In 1925, The United States War Department issued a document which stated that Blacks were not intelligent or disciplined enough to give military leadership or fly combat aircraft. It did not mention the performance of Blacks in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, or the brilliant performance by Blacks in World War I under French commanders. Jim Crow laws were in full enforcement in the U.S. Therefore, when the United States entered World War II, Blacks in the military were given menial assignments. Black civil rights activists lobbied passionately for the training of Black pilots for the war arena. A training program was created at Tuskegee in Alabama in 1939. Its resources were meager and not first-rate; it was set up to fail though military pilots were sorely needed in the wake of World War II. First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, visited the experimental pilot training program at Tuskegee. She requested that Charles “Chief” Anderson who oversaw training take her for a brief flight. He granted her request and upon landing, Mrs. Roosevelt returned to Washington, D.C. to lobby on behalf of the Tuskegee pilots. It was a year before the squadron was called into active duty. The Red Tail Squadron flew 312 missions of which 179 were as escorts to military bomber aircraft. The Red Tails shot down 110 enemy aircraft and lost only 7 bombers. No other military escort aviation group came near their performance. Bomber squadrons often requested that the “Red Tail Angels” fly with them as the escort squadron.
After defeating enemies to Democracy, these distinguished and highly decorated pilots returned home to the United States and again encountered racism; however, the superlative performance of the Tuskegee Airmen during the war had destroyed the credibility of the false 1920s report. These Black aviators had opened the path to Blacks at all levels in the military. The following statistics as of 2020 indicate that our country still has much to do in giving opportunities in military aviation: 71% of active-duty airmen are White; 15.6% Hispanic or Latino; 15% Black; 4.3% Asian; 1.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; less than 1% American Indian. The Air Force has a new plan to develop a more diverse corps of pilots by 2030. The movement is forward thanks to the Tuskegee Airmen and those who worked to get them in the air.
The distinguished Red Tail Airmen opened the military aviation door for African Americans, and though it is not wide open, the proverbial door space was made wider by the presence of African American women as combat pilots. Retired Captain Venice Armour received her wings in 2001. She was the first African American female naval aviator in the U.S. Marine Corps and the first African American female to fly in combat—two tours in Iraq flying an AH-1W Super Cobra, attack helicopter, in combat. Lt. Colonel Shawna Rochelle Kimbrell was the first African American female fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. She flew the F-16 during combat missions in Operation Northern and Southern Watch (Turkey and Saudi Arabia). Major Christina Hopper flies an F-16 fighting Falcon and was the first African American female fight pilot to face combat in a major war. In July 2021, Lieutenant J.G. Madeline Swegle will get her gold wings. She is the first Black female tactical jet pilot in the U.S. Navy.
The Tuskegee Airmen were guided by six principles: Aim high, Believe in yourself. Use your brain. Be ready to go. Never quit. Expect to win. We remember these aviation pioneers and embrace the principles.
Reflections
We salute the men and women who have served in all the branches of the Armed Forces of the United States of America.
We proudly honor the Tuskegee Airmen (and their support group) who gave extraordinary service as pilots during World War II through their preparation, performance, perseverance, and pride. We believe you will be inspired by the viewing options below.
See them and hear their stories:
https://www.amazon.com/Their-Own-Words-Tuskegee-Airmen/dp/B07DHZMCY3
Tuskegee Airmen tell their story in 3-part documentary:
https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/84818/tuskegee-airmen-veterans-tell-story-red-tail-angels/
The Movie: The Tuskegee Airmen
https://www.amazon.com/Tuskegee-Airmen-Laurence-Fishburne/dp/B00KGJ2SUU#:~:text=Watch%20The%20Tuskegee%20Airmen%20%7C%20Prime%20Video
Additional information:
https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/84818/tuskegee-airmen-veterans-tell-story-red-tail-angels/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFEmqvyM0Pk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvLjnMIm0ms
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tuskegee-Airmen
https://www.blackhistory.mit.edu/story/tuskegee-airmen
www.cafriseabore.org
Contact and donation information:
1.888.928.0188
CAF Red Tail Squadron, 941 Hallstrom Drive, Red Wing, MN 55066
Donations may be sent to CAF Red Tail Squadron, National Processing Center, P.O. Box 758509,
Topeka, KS 66675-8509 (a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization)
Dorothy Watson Tatem, D.Min., ACC
Senior Associate
Next Step, LLC
Cassandra W. Jones, Ed.D.
CEO & President
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