Alexander Minoa

    

Alexander Minoa
Alexander Minoa in 1938
Chairman of the Chattanooga Pact Military Committee
In office 5 June 1940 – 8 November 1949
Preceded by	Position created
Succeeded by	Hugh Dempsey
Deputy People's Commissar of Defense
In office 6 August 1927 – 8 November 1949
Preceded by	Frederick Meyers
Succeeded by	Carl Sullivan
Additional positions Deputy Minister of Defense for Military Science In office 19 September 1949 – 6 May 1951 Preceded by Gordon Peterson Succeeded by Laurence Collins Full member of the 13th–20th Central Committees In office 30 May 1923 – 30 August 1950
Personal details
Born	(1882-03-13)13 March 1882 Saginaw, Michigan United Commonwealth
Died	(1956-10-03)3 October 1956 (aged 74) New York City, Congregationalist States United Commonwealth
Resting place	National People's Cemetery, Chicago
Nationality	Continental
Political party	Continentalist Party
Religion	Irreligious
Military service
Allegiance	United Commonwealth
Branch/service	Continental Army
Years of service	1917–1951
Rank	Marshal of the United Commonwealth
Battles/wars	Revolutionary War Southern Insurrection Great War
Awards	See below

Alexander Minoa (13 March 1881 – 3 October 1956) was a prominent Continental military officer and politician who attained the rank of Marshal of the United Commonwealth, the highest military rank of the United Commonwealth. He is notable for his service during the Great War, and was the leading commander of the successful Continental Invasion of Brazoria in 1932. He also served as the inaugural Chairman of the Chattanooga Pact Military Committee from 1940 to 1949, as Deputy People's Commissar of Defense from 1927 to 1949, Deputy Minister of Defense for Military Science from 1949 to 1951, and as a member of the 13th through 20th Central Committees, from 1923 to 1950.

Hailing from a working class family in Michigan, Minoa was expected to follow his father's profession and help support his family. While attending a local college, he was introduced to the growing socialist movement in North America, and in 1904 Minoa joined the United Labor Front. Over the course of the next decade he became immersed in the Continentalist Party, taking part in efforts to train and equip insurgent forces, and for this he would be arrested on numerous occasions and face harassment by police. Upon the outbreak of the Continental Revolutionary War, Minoa became an officer in the Continental Revolutionary Army, leading numerous early battles in Illinois and Michigan. In 1920 he served as a general during the Southern Campaign under Aloysius Jadwin, and rose to prominence during the Southern Insurrection for his loyalty and harshness against dissidents. He gained the personal trust of Seamus Callahan, who favored Minoa for his humble origins and unbroken loyalty to the Party, as opposed to the country's early marshals, who were primarily career soldiers of the pre-Revolution United Commonwealth who had defected. In 1927 Minoa would be promoted to Marshal, the first of such promotions by Callahan, replacing the inaugural marshals of Aloysius Jadwin and Robert D. Huron. He would also be appointed Deputy People's Commissar of Defense.

In 1932 Minoa was selected to lead the Continental invasion into Brazoria, which began the Great War in North America. He would serve with distinction in the campaign, succeeding in establishing a Continentalist government in the nation, before leading forays into Sierra. During the last year of the war, Minoa was placed in charge of all forces in Brazoria and was effectively its military governor. After the war he was selected as the first Chairman of the newly created Chattanooga Pact's Military Committee, where he would serve from 1940 to 1949. Considered a key ally of the Callahan administration, after Seamus Callahan's death in 1947 Minoa fell from favor. Seen as an obstacle in Decallahanization, he would be quietly removed from his chief positions in 1949, instead being appointed Deputy Minister of Defense for Military Science from 1949 to 1951. That year he voluntarily retired from his military posts and government positions, living out the rest of his days traveling across North America. Minoa died on 3 October 1956 while in New York City, and was buried with full honors in the National People's Cemetery in Chicago.

Early life

Alexander Minoa was born on 13 March 1881 in the small town of Saginaw, Michigan, the oldest son of Sam and Lisa Minoa (née Gregorio). Sam Minoa was the son of an Italian immigrant who settled in Detroit, Michigan, who had moved the family to Saginaw in search of work as a logger, and later as a worker at a automobile parts factory. As a young child, Alexander began working to help support his family, at times working as a coal machine oiler, and as a teenager at a local iron works. Despite initially wanting to drop out from school, his family pushed him to continue his studies, and Minoa graduated from Saginaw High School in 1899. Although Minoa was expected to continue working full time after his high school graduation, he elected to attend the Detroit Institute of Technology. Minoa's uncle John, a member of the United Commonwealth Army, tried unsuccessfully to push Minoa toward a military career.

While in Detroit, Minoa became exposed to growing socialist sentiment in Michigan. Interested in political developments, on several occasions Minoa received reprimands for supporting protests. Despite this he remained focused on his studies primarily, until in 1902 he received news of the death of his father from a workplace accident. Minoa returned to Saginaw and entered the workforce once more, working in a manufactory to support his family. In 1904 he was fired from his first job for conspiring to lead a strike. He joined the United Labor Front later that year, and was introduced to the Continentalist movement. In 1905 Minoa would get into an altercation with police, which resulted in him being beaten and imprisoned. After a brief imprisonment, he became a leading figure of the Saginaw-area worker councils. Minoa would again be arrested in 1909, this time being sentenced to six months imprisonment followed by three years parole. While in prison, Minoa took part in hunger strikes and communicated with other political prisoners. Upon his release from prison, Minoa was convinced that revolutionary action was needed in the United Commonwealth. He joined a militia in central Michigan that underwent military training, stockpiling of weapons, and practiced survival skills. He obtained work at a gun factory in 1911 where he would remain for the next several years, secretly using his position to funnel arms to Continentalist groups, and also avoiding official military service due to his essential status.

Military career

Upon the outbreak of the Continental Revolutionary War, Minoa learned of developments in Illinois and moved to Chicago. He enlisted in the Continental Revolutionary Army and quickly became an officer due to his previous skill in organizing forces in Michigan. His first engagement would take place that autumn, leading Continentalist forces during the seizure of Illinois. Minoa would serve briefly as a deputy to the Chicago Revolutionary Military Committee, and in February 1918 was elected a delegate to the American Constituent Assembly. Over the course of the next year Minoa was stationed in Illinois, where he led a successful defense of the state from Superian invasion, and also took part in the foundation of the "Extraordinary Commission" under Dorian Conesus. In September 1920 Minoa was promoted to the rank of major general, and was placed in command of the newly raised 2nd Cavalry Division before the invasion of the Southern states. For his service in the campaign he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor in 1921.

After the Revolution, Minoa took part in organizing the nation’s peace-time armed forces and the occupation of the southern states. He took up a leading role in combating the Southern Insurrection, becoming well known for his harsh reprisals against rebel forces.

Awards

• Hero of the United Commonwealth (x2) (1933)(1940)
• Hero of Socialist Labor (x2) (1934)(1938)
• Order of Victory (1938)
• Order of the Revolution (1946)
• Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1921)
• Order of the Crimson Star (1926)
• Order of Sherman (1937)
• Order of Distinguished Courage (1938)
• Medal "For Impeccable Service" (1928)
• Medal "For the Liberation of Brazoria" (1938)
• Medal "For Strengthening of Brotherhood in Arms" (1941)
• Jubilee Medal "XX Years of the Peoples' Continental Army (1931)
• Order of the Lone Star (1938)
• Order of the Alamo (1951)