Tuskegee Airman Bill Holloman dies at age 85

The Seattle Times ^ | June 16, 2010 | Keith Ervin

[epithermal]

Bill Holloman, a Tuskegee Airman, didn't stop serving his country when his active duty as one of the United States' first African-American combat pilots ended after World War II.

He was called back to service in the Korean War and became the Air Force's first black helicopter pilot. He went to war again in Vietnam.

During the nearly four decades after he retired from the Army, he served his country in a different way: by teaching younger generations how war and aviation intersected in a way that helped end centuries of racial separation.

Lt. Col. William H. Holloman III, a Kent resident, died at a hospital Friday after a heart attack. He was 85.

[epithermal]

RIP

[farlander]

RIP, hero and patriot.

[bgill]

Prayers.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

RIP.

[kbennkc]

[SJSAMPLE]

I wish they’d make a GOOD movie about them, not that POS with Fishburn and Cuba Gooding Jr.

[popdonnelly]

Thank you, Bill Holloman, for your service to all of us.

[fish hawk]

I agree but in all fairness, that movie put them on the map. I had never heard of them until I saw that film. Like you say, NOW let's make a first class movie about these heroes.

[SJSAMPLE]

Really?
Maybe it’s an age thing.
I’m 45 and heard of them LONG before that HBO POS.

[ScottinVA]

One of America’s finest. RIP, sir.

[hoagy62]

I had the honor of transporting him in my van when I was a driver for the company I work for. It took me until the end of the run to figure out he was a Tuskegee Airman. I shook his hand and thanked him for his service. He was a nice guy.

Rest in Peace.

[Nat Turner]

It is SJ, see we learned HISTORY back in school.

[fish hawk]

I'm sure many had heard of them but I don't believe the masses were aware. Just like the all black brigade that helped build the Al/Can highway during WW2. I saw it on the History Channel. Were you aware of that?

[SJSAMPLE]

That I didn’t know until I saw the exact same show a few years back.

However, I was aware of the naval yard strikes by black sailors during WWII. They were given extremely hazardous duties (ammo loading) with no concern for their welfare. In one explosion, 30+ sailors were killed and nobody seemed to give a damn. A whole unit/dock went on “strike” and court martials followed.

“Black” history, the real stuff, is a hit or miss concept sometimes.

[SJSAMPLE]

Port Chicago, I think.

[Notary Sojac]

A man who did not hesitate to fight for his country in a day when that country truly was racist.

Words are insufficient to express my admiration for Colonel Holloman and his fellow pilots.

[stylecouncilor]

ping

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[battousai]

I’m 45 and heard of them LONG before that HBO POS.

Ditto, I'm 34 and I've never heard of this movie, but know of the Tuskegee airmen, but then again I'm a buff for WWII history.

May he rest in peace.

[onedoug]

“Straighten up, fly right!”

RIP Bill Holloman.