Black airmen honored for fighting Nazis, racism

[Feraud]

The first black U.S. Air Force unit will finally receive national recognition this week for fighting a double war -- one against the Nazis abroad, the other against racial segregation at home.

President George W. Bush will honor the surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen with a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award given by Congress, at a ceremony on Thursday at the U.S. Capitol.

The airmen helped lay the groundwork for the civil rights movement and influenced President Harry Truman's decision to desegregate the army in 1948.

But just as their success is being recognized, one aspect of the story is in dispute.

The "Red Tails" of the 99th Fighter Squadron -- so called because some of the planes they piloted had distinctive red tails -- flew some 1,578 missions from their base in North Africa, destroyed over 260 enemy aircraft, sank one enemy destroyer and demolished numerous enemy installations, according to military records.

For decades, they were also credited with never having lost a bomber under their escort. Yet Daniel Haulman of the Air Force Historical Research Agency said some of the many bombers escorted were in fact shot down.

Haulman, responding to a request from three airmen, analyzed five days of mission reports of the 332d Fighter Group and compared them with reports from the bomber groups they escorted and records of planes downed.

Over the five days, 25 bombers were shot down, though most were lost on missions where the number of bombers exceeded the number of fighters, he said.

"I don't think it (their reputation) will be diminished at all because of the achievements that they accomplished -- they don't really need that statement: 'Never lost a bomber'," he said, adding: "No other group could have done a better job."

'BOY, CARRY MY BAGS'

The 99th Fighter Squadron was set up after the army reluctantly agreed to train a group of black pilots at a remote air school in Tuskegee, Alabama, keeping them separate from the rest of the army in line with its policy of segregation.

In all, about 1,000 pilots were trained, and also ground crew. Fewer than a third of the pilots are still alive to receive the medal.

"We had the feeling that the program was designed to fail," said one of the pilots, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Charles Dryden, who graduated from the school in 1942.

"Our mantra was that we dared not fail because if we did, the doors of future aviation would be closed to black people forever," he said in an interview at his home in Atlanta.

Dryden, 86, who stayed in the Air Force after World War Two, recalled the "horrible discrimination" he faced and said he decided to stay away from whites in Alabama as far as possible to avoid breaking the racial mores of the south.

He was particularly incensed to see that German prisoners of war were given access to whites-only facilities at a base in South Carolina that were off-limits to him.

But his memories focus on how his own character was forged in the crucible of combat and racial injustice.

"I had a deep feeling of fear," he said of his first combat encounter. "It wasn't about the enemy, it was about myself ... But the first time I saw the enemy I ran (flew) toward him and I knew that I was a tiger and not a pussy cat."

On graduating from the flying school, he rode the train back to New York wearing his uniform.

"As I was proudly preening my way through the terminal a little white lady said: 'Here Boy. Carry my bags."' The remark angered him but taught him a lesson. "It humbled me. It taught me: It's not the uniform that counts, it's what's inside."

RED TAILS

In recent years the airmen's story has been retold as a universal tale of triumph over adversity. Dryden published one of several airmen's memoirs, HBO released a film on the story in 1995 and director George Lucas is said to be developing a movie about the Red Tails.

But it would be wrong to isolate the airmen's achievement from the record of black military service that dates back to the U.S. Revolutionary War, said John Butler, professor at the University of Texas and author of a book on army integration.

What the airmen did should be seen as part of the record of black achievement under segregation in the South that included the establishment of numerous black colleges.

Tuskegee University, set up to educate blacks by Booker T. Washington, lobbied the Air Force to train the airmen at its own pioneering school for black civilian pilots at Moton Field, land now being restored as a national park and historic site.

"The Tuskegee airmen grew straight out of this culture of achievement and built on it," he said in an interview. "The segregation was part of the trigger that enabled them to succeed."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070328/us_nm/usa_airmen_tuskegee_dc

I had the honor of hearing Lt. Col Dryden and other Tuskeegee Airmen speak in NYC. The men were inspirational in their understated eloquence regarding military service and patriotism in spite of segregation.

 

[PADDY]

Long overdue.

Recognition that is long overdue :eusa_clap

 

[Fletch]

What these guys accomplished is even more amazing considering not only the era, but the nature of the services in that era. A very important part of the officer corps between the wars was made up of Southerners of, shall we say, traditional beliefs - the country's warrior class. Their attitudes toward race were awfully tough to challenge in a military environment.

 

[staggerwing]

These guys were simply amazing.

 

[Stony]

We will be having a Tuskegee Airmen symposium at the Museum of Flight in Seattle over Memorial Day weekend for anyone that lives nearby and would like to attend.

 

[griffer]

Bravo for the much mailgned WWII African-American soldier and pilot, but for an article citing the struggle to overcome racism, isn't glaringly inappropriate to refer to the German Luftwaffe as 'Nazis'?

Call me picky, but 'Nazi' has become a derogatory slang term for Germans, Germans Americans and even just plain ol' blond gentiles. The other 'N' word.

Trust me, I've been called it enough and heard it used against others, and I wasn't even wearing my jack boots.

 

[Rosie]

We will be having a Tuskegee Airmen symposium at the Museum of Flight in Seattle over Memorial Day weekend for anyone that lives nearby and would like to attend.

That sounds so interesting. To bad I don't live nearby.

 

[nightandthecity]

What these guys accomplished is even more amazing considering not only the era, but the nature of the services in that era. A very important part of the officer corps between the wars was made up of Southerners of, shall we say, traditional beliefs - the country's warrior class. Their attitudes toward race were awfully tough to challenge in a military environment.

I seem to recall reading that Benjamin Davis was sent to Coventry at West Point - completely ostracized, no one would talk to him.

 

[Kimberly]

I just heard this on the radio and got the chills. I agree it is very much long over due and it's sad that many of them are not alive anymore to see this day.

I hope they show some of it on the news so I can watch it when I get home.

 

[Story]

TUSKEGEE -- Did two Tuskegee Airmen, including a pilot from Montgomery, die in a collision after take*off or were they shot down in a dogfight in World War II? It's a question that has puzzled historians since July 2, 1943, when the men disappeared while escorting a dozen B-25 bombers on a mission near the coast of Si*cily.

An amateur historian claimed in a book 10 years later that Sherman White of Montgomery and James McCullin of St. Louis died in a takeoff collision on that fateful mission.

Now, three professional historians from Montgom*ery have written about their findings after extensive re*search into the claim and what could have happened on that day 65 years ago.

Their conclusion is that White and McCullin proba*bly were downed by German fighters or died in a mid-air collision during the battle -- but not in a collision shortly after takeoff.

Flying into each other aft*er takeoff might indicate pi*lot error or negligence, or malfunctioning instru*ments in P-40 Warhawks, which lacked the technology available in Germany's best fighter planes.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081012/NEWS01/810120315/1009

Flying P40s against the Luftwaffe in 1943 was a severe technical disadvantage.

***
TUSKEGEE - Hundreds of former Tuskegee Airmen got their place in the sun Friday -- basking in the glow of praise from a grateful state and nation.
"We will never be able to fully repay you for what you have done," Gov. Bob Riley told them at the dedication ceremony of the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site. "You have changed the nation. You have changed it for good."

More than 3,000 spectators gathered outside a hangar used during pilot training for the first group of black pilots in U.S. history.

*
It was also a time of uplifting music, and this week a group of women musicians drove all the way from Wisconsin to Tuskegee to take part in the program.

They call themselves "Ladies Must Swing" and even dressed the part, wearing the kind of outfits and hairdos that were popular during World War II when "Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me)" was all the rage.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081011/NEWS02/810110383/1009

www.ladiesmustswing.com/

*


http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE4901DS20081001
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - George Lucas' "Red Tails" project is on the runway, ready for takeoff.

Anthony Hemingway, who has directed episodes of "The Wire," "CSI: NY" and "ER," will helm the long-gestating World War II film. John Ridley has written the script. Lucas will serve as executive producer on the Lucasfilm feature, which will shoot in Prague, Italy, Croatia and England.

Red Tails was the name of the first group of black airmen to serve as pilot escorts for American bombers in the war. Although their ability to fly had been questioned on racist grounds, the Red Tails' record in the sky was so impressive that they were in demand to lead bombing runs over Italy and Germany in the last year of the conflict.

 

[Eyemo]

Heard from a very reliable source that the movie is on!.... Excellent!!

 

[Selentino]

<---------Avatar

 

[Spitfire]

Their fight against nazism was second to none.
Their fight against racism was even greater!

 

[Fletch]

Flying P40s against the Luftwaffe in 1943 was a severe technical disadvantage.

Ah, the old give-the-left-over-planes-to-the-Black-guys trick.

We didn't even use the P-40 in Europe, tho there were some deployed in North Africa (not too far from Sicily by sea).

The 99th did surprisingly well in one tangle with novice German pilots.
Then what did they get? P-39s (even more inadequate against German planes).

With the engine behind the cockpit, and drivetrain running right under the pilot's seat, the squadron was literally getting the shaft.

Red Tails, Black Wings - more info on the 99th FS

 

[Story]

FWIW, the 322nd's descendants (322nd Air Expeditionary Wing) are currently in Iraq - they've even got a couple of P51 models signed by the original pilots on display.

 

[Story]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obi...es/7105227/Lieutenant-Colonel-Lee-Archer.html

Lieutenant-Colonel Lee Archer, who died on January 27 aged 90, was a member of America's segregated "Tuskegee" air corps and recognised as the only black fighter "ace" during the Second World War; subjected to racial discrimination and prejudice, both within and outside the Army, he and his comrades none the less served their country with great distinction.

See also
http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/lee-a-archer-ace-tuskegee-airman-and-vc-dies/

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

What these guys accomplished is even more amazing considering not only the era, but the nature of the services in that era. A very important part of the officer corps between the wars was made up of Southerners of, shall we say, traditional beliefs - the country's warrior class. Their attitudes toward race were awfully tough to challenge in a military environment.

Even more bizarre in the thinking of the segregated military back then was the notion that white Southerners were considered to be the "ideal" officers for all-black units because they were thought to be more "experienced" in dealing with African-Americans. [huh]

The mind boggles.

 

[Atterbury Dodd]

Even more bizarre in the thinking of the segregated military back then was the notion that white Southerners were considered to be the "ideal" officers for all-black units because they were thought to be more "experienced" in dealing with African-Americans. [huh]

The mind boggles.

Both my Mima and Grandpop grew up Southern (both born in the WWI era). Grandpop served in WWII against the Japanese. They were both very understanding and kind to blacks. Grandpop would have gotten along fine with blacks in the army. The only reason I mention this is many non Southerners are often bigoted and discriminatory towards white Southerners. People of southern ancestry are often bashed unjustly and lumped into a group. The only reason integration ever worked is because there were enough people that were not against it for it to get through. Sorry, I get tired of hearing about "white southerners" this and "white southerners" that and had to put in a place for them.

It's wonderful that the black airmen could get their due. It's about time!

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Both my Mima and Grandpop grew up Southern (both born in the WWI era). Grandpop served in WWII against the Japanese. They were both very understanding and kind to blacks. Grandpop would have gotten along fine with blacks in the army. The only reason I mention this is many non Southerners are often bigoted and discriminatory towards white Southerners. People of southern ancestry are often bashed unjustly and lumped into a group. The only reason integration ever worked is because there were enough people that were not against it for it to get through. Sorry, I get tired of hearing about "white southerners" this and "white southerners" that and had to put in a place for them.

It's wonderful that the black airmen could get their due. It's about time!

It wasn't my intention to bash anyone of southern ancestry -- and if I did, I do apologize profusely.

On reflection, my comments were based on "factoids" that I had, admittedly, acquired in a haphazard manner in the course of my reading over the years. And yes, I do agree that people of southern ancestry have taken a bad rap at the hands of often politically correct historians and social commentators.

 

[Story]

....we’ll talk to MAJOR JOHN L. HARRISON, a Tuskegee Airman and Congressional Gold Medal Recipient, who was among the first African American fighter pilots to serve in the United States Air Force in World War II.

http://whyy.org/cms/radiotimes/