You’ve probably heard of the Tuskegee Airmen. Did you know there’s a monument in honor of the airmen in South Carolina? It’s actually located in Walterboro, SC. Walterboro was the home of the Walterboro Army Airfield. The airmen completed training at the location for a short period of time before their World War II deployment overseas.
Let me tell you how the Tuskegee Airmen came to be. Apparently, white military folks figured Blacks weren’t smart enough or capable of flying a mechanical aircraft. But we know better than that! However, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was eventually convinced by the NAACP and Black media outlets to train Blacks to fly. The Tuskegee Airmen became America’s first Black military pilots. Although the airmen faced discrimination, they still fought and served in World War II.
The movie Red Tails is based on the group of aviators known as the Tuskegee Airmen. “Red tails” describes the rear tip of the plane. The red color was a tactic used to distinguish themselves from the enemy. You should watch it if you haven’t seen it already.
Tuskegee Airmen Facts
- Started as an experiment called the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) in Tuskegee, Alabama in 1941. The program was geared towards college-aged students. The training took place at HBCU, Tuskegee University founded by Booker T. Washington.
- Nearly 1000 pilots trained.
- 14,000 essential staff trained including aircraft mechanics, engine mechanics, nurses, administrative personnel, navigators, and control tower operators.
- Deployed to North Africa and Italy during World War II in 1942. Even in war, the airmen had subpar aircrafts and equipment.
- Initially tasked to escort and protect the white US bombers.
- Accolades include flying 1800 missions, 351 missions were to protect bombers in the sky, shot down 112 enemy planes.
- Have a great record of not losing many US bombers compared to other fighting units.
- Their success prompted President Truman to integrate the military. In 1948 Truman signed Executive Order 9981 that desegregated the US Armed Forces and authorized equal opportunities and treatment.
- Received Congressional Gold Medal in 2007 by George Bush.
- Attended President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009.
- GMA News Anchor, Robin Roberts father, Lawrence Roberts Sr. was a Tuskegee Airman.
- Combat Pilot, Theodore Lumpkin Jr. recently died at the age of 100 years old in Dec 2020.
- There are currently 8 original surviving combat pilots of The Tuskegee Airmen.
Women Contributions
Amelia Jones was born on Daufuskie Island, SC. She served 2 years in World War II. In the war, she served under the commander of the Tuskegee Airmen as support personnel. She was honored for her contribution in 2014.
In 1938 Willa Brown was the first Black woman in the US to obtain a pilot license. She and her husband Cornelius Coffey founded the Coffey School of Aeronautics in the Chicago area. Pilots were trained for the Civilian Pilot Training Program at the school. She was responsible for training over 200 future Tuskegee Airmen.
Mildred Hemmons Carter graduated from the CPTP. In 1941 she earned her private pilot’s license. Although fully qualified, her application to the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) was rejected because she was Black. Mrs. Carter was intricate to the success of the Tuskegee program through her administrative and mentoring work. Seventy years later, she gained recognition as a WASP. She was also a designated Tuskegee Airman.
Tuskegee Airmen: Legacy of Courage
Robin Roberts has a new documentary about the Tuskegee Airmen. It’s airing on Wednesday, Feb 10, 2021, on the History Channel. Watch the preview in the link below.
Speaking of airmen, check out my post “5 Places to See in San Antonio, TX ” where I visited Lackland Air Force Base.