After he graduated from high school, he enrolled at the Colegio de Agricultura y Artes Mecanicas (CAAM) (now the University of Puerto Rico) at Mayagüez and studied electronics and mechanical engineering.

There Rigau Carrera and his unit provided bomber and fighter support to the Navy's Day Wing, Northern Bombing Group.

The local town people celebrated his landings with live music and fireworks and he became known as "The Eagle of Sabana Grande".

While living in Virginia he joined the Virginia Commonwealth USNRF (US Naval Reserve Force) [4] When the United States entered World War II, Rigau Carrera joined the United States Merchant Marine where he served throughout the war years.

[3][4] Rigau Carrera died at the age of 60 and was buried with full military honors at Abingdon Episcopal Church Cemetery.

[5] His native hometown, Sabana Grande, named a street Calle Félix Rigau Carrera in his honor.

[6][7] The American Legion Post 36 in Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico, was named in honor of LTJG Félix Rigau Carrera.

In 2020 Félix Rigau Carrera was posthumously inducted to the Puerto Rico Veterans Hall of Fame.