Enrique Aflague

Enrique San Miguel Aflague, known as “Ricky,” was born in Guam on December 21, 1921. (1) He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and participated in several battles against Japan in the Pacific Theater, including the Battle of Guam. (2) After the war, Aflague served onboard the presidential yacht USS Williamsburg. When Dwight D. Eisenhower became president in 1953, Aflague participated in the Inauguration parade by riding in the “Guam float” alongside other Guamanians living in or near Washington, D.C. (3) 

Most of what we currently know about Aflague’s White House employment comes from the memoir of White House Maid Lillian Rogers Parks. In the memoir, Parks stated that First Lady Mamie Eisenhower “brought in two men from the Navy - Enrique Aflague, a Guamian [sp.], and Francisco Lim, a Filipino,” and “a Filipino named Jaunito [sp.] Malapit” to work as housemen in the White House. Aflague and the other two housemen were “assigned to do nothing but wait on” the first lady. “They took turns stationing themselves outside her door, to run errands and deliver messages,” said Parks. Parks also stated that Aflague and the other housemen waited on the first lady when she played bridge with her friends, and  traveled to the Eisenhowers’ farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to serve her when she stayed there. (4) When Aflague worked at Gettysburg, he stayed at the Navy barracks at Camp David in nearby Thurmont, Maryland and commuted to the Eisenhowers’ farm. (5) 

Parks also mentions Aflague in her memoir when discussing how First Lady Mamie Eisenhower mandated that all staff members forgo nicknames and only use formal names to promote professionalism. According to Parks, Mamie Eisenhower initiated this policy after she overheard staff calling Aflague “Ricky” instead of “Enrique.” (6) 

The exact years of Aflague’s service at the White House are unclear. Parks mentioned that the personnel changes that brought Aflague to the Residence “had begun not many months after Mrs. Eisenhower had arrived at the White House,” which would put his start date in 1953. (7) He was not included on a list of White House staff compiled in 1961 by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. (8) As such he may have worked for the duration of Eisenhower’s presidency and then left in early 1961. While he lived in D.C., Aflague was a member of the Guam Territorial Society in Washington composed of Guamanians in the nation’s capital. (9) 

By 1969, Aflague had moved back to Guam and lived there for the remainder of his life. (10) He involved himself in politics and held several positions within the local government in Guam, including Chief Commissioner and Assistant Election Director. (11) Aflague passed away on March 29, 1995 and was buried in Guam Veterans Cemetery in Piti, Guam. (12)