A. Cruz (June 16, 1912 – October 21, 1986) was born in Baliuag, Bulacan. entered the Philippine Military Academy in 1932, and was commissioned as Third Lieutenant upon graduation in 1935. He earned his wings in September 1936 at the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC) Flying School in Camp Murphy. At the outbreak of World War II Cruz was assigned as an Executive Officer of the PAAC Provisional Regiment in Bataan and joined the Bulacan Guerilla Unit after the surrender of the Philippines to the Imperial Japanese Army.