Early Years
Esteves (birth name: Luis Raul Esteves Völckers ) was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. His father and mother were also natives of Aguadilla. His father, Francisco Esteves Soriano had served in the Spanish Army and his mother, Enedina Völckers Van der Dijs, of German and Dutch descent, was a housewife. Esteves received his primary education in Aguadilla and went to high school in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, the Esteves Völckers family welcomed the Americans as an alternative to Spanish rule of the island. Esteves's father wanted his son to continue the family military tradition and encouraged him to consider a military career. However, his mother had other plans. She wanted her son to become an engineer and to study in the United States. The family's financial situation did not permit her to realize her dream.
Esteves saw a news advertisement announcing examinations for the entry into the West Point Academy and applied without his parents' knowledge. He passed the exam, was accepted to and eventually graduated from West Point, thus becoming the first Puerto Rican to do so.
Read more about this topic: Luis R. Esteves
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