Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

A Tuskegee Airman Turns 95
Wall St. Journal ^ | July 2019 | Harry Stewart

Posted on 07/17/2019 9:32:30 AM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege

On June 27, 1944, I graduated from Tuskegee Army Flying School, established in Alabama shortly before America’s entry into World War II...

My journey to the flight line started in my high-school library... I came across a magazine article about the first all-black flying combat unit... I decided right then that when I turned 18 the squadron was where I wanted to serve.

The train ride down South was eye-opening for a teenager who’d never traveled far from New York. When the train crossed the Mason-Dixon Line, the conductor came by and pointed at me: “Move to the colored car.”

...I flew 43 combat missions with the 332nd Fighter Group, known as the Red Tails. Our commander was the legendary Benjamin O. Davis Jr., who had endured four years of the silent treatment from white cadets at West Point but nevertheless managed to graduate 35th out of a class of 276. At our mission briefings, he implored us, “Gentlemen, stay with the bombers!” His convictions were encapsulated in his statement: “The privileges of being an American belong to those brave enough to fight for them.”

On Easter Sunday 1945, I shot down three long-nosed Focke-Wulf Fw 190s, the best piston fighters in the Luftwaffe inventory. That action resulted in my receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross. I was thankful that my country had given me the opportunity to fly and fight, and all these years later I am proud that I contributed to the cause. We called it winning the Double V, victory against totalitarianism abroad and institutional racism at home.

July 4 is my birthday, but I celebrate my country’s birthday too. America was not perfect in the 1940s and is not perfect today, yet I fought for it then and would do so again.


(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: airforce; airmen; patriotism; tuskegee; usaf; wwii

1 posted on 07/17/2019 9:32:30 AM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

God Bless this man. A patriot who loves and served his country, and isn’t looking for something to complain about.


2 posted on 07/17/2019 9:36:57 AM PDT by bigdaddy45
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

I’ve watched (on YouTube) a 1980 “Real People” feature on the Tuskegee Airmen. Link here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsDW1GvuKGE&t=119s


3 posted on 07/17/2019 9:37:38 AM PDT by OttawaFreeper ("The Gardens was founded by men-sportsmen-who fought for their country" Conn Smythe, 1966)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

These were amazing men. I got the chance to meet a number of them as they attended the re-commissioning of several flying training squadrons for which I served as Staff Judge Advocate, and which were reconstituted in their honor: 43FTS, 96FTS, 99FTS and 100FTS. Impressive one and all.

Colonel, USAF (ret)


4 posted on 07/17/2019 9:38:01 AM PDT by jagusafr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

Bravo!


5 posted on 07/17/2019 9:44:04 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

I got to meet Col Charles McGee in October 2017. He was on a flight from Baltimore to Atlanta. He was announced at the gate and got a standing ovation. Though looking very unassuming in a wheelchair, he was sharp as a tack and very humble. Had a very “well...it was our job and we just did our job” attitude. I have pictures of him. Tearing up now as I think about it.


6 posted on 07/17/2019 9:46:15 AM PDT by ZinGirl (Now a grandma ....can't afford a tagline :))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ZinGirl

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_McGee_(pilot)


7 posted on 07/17/2019 9:47:48 AM PDT by ZinGirl (Now a grandma ....can't afford a tagline :))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: ZinGirl

Several settled in Denver, because of old Lowry AFB, I suppose. Great men and great Americans.


8 posted on 07/17/2019 9:52:23 AM PDT by colorado tanker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

Bassist Percy Heath of the Modern Jazz Quartet was a Tuskegee Airman. He was training to fly P-47s when the war ended, so he didn’t have to deploy.


9 posted on 07/17/2019 9:56:34 AM PDT by real saxophonist (One side has guns and training. Other side's primary concern is 'gender identity'. Who's gonna win?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

A story of equal valor is of the 761st Tank Battalion. All African-American tankers that were finally deployed near the end. Fought brillantly at The Bulge.


10 posted on 07/17/2019 10:06:09 AM PDT by llevrok (Vote, while it is still legal!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: llevrok

My dad went over just after the Bulge and always spoke highly of the black soldiers, who he referred to as “colored guys”. He’d never been around many before and had no prejudice, it was just a descriptive term like saying “fat guy” or “a guy from New Jersey”.

Being a wiseass, I’d ask “what color was he?”


11 posted on 07/17/2019 10:40:05 AM PDT by bigbob (Trust Trump. Trust the Plan.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: bigbob
Love a smart ass son! My dad had the same curse!

A book I suggest about the 761st is "Brothers in Arms: The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes " by an unlikely author - Kareem Abdul Jabbar.

His father's best friend was in this unit and that is what intrigued him to research and write their story.

12 posted on 07/17/2019 11:28:47 AM PDT by llevrok (Vote, while it is still legal!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

THE GREATEST GENERATION


13 posted on 07/17/2019 12:01:59 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (A joke: Comey,Brennan and Lynch walk into a Barr...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: colorado tanker

The father-in-law of a long time friend and coworker is a former Tuskeegee Airman...Retired out of the USAF in Denver (Lowry AFB) married and still lives here today...


14 posted on 07/17/2019 1:34:32 PM PDT by elteemike (Light travels faster than sound...That's why so many people appear bright until you hear them speak)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

Good man.

Stay with the bombers: the real mission of pursuits/fighters.

Long-nosed Focke-Wulfs (Ta-152, I assume, in honor of Kurt Tank): Junkers Jumo inverted V-12s; annular radiator made it look like its FW-190 BMW radial precursor.


15 posted on 07/17/2019 2:49:25 PM PDT by YogicCowboy ("I am not entirely on anyone's side, because no one is entirely on mine." - J. R. R. Tolkien)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

I salute your service Sir.


16 posted on 07/17/2019 3:19:32 PM PDT by knew it all the time ( it was)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson