Tuskegee Airmen

C

Cypress

Well-known member
I just found out that a beloved college Professor of mine - who served as one of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II - just passed away.

In his honor, a recounting of the accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen:


-The Tuskegee Airmen were dedicated, determined young men who volunteered to become America's first Black military airmen;

-The all-Black, 332nd Fighter Group consisted originally of four fighter squadrons, the 99th, the 100th, the 301st and the 302nd.

-The Airmen’s success during World War II – not losing a single bomber to enemy fire in more than 200 combat missions – is a record unmatched by any other fighter group.

-The 99th Squadron distinguished itself by being awarded two Presidential Unit Citations (June-July 1943 and May 1944) for outstanding tactical air support and aerial combat in the 12th Air Force in Italy, before joining the 332nd Fighter Group.

-The 332nd Fighter Group was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for its longest bomber escort mission to Berlin, Germany, March 24, 1945. It destroyed three German ME-262 Jet fighters and damaged five additional jet fighters without losing any of the bombers or any of its own fighter aircraft to enemy fighters.

-The tenacious bomber escort cover provided by the 332nd "Red Tail" fighters often discouraged enemy fighter pilots from attacking bombers escorted by the 332nd Fighter Group.

-The U.S. Congress authorized $29 million in 1998 to develop the Tuskegee Airmen Naitonal Historic Site, with the University, Tuskegee Airmen Inc. and the National Park Service serving as partners in its development. To date, a mere $3.6 million has been appropriated for the Site’s implementation.
 
I went to college about 23 miles away from Tuskeegee Alabama. You know what is sad... After all these years Auburn University is about 4% black... while Tuskeegee Institute is about 96% black...

I did go tour the campus once... It was very interesting.. My girlfriend and I were the only ones I knew who ever once in the four years of college made the trip!
 
LadyT said:
Wow! You knew a Tuskegee Airman! Kewl.
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Man, the dude was a class act.

I used to ask him all the time about his experiences. It was like talking to a piece of history.

He was totally classy. I remember one story he told me, where the black american pilots were riding a train somewhere, and it had to stop to pick up some German POWs....and they made the american black pilots get into the cattle car, so the german POWs could have the passenger train.

I couldn't believe it. I asked him how he could deal with that bullshit, and he was just so totally mellow about it. He didn't let it keep him from fighting for his country. Classy dude.
 
I've always loved that such powerful good could come from a place where such powerful bad was done on people of race. Not only these guys, but the University as well.
 
Cypress said:
Man, the dude was a class act.

I used to ask him all the time about his experiences. It was like talking to a piece of history.

He was totally classy. I remember one story he told me, where the black american pilots were riding a train somewhere, and it had to stop to pick up some German POWs....and they made the american black pilots get into the cattle car, so the german POWs could have the passenger train.

I couldn't believe it. I asked him how he could deal with that bullshit, and he was just so totally mellow about it. He didn't let it keep him from fighting for his country. Classy dude.
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Hmmm. I'm not that good of a person. There's no way I would have fought for the US at that time.
 
LadyT said:
Hmmm. I'm not that good of a person. There's no way I would have fought for the US at that time.
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I'm glad they did. They made a huge step toward educating people on the equality of the races. Only the best of the best made it through that Tuskegee training, and they turned out to be the absolute best when it came right down to it. Nobody had their record, absolutely nobody but them.
 
LadyT said:
Hmmm. I'm not that good of a person. There's no way I would have fought for the US at that time.
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Good lord, it took people of tremendous character to put up with that bullshit. I guess my professor felt that, in the long run, it was simply better to prove the racists wrong. I have a feeling the Tuskegee Airman had at least something to do with truman's decision to desegregate the military in 1948.

My prof told me, that after initially putting up with bullshit from american bomber pilots, ultimately american bomber pilots began specifically requesting that the 332nd escort them on missions into Germany.
 
Cypress said:
Good lord, it took people of tremendous character to put up with that bullshit. I guess my professor felt that, in the long run, it was simply better to prove the racists wrong. I have a feeling the Tuskegee Airman had at least something to do with truman's decision to desegregate the military in 1948.

My prof told me, that after initially putting up with bullshit from american bomber pilots, ultimately american bomber pilots began specifically requesting that the 332nd escort them on missions into Germany.
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You haven't watched the movie? Man, that is one great flick! And pretty darned accurate from what I hear, too.
 
Cypress said:
My prof told me, that after initially putting up with bullshit from american bomber pilots, ultimately american bomber pilots began specifically requesting that the 332nd escort them on missions into Germany.
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Clearly I have some growing up to do. If they made me get in cattle class over Nazi's, I'd poke holes in their parachutes and steal their sunglasses.
 
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