Photos from USAF, the Air Force Historical Research Agency, and Toni Frissell via the Library of Congress

They were pilots, maintainers, weathermen, and administrators. They were Tuskegee Airmen.

The group that became known as Tuskegee Airmen began when the 99th Pur- suit Squadron was formed 75 years ago this month at Chanute Field, Ill. This photo is of Pilot Class 43-C at Tuskegee AAF, Ala., taken in 1943. The success of the Tuskegee Airmen at fl ying and fi ghting with a variety of combat aircraft in World War II paved the way for racial integration of the armed forces.

34 AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2016 USAF photo via blackarchives.org

AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2016 35 unning for his third presidential term, Franklin Roosevelt made a 1940 cam- Rpaign promise to allow the training of black military pilots. In cooperation 2 with the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, the Army in 1941 created a program to induct and train what would eventually amount to more than 14,000 airmen, of whom about 1,000 would become pilots; the others became navigators, bombardiers, radio operators, administrators, weathermen, and other support personnel. Collectively, these “Tuskegee Airmen”—whose numbers include whites who were instructors, unit commanders, and other associated person- nel—built a solid combat record.

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|1| Then-Capt. Benjamin Davis Jr. but as the war went on, high school tional ad but served as a symbol of welcomes some of the fi rst black graduates were accepted, then given pride in the African-American contri- aviation cadets at Tuskegee. The col- some college-level instruction before bution to the war effort. |3| “Red Tail” lege landed the contract to host the becoming aviation cadets. Less than P-51s of the 332nd Fighter Group enterprise because it already had a half of the more than 2,000 pilot take off on a bomber-escort mission program to train black civilian pilots, candidates who began the training in August 1944. Black units fl ew P- had an airfi eld, and enjoyed generally completed the program and earned 39s, P-40s, P-47s, P-51s, and B-25 good fl ying weather. Early pilot can- their Army Air Forces wings. |2| This Mitchell bombers, but the bomber didates had to be college graduates, 1943 poster was not just a promo- crews did not see combat. The

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Photo courtesy of Charles McGee

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Tuskegee units saw their fi rst combat referred to as the Tuskegee program, Louisville, Ky., and Roscoe Brown in North Africa, then moved to bases instruction in maintenance and fl ying of New York work on a P-51’s Merlin in Sicily and then to the mainland was performed at a number of bases engine. |8| Davis, commanding of- of Italy. |4| Charles McGee—now a and facilities in the Southeast US. fi cer of the 332nd FG, with Edward retired colonel—named his P-51 Kit- |6| The Tuskegee program started Gleed, operations offi cer. They were ten, a nickname for his wife. |5| White with white instructors and command- photographed at the unit’s Ramitelli, aviation cadets and black mainte- ers, but these positions were eventu- Italy, base. nance students receive instruction ally taken over by blacks with combat on a P-40’s Allison engine. Though experience. |7| Marcellus Smith of

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|1| The iconic red tail identifi ed P-51s Fifteenth Air Force. |2| SSgt. James Davis, then commander of the 99th of the 332nd FG. The 332nd was the McGee working in Italy on a P-39 FS, met with Mediterranean Allied Air second Tuskegee unit to see battle, Airacobra. |3| Tuskegee Airmen Forces chief Lt. Gen. Carl A. “Tooey” following the 99th Fighter Squadron, leaving a parachute hut in Ramitelli. Spaatz and Secretary of War Henry which merged into it. Although often |4| Second Lt. Andrew Marshall was Stimson (l-r). |6| Four Ramitelli-based credited with never having lost a brought down by fl ak while fl ying over Red Tails in formation. Tuskegee Air- bomber to enemy fi ghters, in reality Greece on Oct. 6, 1944. Partisans men were among the fi rst to engage some 27 Tuskegee-escorted bomb- hid Marshall from German troops and with—and shoot down—German ers were shot down—still signifi cantly helped him get back to his squadron. Me-262 fighters. |7| As Tuskegee fewer than other escort groups in |5| During the African campaign, Institute was gearing up to begin

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9 USAF photo by TSgt. Ben Bloker

its military training program, First against German targets in September ward the end of the war—the 332nd Lady Eleanor Roosevelt paid a visit 1944. |9| A modern-day P-51 deco- produced no aces (pilots having shot in March 1941. Here, she is pos- rated as a Red Tail fl ies over Langley down fi ve or more enemy aircraft), ing in a Piper Cub piloted by “Chief” AFB, Va., in a 2004 Heritage Flight but three Tuskegee pilots shot down Charles Anderson, the top instructor display. |10| Tuskegee Airmen at a four aircraft each. The 99th FS and in the civilian fl ight training course March 1945 briefi ng at Ramitelli. The 332nd FG together accounted for 112 that formed the core of the military 332nd fl ew 179 bomber-escort mis- enemy aircraft destroyed air-to-air. program then taking shape. |8| An sions in Europe. Likely due to the late- armorer loads .50-caliber ammo belts ness of its arrival in the theater—and on a P-51 being readied for action the decline of Luftwaffe opposition to-

AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2016 39 1 2 Photo courtesy of Leo R. Gray

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|1| Leo Gray—today a retired lieu- before a 1944 mission. |4| William tion continued throughout the war, tenant colonel—in 1945. |2| First Campbell (l) and Thurston Gaines eventually training 685 fighter pilots Lt. Charles Hall points to a freshly Jr. suit up at Ramitelli in March and 245 bomber pilots. Some 355 painted kill marking on his P-40L 1945. |5| A ground crew installs a Tuskegee pilots deployed overseas, Warhawk—the first aerial victory for fuel tank on a P-51 for a long-range and 81 were killed, some because the Tuskegee Airmen, earned while escort mission. |6| A restored P-51 of accidents. Of those shot down, 31 escorting B-25 Mitchell bombers “Red Tail” named Tuskegee Air- were prisoners of war. No Tuskegee over Sicily. |3| Capt. Wendell Pruitt men in a 2009 photo. |7| After flying Airman deployed to the Pacific The- leaves a ring with crew chief SSgt. instruction, advanced students went ater. |8| Lt. Woodrow Crockett (left) Samuel Jacobs for safekeeping on to learn fighters. Pilot produc- and Gleed (right) plan a mission at

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Red Tail Project photo

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Ramitelli in March 1945. Gleed’s general in the US Air Force. Tuske- vices were slow to comply. The Air flight jacket was later displayed at gee Airmen earned 96 Distinguished Force, created in 1947, had already the National Museum of the US Air Flying Crosses. The Tuskegee Air- announced it would integrate and Force in Dayton, Ohio. |9| Davis Jr. men organization recognizes anyone became the first to do so, in 1949. receives the Distinguished Flying who served with the Tuskegee units Besides Davis, two other Tuskegee Cross from his father, Brig. Gen. or bases between 1941 and 1949 Airmen—Daniel “Chappie” James Benjamin Davis Sr., in September as one of their number. President Jr. and Lucius Theus—became Air 1944. The elder Davis was the Harry Truman issued the executive Force generals. James became the first black general in the US Army, order integrating the US military on first black four-star general in the and his son became the first black July 26, 1948, but most of the ser- service. %

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