2016 Bgen Noel Parrish History Sheet
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Willa Brown, Aviator Col. B.O. Davis, Jr. Ground Support Lt. Roscoe Brown and Sgt Smith BGNFP BGNFP “We Dare Not Fail” We are making Kentucky history... The Brigadier General Noel F. Parrish Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. rigadier Gen. Noel Par- License. She also went on chapter and there had never Brish Chapter of Tuskeg- to receive a license as a been one honoring a non- ee Airmen, Inc., became the certifi ed aviation mechan- minority. We felt it was time 52nd Chapter of Tuskegee ic. Willa and her husband, that both of those conditions Airmen, Inc., was chartered Cornelius Coff ey success- were corrected. in August of 2007 with the fully operated an aviation ur mission is to align help of a small dedicated school in Chicago and are Oitself with the tenets of group of history buff s and credited with instructing the National TAI Organiza- afi cionados of Tuskegee some 2,000 pilots of which tion in helping to keep the Airmen history. a good number went on to Tuskegee Airmen history General Parrish was born become pilots and instruc- alive and to encourage the in Versailles, KY in1909; tors in the Tuskegee Airmen youths of today who seek he died in 1982. As a pi- Cadet program. a career in aviation to meet lot, Captain Parrish went he late Dr. Charles entucky has a rich those goals. Membership is on to become the Com- T“A-Train” Dryden, Khistory in black avia- open to the general public, mandant of Cadet Train- L/Col. USAF-ret., said tion where twelve cadets students, youths and mili- ing at Tuskegee Institute in “Parrish was referred to as graduated and received tary personnel without re- Alabama. While he was one the Great White Father”. their wings. Some were as- gard to race or gender. of the few white Tuskegee The cadet aviation program signed to the 477th Bomber ost members will be Airmen associated with the at Tuskegee was expected Group as Bombardiers and Mdesignated as an As- “Experiment at Tuskegee”, to fail, but the then Col. Navigators of the twin en- sociate Airman. There may it was his compassion and Parrish was determined to gine B25 Mitchell. Flight be some members who have fairness that made him a make it a success. crews and ground support direct blood relations and will highly respected leader with There were 992 cadets personnel came from all be designated a “Heritage” the Tuskegee cadets during graduated as pilots; with a over Kentucky, as far west member. All original Tuskeg- their months of training. 18-to-1 ratio. It is reasonable as Paducah to Williams- ee Airmen are identifi ed as To this day, many years af- to expect that there were burg; to Ashland, Louis- DOTAs, “Documented Origi- ter his ascent as a “Lonely nearly 200 ground support ville, Frankfort, Richmond nal Tuskegee Airmen”. Eagle” he is fondly remem- personnel from all over and Owensboro. We maintain an open bered by many Tuskegee Kentucky. They were part s of 2015, there are membership and welcome Airmen pilots. of the Tuskegee Airmen A55 active Tuskegee from all walks of life, those eneral Parrish is en- experience under the Airmen chapters across the who wish to join, especially Gshrined in the Aviation leadership of Colonel U.S. Until 2007, Kentucky students whose annual dues Museum of Kentucky’s Hall Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. never had its own T.A. are less than 25% our nor- of Fame along with Willa illa B. Brown, a bi- mal rate. Brown, Major Julius Callo- Wracial Black/Native- nd TAI Chapter way, USAF-ret., Louisville American female was born and Lt/Col., Washington in Glasgow Kentucky, who Ross, USAF-ret. of Ash- later became America’s fi rst land, KY. African American woman to be issued a U.S. Pilot’s www.bgnfpchapter.weebly.com BBGNFPGNFP CChapterhapter ooff TTAI;AI; P.O.BoxP.O.Box 1124672467 - LLexington,exington, KKYY 4405830583 - ((88559)9) 576-3636576-3636 110-10-20160-10-2016 EEditiondition.