Sania Ramel Airport welcomed him and Franco assumed command of the Spanish Army in Morocco. They held an improvised conference around the plane. The most important contribution of the Sania Ramel airfield to the Nationalist war effort during the Spanish Civil War was its role in the airlift that flew most of the Army of Africa into mainland Spain. It was the world's first long-range combat airlift. At that time, the rebels in Spanish Morocco were being blocked by the Spanish fleet which remained mostly loyal to the government and the Army of Africa, the only professional army in Spain, was key to
Jean-Pierre Ramel (the younger) responsible for defending the Mediterranean coast. In 1809 he was employed in the gendarmerie and in 1810-1811 he fought in the campaigns in Spain and Portugal, where he distinguished himself at the siege of Astorga. After the Bourbon Restoration, Ramel was made Maréchal de camp (major general) and awarded the Order of Saint Louis. He was given command of the department of Haute-Garonne, where he attempted to moderate the influence of reactionary political elements. Suspected of being a loyalist of the now deposed Napoleon Bonaparte, the reactionaries had him assassinated in Toulouse on 15 August 1815. Jean-Pierre Ramel (the younger)