SAM-FE-BR-TR-2007-0001 UNITED STATES AIR FORCE SCHOOL OF AEROSPACE MEDICINE United States Army Aeromedical Support to African American Fliers, 1941 - 1949: The Tuskegee Flight Surgeons David R. Jones 3558 Southview Avenue Montgomery, AL 36111 Leroy P. Gross 810 Water Fowl Lane Yorktown, VA 23692 Roslyn Marchbanks-Robinson 2564 Nicky Lane Alexandria, VA 22311 April 2007 USAF School of Aerospace Medicine Distribution Statement A: Approved for Clinical Sciences Division public release; distribution is unlimited. 2507 Kennedy Circle Brooks City-Base TX 78235-5116 NOTICES When Government drawings, specifications, or other data are used for any purpose other than in connection with a definitely Government-related procurement, the United States Government incurs no responsibility or any obligation whatsoever. 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Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188), Washington, DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED April 2007 Final 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS United States Army Aeromedical Support to African American Fliers, 1941 – 1949: The Tuskegee Flight Surgeons FA8901-06-M-0006 6. AUTHOR(S) David R. Jones Leroy P. Gross Roslyn Marchbanks-Robinson 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER David R. Jones Leroy P. Gross Roslyn Marchbanks-Robinson 3558 Southview Avenue 810 Water Fowl Lane 2564 Nicky Lane Montgomery, AL 36111 Yorktown, Virginia 23692 Alexandria, Virginia 22311 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY USAF School of Aerospace Medicine REPORT NUMBER Clinical Sciences Division 2507 Kennedy Circle Brooks City-Base, TX 78235-5116 SAM-FE-BR-TR-2007-0001 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 12a. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. 13. ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 words) Most active duty United States Air Force pilots and flight surgeons serve less than four years with one unit. Segregation policies in early 1941 required a few African American flight surgeons to support black student pilots at Tuskegee, Alabama from cadet training in preflight ground school until graduation with pilot wings; then through fighter training, deployment to the Mediterranean Theater, combat operations, redeployment, peacetime service and disbandment on 1 July 1949. Approximately a thousand Tuskegee-trained pilots and seventeen flight surgeons served together at bases in the U.S. Six flight surgeons – Maurice C. Johnson, Vance H. Marchbanks, Jr., Harry Anderson, Bascom C. Waugh, William K. Allen and Arnold J. Maloney – lived under combat field conditions in North Africa, Sicily and Italy with Tuskegee Airmen of the 99th Fighter Squadron and the 332nd Fighter Group. The Tuskegee Airmen have been recognized and honored many times. Their flight surgeons deserve equal recognition and honor for aeromedical accomplishments demonstrably equal to any in the Army Air Forces. This academic study reports the background and details of their aeromedical support. We give particular attention to Vance H. Marchbanks, Jr., M.D., who served as chief flight surgeon to his childhood friend, Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., during and after World War II. 14. SUBJECT TERMS 15. NUMBER OF PAGES Flight surgeon, Tuskegee airmen, aviation medicine, flight training, fighter pilots, military history, racial prejudice, Air Force, World War II, Mediterranean Theater, combat readiness, military medicine, army aviation, 164 preventive medicine, lessons learned, 332nd Fighter Group, 477th Bombardment Group (medium), 99th Fighter 16. PRICE CODE Squadron 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF 20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT OF REPORT OF THIS PAGE ABSTRACT Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified SAR NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev.2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39-18 i THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK ii TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS viii GLOSSARY ix CHAPTER ONE 1 TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE BECOMES THE CENTER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MILITARY AVIATION Introduction of three themes of African American rights as full citizens, as members of the Army Air Forces, and of flight surgeon support to the Tuskegee Airmen – Background of Air Corps and Air Forces mobilization in the late 1930s – African American efforts to join the Air Corps as fliers – Role of the Civilian Pilot Training Program in traditionally black colleges – Emergence of the Tuskegee Institute as the nation’s primary African American aviation training center. CHAPTER TWO 11 RECRUITING, INDUCTING AND TRAINING U.S. ARMY PHYSICIANS Medical Education for African Americans – U.S. Army Medical Department Reserve Officers – Aeromedical support for army aviators – Vance H. Marchbanks, Jr., M.D. – African American aeromedical training. CHAPTER THREE 27 DEVELOPMENT OF TUSKEGEE ARMY AIR FIELD Part One Development of Tuskegee Army Air Field Training Program 27 Tuskegee prepares for African-American flying training – ‘Chief’ Anderson and Eleanor Roosevelt – U.S. Army pilot training: cadet selection, classification and initial training – Preflight training and ground school, Basic, Advanced and Combat flight training – Organization of flying units – Student population at Tuskegee Part Two Development of Tuskegee Army Air Field Medical Department Services 39 Capt. Maurice E. Johnson, MC, AME – Flight surgeon duties at Tuskegee – The war years – Tuskegee Army Air Field Station Hospital – Capt. James P. Ramsey, MC, AME – Capt. Leroy R. Weekes, Sr., MC, AME – Difficulties with personnel and solutions thereof – Capt. Hackley Eldridge Woodford, MC – February 1944: Eastern Flying Command assumes command of Tuskegee Medical Department – 1/Lt Arthur H. Coleman MC AME – September 1945: The war ends – May 1946: 1/Lt. Celsus Elliott Beguesse MC dies in B-25 mishap – TAAF closes and the hospital demobilizes – Summary of medical manning. CHAPTER FOUR 59 AEROMEDICAL SUPPORT FOR THE 99TH FIGHTER SQUADRON AT HOME AND ABROAD March 1941: activation and early days of the 99th Pursuit Squadron – May 1942: the 99th Fighter Squadron prepares for war – March 1943: deployment to North Africa – Fardjouna and combat: aviation medicine in the desert – Lt. Col. William Momyer and Maj. Phillip Cochran – June 1943: Pantelleria and Sicily: first combat victories and losses – September 1943: Lt. Col. Davis returns to U.S – Tuskegee Airmen challenged by Momyer and vindicated by Congress – With the 79th Fighter Group in Italy: mud and glory – 1 April 1944: reorganization, relocation and reunion with the 332nd Fighter Group iii CHAPTER FIVE 77 AFRICAN AMERICAN AIRMEN IN STATESIDE BASES AFTER TUSKEGEE TRAINING, 1942 – 1945 Part One 332nd Fighter Group, Selfridge and Oscoda Army Air Fields, Michigan March 1943 – December 1943 77 Drs. James Ramsey, Frank Jordan, Bascom Waugh, Harry Anderson and Vance Marchbanks – October 1943: Lt. Col. B.O. Davis, Jr. assumes command – November: Dr. Maloney arrives – January 1944: the 332nd deploys to Italy. Part Two 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) at Selfridge Field, Michigan and Godman Field, Kentucky, January 1944 - May1945 79 Selway activates the 447th Bombardment Group and Ramsey heads its Medical Department – Clinical medicine, preventive medicine and unit growth – Tensions and transfers. Part Three 553rd Fighter Squadron becomes 126th Walterboro Army Air Field Base Unit May 1944—September