|
 |
| THE REAL BUFFALO SOLDIERS |
|
|
 |
| THE REAL BUFFALO SOLDIERS |
|
|
|
|
Tuskegee Airmen of World War II
During WWII there were many men that were forgotten. The Tuskegee Airmen made a major contribution. Where did they come from? Jakeman's book, "The Divided Skies" recollects where the Tuskegee Airmen came from. It is he who goes in depth about the Tuskegee Institute and its formation, which ultimately gives birth to the Tuskegee Airmen. After their superb flight training, there were a select few that made a major impact in the war through their excellent piloting skills. These men are known today as the Tuskegee Airmen.
March 1942 - Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama
5 men received the silver wings of Army Air Forces polots: George S. Roberts, Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., Charles H. BeBow, Jr., Mac Ross, adn Lemuel R. Custis
these men completed standard Army flight clasroom instruction
these men completed many hours of flying time
marked milestone in US military Aviation
first African-Americans to qualify as military pilots in any branch of the armed forces
|
Before these five men entered the program, blacks were continuosly excluded from aviation training programs in the military
By the end of WWII, almost 1,000 African-Americans had won their wings at Tuskegee Army Air Field. Not until 1948 did the first Black American received the gold wings of a Navy pilot
As you can see, racial exclusion in the Navy continued on many years after the first black men graduated from Tuskegee
Approximately half of the black men that graduated from Tuskegee fought in the European and Mediterranean wars as combat mission fighter pilots
The Tuskegee Airmen have a respectable record in combat:
they flew more than 15,000 sorties
destroyed over 1,000 German aircraft
received hundreds of Air Medals
more then 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses
|
Why Tuskegee?
1939 - The establishment of an aviation course at Tuskegee
The aviation course was a direct result of blacks crusade to be included into the nation's military
component to crusade was admitting blacks into Air Corps
Ulysses Lee characterizes wide spread pressure campaign
The Air Corps drew its strength from three important sources
black America's high regard for military service
increase in enthusiasm for black public in aviation
the emergence of civil rights as a national issue during the 1930's
|
|
