The Tuskegee Airmen epitomize courage and heroism. Their story, however, is more than just the legendary success they're most known for: escorting American bombers over Nazi Germany. Their remarkable journey actually begins more than 23 years earlier. In fact, from the early days of World War I, Black Americans wanted to serve as pilots in the Army Air Force. They were repeatedly rejected because of their race. In 1941, Congress finally mandated the Army Air Force to train Black Americans.
The 926 members of the famed Tuskegee Airmen (comprised initially of the 99th Pursuit Squadron and later the 332nd Fighter Group) were trained for combat at the acclaimed historically Black college, Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in Tuskegee, Alabama. Nearly all of the trainees were college graduates or undergraduates and came from all over the country. In addition to some 1,000 pilots, the Tuskegee program trained nearly 14,000 navigators, bombardiers, instructors, aircraft and engine mechanics, control tower operators and other maintenance and support staff. Known for their red- tailed P-51 Mustang fighters, the Tuskegee Airmen never lost an escorted plane to the enemy during the course of World War II, during which they carried out hundreds of escort missions.
By the time the 332nd flew its last combat mission on April 26, 1945, two weeks before the German surrender, the Tuskegee Airmen had flown more than 15,000 individual sorties over two years in combat. They had destroyed or damaged 36 German planes in the air and 237 on the ground, as well as nearly 1,000 rail cars and transport vehicles and a German destroyer. A reported total of 66 Tuskegee-trained aviators were killed in action during World War II, while another 32 were captured as POWs. After their brave service, the Tuskegee Airmen returned to a country where they continued to face systematic racism. However, they did represent an important step forward in preparing the nation for the racial integration of the military, which began with President Harry Truman who issued the groundbreaking Executive Order 9981 on July 26, 1948 desegregating the United States Armed Forces.
Post World War II, several of the original Tuskegee Airmen would further their military careers and make history yet again. A few examples include Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., who would become the first Black general in the new U.S. Air Force; George S. “Spanky” Roberts, who became the first Black commander of a racially integrated Air Force unit before retiring as a colonel and Daniel “Chappie” James Jr., who would become the nation’s first Black four-star general in 1975.
We are grateful for the contributions of Bridgette Royall, who created this month’s content.