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.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Misty, hiya. How are you and Uncle George doing?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night and sleep well, my friend. God bless you good for your service to our country, those years ago, and now in the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and here at the USO Canteen. Have a good Friday. *HUG*

[American Preservative]

Thread-you-might-be-interested-in-ping. : )

[American Preservative]

Thank you for post #23. : )

[Snow Bunny]

NEW THREAD

[radu]

Hmmm, I'll bet I've missed everyone, haven't I? It took a little longer to finish those icicles than I thought.

Did you return the balloon to Tonk in tip-top shape? No holes in the fabric from getting snagged in a tree when landing? My guess is everything went A-ok. You're getting quite proficient at flying.

[American Preservative]

Only thing I really have to be careful of is watch for moose.

Hi Kathy! How amoosing. Look what I just spotted. : )

[Kathy in Alaska]

I'm still here! No, I haven't returned it yet. We might have to keep it for the night crew.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hi AP, that is really cute. How are you at whatever time it is for you?

[radu]

ROTFLOL! I LOVE the kitties!! They're too cool! And I counted them....you've got 36 here. :-)

[Kathy in Alaska]

My face just fell onto my keyboard. I can't stay awake any longer. I NEED SLEEP! LOL! Good night radu and God bless you good for your support of our troops. I'm waiting for fireworks....tap...tap...tap... When you're ready, we can talk and practice at this time and place. That's how I learned.

[radu]

Oh boy! I was afraid I'd missed a chance to ride in it.

I just checked out Abner's balloon and WOW! Is it cool or what?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Time for bed. God Bless all our troops, their families, our veterans and our Canadian and Israeli allies. We pray for your safe and soon return. Thank you for doing the jobs you do to keep this UNITED STATES OF AMERICA safe. We love all of you.

Thank you Lurker, Toby, Tom Cat, Kyle, Joe, Jake, the Z-Tar, Sneakers, Scully and the Pirates, Brook, Leatherneck Rangler Jody, Cory, Jimmy, Winky, Chez, Martin, John, David C, and Parker for being part of our family. Thank you to all who enter the Canteen. Salute!

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you

The love of God enfold you

The power of God protect you

The presence of God watch over you

Wherever you are, God is,

And all is well.

Amen.

And thanks to Scully and the Pirates, TSgt Munnell, Peter and Greg for your support.

Wherever you are, God is, and all is well! Amen.

[radu]

No fireworks yet because I still haven't had a chance to learn how to use the 'puter yet. In time.....

Good night, Kathy. Sleep well. I'll see you tomorrow.

I promise not to take the balloon up unless someone shows up who knows how to fly it. I certainly don't have a clue. We don't want to return a banged up balloon to Tonkin. He's been very nice to give us such fun modes of transportation.

[radu]

ROTFLMAO!! Wow, look at all those cats!

LOL!! You should see that many for real at feeding time! I don't call it "feeding frenzy" for nothing! hahahaha!

[radu]

I'm so sorry to hear about your mother.

I'm praying for a safe flight for you out to the 'left coast' and on the return flight. I'm no fan of flying myself and can sympathize with your dislike.

[radu]

Aren't the kitties adorable, Cote? I have scratch-out marks on my lap because Kele was sitting there when I saw the post....and she took off when I laughed. Oooow! I believe it's time for a nail-trimming on her. LOL!

[radu]

I love the fireplaces you are sending each evening, Tonk. They're such a nice addition to the Canteen for the cool/cold times ahead.

Thank you for all your efforts to brighten up the Canteen each day with the flowers, and now these beautiful fireplaces.

((HUG))

[radu]

Ooooh, I know you're bound to be excited about going out on the Coast Guard boat tomorrow night! I'm looking forward to hearing about it. :-)

[radu]

I really like your post with the pic of Staff Sgt. Robert Tomlin and Dar-Garo. What a beautiful (and big!) dog. As for Staff Sgt. Tomlin....sigh. To be young again. That's my kinda guy.