Alba Maria Morales - 1922-1937
Alba was born 1/28/22 on the U.S. base at Guantanamo, Cuba to Maximino and Martina (Batista) Morales.
Max 
Martina
Both her parents were born in Puerto Rico where her fraternal grandparents had settled from Spain. Her father was a carpenter in the Army and Alba was the 2nd of 4 children: Francisco, Alba, Isabel and Tomas. Her mother died of pneumonia when Alba was 3 years old and her father tried to keep the children together but when transferred to the Dominican Republic he had to split them up between his sisters and mother. Alba first lived with her grandmother in Puerto Rico but when her grandmother became ill her Aunt took her to New York.
1st NY winter 1927 with cousin Ralphy 
Summer with cousin Freddy
Her Aunt took her back and forth frequently, by steamer, to visit her grandmother in P.R. and father in the Dominican Republic until his death a year later. Upon her Aunt's death Alba was cared for by her Aunt's daughter Rose Cardenas Pena and son Ralph Iriarte and was raised with her cousins Ralphy and Freddy. She continued to have opportunities to interact with her little sister Isabel but did not see her brothers again until they were adults.
Isabel & Alba
1926 
1936
Isabel remained in Puerto Rico until her grandmother's death and then followed her sister to New York.
Max MartinaBoth her parents were born in Puerto Rico where her fraternal grandparents had settled from Spain. Her father was a carpenter in the Army and Alba was the 2nd of 4 children: Francisco, Alba, Isabel and Tomas. Her mother died of pneumonia when Alba was 3 years old and her father tried to keep the children together but when transferred to the Dominican Republic he had to split them up between his sisters and mother. Alba first lived with her grandmother in Puerto Rico but when her grandmother became ill her Aunt took her to New York.
1st NY winter 1927 with cousin Ralphy Summer with cousin FreddyHer Aunt took her back and forth frequently, by steamer, to visit her grandmother in P.R. and father in the Dominican Republic until his death a year later. Upon her Aunt's death Alba was cared for by her Aunt's daughter Rose Cardenas Pena and son Ralph Iriarte and was raised with her cousins Ralphy and Freddy. She continued to have opportunities to interact with her little sister Isabel but did not see her brothers again until they were adults.
Isabel & Alba
1926 1936 Isabel remained in Puerto Rico until her grandmother's death and then followed her sister to New York.