Cordero Dávila, born in barrio Trujillo Bajo of Carolina, Puerto Rico, lived in the San Juan Metropolitan Area. He started his education in his native barrio, under Isaías González. Cordero completed his elementary education in the public schools of Carolina. Midway through high school, he joined the UPR's high school, from which he graduated. Afterwards he was accepted at the "Colegio de Agricultura y Artes Mecanicas" (CAAM) (now the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, where he actively participated in that institution's Army ROTC program. In 1925, he earned his degree as a civil engineer. He also gained his United States Army Reserve commission as a Second Lieutenant