Posted on 01/19/2012 9:20:05 PM PST by ex-Texan
/johnny
*Ping* !
A fantasy. Of course it happened. This is a common, though unfortunate exaggeration associated with the T.A. There's no need to reinvent their history in order for them to deserve the adulation we have for them, and for all those from the Greatest Generation who served their country in WWII.
God is the great Equalizer.
He is no respecter of persons.
We will all face Him, and account for our decisions in life.
God Bless the Tuskegee Airmen!
I had the honor of meeting one of the remaining Airmen after he gave a speech a couple of years ago.
He made it clear during and after that he was an American, not an “African-American.”
“There’s no need to reinvent their history in order for them to deserve the adulation we have for them”
One of these “historical fiction” movies had black soldiers liberating a concentration camp; it was well documented that it was an absolute fiction. They should give credit where it is due; outright lying casts doubt on the true events worthy of praise.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16227836/ns/us_news-life/t/wwii-pilot-corroborates-tuskegee-airmen-loss/
Interesting read. Still amazing though that the losses were counted as “a few”. I wonder how many planes total they escorted, etc.
I remember Dr. Lewis A. Jackson, Director of Training at the Army Air Corps 66th Flight Training Detachment, which prepared pilots who would eventually fly in the 99th Pursuit Squadron, who’s in-laws lived next door in my childhood.
http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/lewis-jackson-aviation-pioneer
http://www.bjmjr.net/ww2/jackson.htm
Urban legend
While they did a great job it must be remembered that by the time the T.A. had reached Germany the Luftwaffe was all but gone. As for the mission this article talks about, there was no German airforce left by March 25, 1945.
The ME262 turned out to be very vulnerable while taking off and landing and most of them were shot down then. There were never enough of them to be a real threat to the Allied forces, thanks to Hitler's idotic short sightedness.
The T.A. were and amazing bunch but the lies told about them to make them seem even more amazing does them disservice. They were forced to serve in Africa flying worn out P40s for so long that by the time they reached Germany, the Luftwaffe had very few planes left and there best pilots were, for the most part, dead and the ones flying were rookie pilots with very little skill.
There were many black units in WWII, most of them did menial jobs but these jobs were necessary and contributed greatly to the war's end. The members of the Red Ball express, driving trucks and bringing up the needed supplies to keep the troops going were mostly black and they were all heroes, facing death many times over, both from the enemy and from the speeds and bad roads over which they had to drive.
The Tuskegee Airmen have nothing to be ashamed of, either by their record in Africa and in Germany, but lying about it does them dishonor and sooner or later the truth will come out and it will make them look bad, even though they are not the ones lying.
I heard last week that the characters in the movie are all fictional. If true that is a shame since there were some remarkable men in the TA. That said, I want to see this movie anyway.
I appreciate what the Tuskegee Airmen did but I always wonder what the ulterior motive is whenever they are accorded such accolades.
The Tuskegee airmen’s legacy per perseverance pales in comparison to the 442 Infantry Regiment.
These Japanese Americans suffer as great if not greater racial discrimination.
But is their combat record that speaks volumes.
21 Medals of Honor
52 Distinguished Service Crosses
560 Silver Stars
22 Legion of Merit Medal
4,000 Bronze Stars
9,489 Purple Hearts
14,000 men served in the 442, only 4,000 survived the war.
And only 1 movie made of them.
Perhaps in Hollywood all animals are equal. Some more equal than others.
Made me learn a bit about the Red Ball Express. Thanks!
“When Gen. Patton said for you to be there, you were there if you had to drive all day and all night....”
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=43934
I do think that the contribution of the Tuskegee Airmen was inspiring. Anybody who really reads American history knows American is a state of mind and character less then any particular lineage. I have ancestors going back to the early colonists mixed with many other things over the course of American history. I have met men of all races who are better Americans then myself. People on the left misunderstand conservatives we judge people by their character and have little tolerance for the excuses of those who lack it.
No thanks on a historically inaccurate movie, by the failure George Lucas. He needs to apologize for the BS that he did to star wars.
I don’t know myself but there’s probably a web site out there that does!
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