Ángel Liberal Lucini

Ángel Liberal Lucini (19 September 1921 – 2 October 2006) was a soldier and admiral in the Spanish Military, who became the first Chief of the Defence Staff (JEMAD) upon its creation, serving from January 1984 to October 1986.

Lucini was born on 19 September 1921 in Barcelona. His father, an infantry commander and vice-captain general of Valladolid in 1936, was the first victim of the Spanish Civil War.

Lucini enrolled in the Naval Academy in Cádiz in 1938 at the age of 16–17 and graduated in 1942. At 23, he commanded his first ships, the torpedo boat LT 25 in 1945, Arcila in 1949, and Alcalá Galiano in 1962. Lucini did not participate in the Civil War during his service in the Spanish Navy. As a rear admiral in 1976, he commanded 17 ships in the Bodyguard Command, and it was reported that he never arrested anyone during his command.

Lucini earned a diploma in naval warfare at the Naval War College, where he later served as deputy director, head of studies, and instructor at the Military Naval School. In 1961, he was the naval attaché at the Spanish Embassy in the United States.