USO Canteen Freeper Style Salutes Tuskegee Airmen .... October 22,2002

FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and Snow Bunny

[Snow Bunny]

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The USO Canteen FReeper Style
Delivering a Touch of Home

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A Touch of Home

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This is how I think of the USO Canteen 
Freeper Style. It is like a cottage down a road,
a place where a weary veteran can spend the night. 

Since it opened, it is magical how so many
Freepers who post here, feel it too. 
It has been so dear how the Freepers
kept making it a cottage - a home-type of 
place that had a huge living room
for them to visit in and a dance floor, 
a library, etc. 

Many Veterans have written to me, 
saying that the Canteen is like home
to them for the first time since they 
served. 

This is your Canteen -
a respite from our busy 
and sometimes troubling world. 
Make yourself at home.

Snow Bunny

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If you know a Veteran, someone in your family, 
friend of the family, neighbor, who served their  
country, take a brief moment of your day to thank 
them. 

Thank them for the sacrifice they made
for the better good of their country.

We at Free Republic, and the USO Canteen FReeper 
Style, are thankful for every service member 
in our military, who has served our great nation.

So, to the men and women who answered the call,
In both times of war and peace, thank you.

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Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields. 

John McCrae 

During WWII there were many men that were forgotten.
The Tuskegee Airmen made a major contribution. Where
did they come from?

After their superb flight training, there were a select few
that made a major impact in the war through their excellent
piloting skills. These men are known today as the Tuskegee Airmen.

On Jul. 19, 1941, the AAF began a program in Alabama
to train black Americans as military pilots. Primary flight
training was conducted by the Division of Aeronautics of
Tuskegee Institute, the famed school of learning founded by
Booker T. Washington in 1881.

Once a cadet completed primary training at Tuskegee's
Moton Field, he was sent to nearby Tuskegee Army Air Field
for completion of flight training and for transition to combat
type aircraft.

The first classes of Tuskegee airmen were
trained to be fighter pilots for the famous 99th
Fighter Squadron, slated for combat duty in North
Africa. Additional pilots were assigned to the 322d
Fighter Group which flew combat along with the
99th Squadron from bases in Italy.

In Sep. 1943, a twin-engine training program was
begun at Tuskegee to provide bomber pilots. However,
World War II ended before these men were able to
get into combat.

By the end of the war, 992 men had graduated
from pilot training at Tuskegee, 450 of whom were
sent overseas for combat assignment. During the
same period, approximately 150 lost their lives
while in training or on combat flights.

Additional men were trained at Tuskegee for
aircrew and ground crew duties--flight engineers,
gunners, mechanics, armoires, etc. Others were
sent to Texas and New Mexico for training as
navigators and bombardiers.

Marching across the campus at Tuskegee Institute.

Lined up for inspection.

Student pilot being congratulated
upon completion of primary
flying course at Moton Field.

A class of twin-engine pilots
in front in flight caps and single
engine pilots in rear in helmets
and goggles, Dec. 1943.

The Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Museum
is located on historic Fort Wayne in Detroit,Michigan.

Who Were the
Tuskegee Airmen
of World War II?

The Tuskegee Airmen were dedicated,
determined young men who volunteered
to become America's first black military
airmen. They came from every section of
America, with large numbers coming from
New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles,
Chicago, and Detroit. Each one possessed a
strong personal desire to serve the United States
of America proudly and to the best of his ability
as an airman, even while many other Americans
felt that black men lacked intelligence, skill,
courage and patriotism.

Those who possessed the physical and mental
qualifications and were accepted for aviation cadet training
were trained initially to be pilots, and later to
be either pilots, navigators, or bombardiers.
Most were college graduates or undergraduates,
while the remainder demonstrated their academic
qualifications through comprehensive
entrance examinations.

They trained as operations officers,
meteorologists, intelligence officers,
engineering officers, flight surgeons,
etc. Still others were trained to be aircraft
and engine mechanics, armament specialists,
radio repairmen, parachute riggers, control
tower operators, administrators and for every
other type of skill necessary to function as an
air force squadron, or ground support unit.

The black airmen who became single- or
multi-engine pilots were trained at Tuskegee
Army Air Field (TAAF) in Tuskegee Alabama.

Four hundred and fifty of the pilots were
trained at Tuskegee served overseas in
either the 99th Pursuit Squadron (later
the 99th Fighter Squadron) or the 332nd
Fighter Group. The 99th Fighter Squadron
trained in and flew P-40 Warhawks in combat
in North Africa, Sicily and Italy from April 1943
until July 1944 when they were transferred to the
332nd Fighter Group in the 15th Air Force.

The 99th Squadron distinguished itself by
being awarded two Presidential Unit Citations
(June-July 1943 and May 1944) for outstanding
tactical air support and aerial combat in the 12th
Air Force in Italy, before joining the 332nd
Fighter Group.

Berlin escort

The 332nd Fighter Group was awarded
the Presidential Unit Citation for its
longest bomber escort mission to Berlin,
Germany, March 24, 1945. It destroyed
three German ME-262 Jet fighters and
damaged five additional jet fighters
without losing any of the bombers
or any of its own fighter aircraft to
enemy fighters.

This is a picture of Captain Armour G.. McDaniels
who was shot down while escorting bombers to Belin
in March, 1945. He is surrounded (L to R) by Sergeant
Richard Adams, McDaniels, Lt. James McFatridge and
Ulysses Taylor. USAF, Maxwell AFB Archives.

The 332nd Fighter Group had also
distinguished itself in June 1944
when two of its pilots flying P-47
Thunderbolts discovered a German
destroyer in the harbor of Trieste, Italy.
One of the pilots, Lieutenant Gynne Pierson
of the 302nd Fighter Squadron, using only the
aircraft's 50-caliber machine guns, strafed the
destroyer, causing it to explode and sink. This
was another unprecedented aerial gunnery
feat of World War II.

The tenacious bomber escort cover
provided by the 332nd "Red Tail"
fighters often discouraged enemy
A fighter pilots from attacking bombers
escorted by the 332nd Fighter Group.
This resulted in fewer enemy fighter
challenges with resultant fewer enemy
aircraft destroyed or damaged by the
Group, as compared with other 15th Air
Force fighter escort groups. The successful
escort record resulted in frequent expressions
of appreciation from the 15th Air Force bomber
units and crews.

[SAMWolf]

A U.S. soldier from 82nd Airborne Division monitors his shot during the live firing of an M-61 mortar at a firing range near their base in Kandahar, Afghanistan's second largest city, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2002. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong)

U.S. soldiers from 82nd Airborne Division practice live firing of an M-61 mortar at a firing range near their base in Kandahar, Afghanistan's second largest city, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2002. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong)

U.S. soldiers from 82nd Airborne Division practice in a group live firing of an M-61 mortar at a firing range near their base in Kandahar, Afghanistan's second largest city, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2002. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong)

A U.S. army Apache helicopter fires a Hellfire missile during training near Bagram, Afghanistan October 22, 2002. The army carried out live-fire exercises using at least three Apache attack helicopters and said the aircraft could have an important role in any war on Iraq. The Apache, the U.S. military's primary attack helicopter, was widely used against Iraqi air defenses at the start of the 1991 Gulf War (news - web sites). Photo by Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hi Joe. The dancing bears are cute.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Always good eagle pics. Thanks, MM7.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Hi everyone! I've got a busy day today, but I hope to join you later. Thank you so much for the informative and interesting thread - I LOVE military history. See you all in a while. (I laughed out loud when I saw today's "transportation.")

[MeekOneGOP]

This guy is sick, totally.....

Chief Moose Press Briefing: Sniper says
"Your children are not safe - anywhere, at any time"

[Kathy in Alaska]

Man falls overboard from vessel assisting in Coast Guard Search

A crewman from the Clipper Express, a fishing vessel assisting in the search of the missing Galaxy crewmen, fell overboard about 90 miles south of St. Paul Island at around 10 a.m. AST today, October 22nd.

The Clipper Express was on its way to Dutch Harbor to off load the two Galaxy crewmen they picked up Sunday evening.

Rough weather is making the transition very difficult. Current on scene weather conditions are 30-foot seas and 50-60 knot winds.

Coast Guard rescue crews have diverted one of the two Coast Guard helicopters in the Galaxy search area south, to help locate the Clipper Express crewman.

JUNEAU, Alaska -- Coast Guard aviators captured this close up view of the burned fishing vessel Galaxy, drifting in the Bering Sea Oct. 21 after it exploded and forced the Coast Guard to rescue six crewmen while 20 others abandonded ship into the icy water Oct. 20. (Official U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Lt. Dave Wierenga, Air Station Kodiak and Petty Officer Carlene Adams, Long Range Navigation Station St. Paul Island)

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the update Kathy.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm...........mortars. A subject you might know something about, eh? LOL! Do they look the same as the ones you knew?

[SK1 Thurman]

I have to share this with all of you before I go bowling. As Tonk's flowers are greatly appreciated. Today I was in the local store ordering a veggie tray for the kids for Saturday's bowling/Halloween party. To my left was this eldery woman who took a shower with her hearing aid in and told me it did not work well. She turned quickly to me and said "Thank you" for wearing the uniform so proudly. I replied I am happy to wear this uniform everyday. She then proceed to me me how she was a volunteer for the victims of the Cole and the ceremony she attended the speaker said when you see one in uniform thank them. She has done that along with hug me at the deli counter. GOSH ya all, makes me prouder everyday!!!

Sandy

[SAMWolf]

No, I was on an 81mm and then the 4 duece. They all work the same though.

[SAMWolf]

Sure feels good doesn't it?

[firewalk]

Amazing discovery!:

The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make Earth worms dizzy.

...........It will however make cats dizzy.

LOL!!

[radu]

Good afternoon everybody! I hope y'all are enjoying today's thread as much as I am.

Good day to our service men and women past and present, and our allies. Thank You can never be said enough for all you do and have done in the continuing fight for Freedom.

Thank you, Snow Bunny, for honoring the Tuskegee Airmen. There were so many brave men and women during WWII and ALL deserve respect and recognition, but the Tuskegee Airmen had a lot of obstacles to overcome. They did this in outstanding fashion and went on to become well-respected by all. The History Channel has shown a wonderful documentary about these fine folks and I have to admit, my eyes got a bit teary when I watched it.

[radu]

Dang! Something's wrong with the screen. I was reading this beautiful post and things got all wavy and watery looking.

That was beautifully said, Snow Bunny. I'm so glad you created the Canteen for our troops, to give them a place to go to forget about the turmoils they may be dealing with, even if for a brief time. And it gives us a place to show our respect and support for those out there fighting for our Freedom, and give them a bright spot in their day.

Thank you, Snow Bunny!! :-))

[radu]

hehehe! I don't know if it could really be called flying but we didn't crash, at least! LOL!!!

Did Beamer ever come out of hiding?