In God We Trust
In March of 1941 the first Black-Americans were accepted into the Air Corps for flight training. Each of these heroic men experienced prejudice and racism. Tuskegee Army Air Field was established in July of 1941 and training began on November 1, 1941 with six men (one officer and five flying cadets) in the first class. The officer was Benjamin O. Davis Jr., a West Point graduate in the Class of 1936 who was also an Black-American that had personally experienced racial prejudice. During the years encompassing World War II, 932 Black-Americans became pilots at Tuskegee. Following are just some of them who also served in the Korean War.
"George Dewitt Abercrombie, 87, departed this life on Friday, December 4, 2009. George was the first of eight children born to George and Vivian Celeste Abercrombie on November 9, 1922 in Plantersville, Alabama. He was raised in the church and confessed Christ at an early age. His family relocated to Birmingham, Alabama when George was young. While attending Ullman High School, he was drafted into the Armed Forces of which he later made a career. During his military career he met and fell in love with his partner for life. While stationed in Germany in 1954, George married Edele Mellein in Heidelberg. George served in the U.S. Army and fought in World War II. He was transferred to the Tuskegee Army Air Field in 1943 and became a member of the pioneering group of Black-American pilots, officers and support staff now known as the "Tuskegee Airmen". He was in charge of maintenance of flying records, logging of air time and development of charts for flying acrobatics, cross-country, instrument flying, and flying in formation. During his military service, George taught electronics and communications in the Army's signal school. He matriculated at Howard University; graduated with a certificate from RCA Institute of Technology in 1950 and trained primarily at the Pentagon. During WWII, he participated in radio broadcast and leaflet drops – psychological warfare. He retired from the military in May 1968 as a Chief Warrant Officer after serving 23 years. He graduated from Empire State College in 1974 with a degree in business management and economics. He had also worked toward an M.B.A. at St. John's University. George later took a second career as an engineer at IBM in 1969 and retired as an engineering manager. After retiring from IBM in 1992 he and Edele relocated to Odessa, Florida. In March 2007, George, along with approximately 300 surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen, received Congress's highest honor: The Congressional Gold Medal. He was featured in the State University of New York, Empire State College Alumni and Student News Magazine Fall 2007 article "Flying High: A Tuskegee Airman Gets His Due". George enjoyed music, especially jazz, and dancing including ballroom dancing. He also enjoyed tennis. He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings, Fred Abercrombie, Bernice A. Harris, Vera A. Mumphrey and Roosevelt Abercrombie. He leaves to cherish his memory: a loving and devoted wife, Edele Abercrombie; one daughter, Gabriele Haffner and her husband, Heinz Haffner; Vista, California, one son, Jules Abercrombie, formerly of Guttenberg, New Jersey; one granddaughter, Nicole Haffner, Vista, California; one brother and his wife, Jesse (Violet) Abercrombie, Parkchester, New York; sisters, Ruby A. Patton, Birmingham, Alabama, Juanita (Jabie) Abercrombie, Las Vegas, Nevada; a sister-in-law, Virginia Patton Abercrombie, Trenton, New Jersey; a special friend, Julia Saunders, New Rochelle, New York; and a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.[Source: Findagrave]
'Paul Adams, a member of the 332nd Fighter Group, also known as "The Red Tails," died on July 8, 2013 at the age of 92. He was born August 10, 1920 in Greenville, South Carolina. Mr. Adams was trained with other black pilots at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Mr. Adams, who would retire from the military as a Lieutenant Colonel, joined the training program upon his graduation from South Carolina State University. The Tuskegee Airmen, called "guardian angels" by the bomber crews they escorted during World War II, would fly over 1500 missions in the European theater. Mr. Adams remained in the Army until 1962 when he retired. Having been transferred to Lincoln, Nebraska, Mr. Adams was hired as a high school history teacher in the city's public school system - one of the first African Americans to teach in Lincoln. (He would also teach the school system's first Black history class.) A former leader of the Lincoln NAACP Mr. Adams retired from teaching in 1982. In 2008 the city of Lincoln honored his contributions by naming a newly built elementary school for him. (The Adams Elementary School's mascot is the "Aviators," of course.) In 2007, Mr. Adams was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal along with all other Tuskegee Airmen for their service during World War II." [Sources: Findagrave, Lincoln Journal-Star, Omaha.com, and Wikipedia.]
Albert was drafted into the Army Air Corps in 1945 and was assigned to the 332nd Fighter Group under Benjamin O. Davis in 1946. He had maintenance and supply roles with the group. Later he was with a military police unit in Japan and served in Vietnam. He retired as a Master Sergeant after 30 years of service.
Albright, Colonel Clay Dan Jr. USAF (Ret.), 90, of Richmond, Virginia, formerly of Crescent City, California, died Sunday, November 30, 2008. He is survived by his daughter, Patricia A. Shaw of Kernersville, North Carolina; two sons, Theodore W. Albright of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and Jon M. Albright of Richmond; his brother, George H. Albright of Tuskegee, Alabama; one granddaughter, five grandsons, and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Clay D. Albright III. Born December 30, 1917 in New Mexico, Colonel Albright served during three wars: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. In January of 1942, he was transferred to Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama, and trained many of the all-black "Tuskegee Airmen" to become pilots. Some of his original students became noted black airmen including General Benjamin O. Davis (Lt. Gen.) and the first Four Star black General in the Air Force, General Chappie James. Colonel Albright was the recipient of three Bronze Stars and the Air Force Commendation Medal. Interment will be in El Reno Cemetery, El Reno, OK, on Saturday, December 6. The family requests that memorial donations be made to their favorite charity. [Source: Findagrave]
Born December 15, 1923, he graduated from Attucks High School in Carbondale, Illinois and then was assigned to Aviation Cadet training at Keesler Field, Biloxi, Mississippi. He then became a Tuskegee airman who served in World War II and the Korean War. He died November 18, 1979 at the age of 55 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
"A combat medical technician, author and educator, administrator, Chalmers Archer, Jr. was born on April 21, 1928, in Holmes County, Tchula, Mississippi, to Chalmers Archer, Sr. and Eva Rutherford Archer. His mother was a teacher/librarian and his father a World War I veteran and longtime farmer. While yet a child, his father and uncles rented a hilltop of more than four hundred acres known as the "Place," where they farmed, cultivated orchards, raised livestock and built smokehouses. The land was sold when Archer Dr. Archer was twelve years old and his family moved to Lexington, Mississippi. After graduating from Ambrose Vocational High School, he attended Tuskegee University for one year before volunteering for the United States Army Air Corps. Dr. Archer was in the United States Army Air Corps for one year and then transferred to the Army. he served on a medical crew as a Master Sergeant Technician during the Korean War, where his unit's job was to retrieve wounded soldiers. In 1952, Archer began training at Fort Bragg's Psychological Warfare Center as part of the newly formed United States Army's Special Forces. His unit was one of the first to enter Vietnam, where he training original Special forces teams of the South Vietnamese Army. On October 21, 1957, Dr. Archer's unit was ambushed and he witnessed the first American combat deaths in Vietnam, as well as saving the lives of American and Vietnamese soldiers. He did not see action in Vietnam again, however, he did see action in Cambodia and Laos. Archer went on to serve in the Philippines, Hawaii, Korea, Taiwan and Panama, as well as in Southeast Asia. He ended his army service in 1967 and went back to school, receiving his Bachelor of Science degree from the Tuskegee Institute in 1972. Dr. Archer earned his Masters of Arts in Education in 1974, and his Doctorate of Philosophy in Counseling and Psychology from Auburn University in 1979. he then completed a twelve-month post-graduate study at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. In 1983, he became a professor of counseling and psychology at Northern Virginia Community College. He later served as assistant to the president at Saint Junior College in Lexington, Mississippi, and assistant to the Vice President at the Tuskegee Institute. Dr. Archer wrote two memoirs, "Growing Up Black in Rural Mississippi," published in 1991 and "Green Berets in the Vanguard," published in 2001. He received the Afro-Achievement Award in 1994 for distinguished lifetime achievement in education from the Dale City Afro-Achievement Committee. Dr. Archer also served as president of the Jennie Dean Project. His remaining siblings are Francis (Louise) Archer, Sr., Washington, DC and Vernon (Madeline) Archer, Sr., Ph.D., Jackson, Mississippi, beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives. [Source: Findagrave]
Born September 6, 1919 in Yonkers, New York, he was a Tuskegee airman and ace pilot credited with shooting down four-five enemy planes. He retired from the military in 1970 and then joined General Foods Corporation, where he became one of the first black corporate vice presidents in the USA. He retired from General Foods in 1987 and then founded the venture capital firm Archer Asset Management. He died January 27, 2010 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Born April 13, 1929 in Chicago, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 332nd Fighter Group (Tuskegee Airman). Archer served as an airplane mechanic and aircraft instrument specialist from January 1946 until September 1949. His whole military career with the Army and U.S. Air Force spanned throughout World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War. After serving in those wars, he became an instructor for TITAN 1 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Squadrons. He died October 3, 2020, in Atlanta, Georgia.
"Lt. Col. (Retired) Robert Ashby, USAF, and Captain (Retired) Frontier Airlines, passed away Friday, March 5, 2021, at his home in Sun City, Arizona. He was 95 years old. This Tuskegee Airman was the first African American hired by Frontier Airlines. He was born in Yemassee, South Carolina on July 17, 1926. After his father died, his mother Lillian, brother James, sister Elizabeth, and Bob moved to Jersey City, New Jersey. While in high school, Bob investigated pilot training after hearing of the experiences of black pilots in the 99th Pursuit Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Corps at Tuskegee, Alabama. At seventeen, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet program and was called to active duty in August 1944 after graduating from Ferris High School in Jersey City, New Jersey. Bob was assigned to Keesler Field, MS for basic training and in December 1944 he was sent to Tuskegee, AL to begin aviation training. As a cadet he flew the Stearman PT-17, AT-6, and the B-25. Ashby graduated and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant with the Tuskegee Class of 45-H on November 20, 1945. Second Lieutenant Ashby was assigned to Japan as a part of the U.S. occupying force. Upon his arrival, he was rejected by two white flying units because of his color as the Army was still segregated. Ashby was removed from pilot status and assigned to a black company in the Quartermaster Department in Tokyo, Japan. In May 1949, Ashby was reassigned to the black unit at Lockbourne Airfield, Ohio, and was reinstated to flying status. In August 1949, Ashby was assigned to Wright Patterson AFB for a short tour, then to Cleveland Municipal Airport to a Reserve Troop Carrier Wing. Here he trained Reserve weekend warriors in the T-6 and C-46 aircraft. In 1952, Ashby flew combat in B-26s for a year while stationed in Korea. In 1956, he was assigned to England and flew the T-33, B-45, and B-66 aircraft. Later Ashby trained in the B-47 bomber and later served as a B-47 instructor. In July 1965, Robert Ashby retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after twenty-one years of honorable service in U.S. Air Force. During his career, Bob attended the University of Maryland and U.C.L.A. college programs. Ashby started his commercial aviation career in 1965 with United Airlines as one of their flight operations instructors. He taught in the classroom, on the airplane simulator, and in the 727 aircraft. In 1968, he helped write the training program for the 747 aircraft, including the curriculum, the objectives for the 747, and the instructions for the aircrews. He also served as a classroom and simulator instructor. In 1973, Ashby was employed by Frontier Airlines as a second officer pilot, first officer, and then as captain. He flew the Twin Otter, Convair 580, Boeing 737, and MD-80. He had an outstanding record of precision, quality, courtesy, and safety with Frontier Airlines and over 20,000 flying hours. In addition, he was the first African American pilot to reach mandatory retirement age (60 years) with a major airline. Bob Ashby retired on July 17, 1986. Bob Ashby is survived by his wife, Dorina and three sons. Funeral services will be private due the continued pandemic. For additional information, please contact Joseph Olano, Public Information Officer, Archer-Ragsdale Arizona Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Phone: [Please enable JavaScript.]." [Source: American Legion Department of Arizona]
Ezekiel P. Bass Jr., 87, of 106 Sylvan Place, died Thursday, August 25, 2005, at Magnolia Manor Nursing Center. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, August 29, 2005, at Andersonville National Historic Site, with the Rev. Jim McIlrath officiating. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Asked to serve as honorary pallbearers are members of the American Legion Post #2 of Americus. A native of Dougherty County, Mr. Bass was born August 21, 1918, a son of the late Ezekiel Pernie Bass Sr. and Amelia Power Bass. He served in the Navy, the Army Air Corps, and retired from the United States Air Force as a Major. He served during WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. While in the Air Corps, he served in France, flying 22 aerial missions over Normandy and Germany with 107 combat hours in a C-47. He later served as a guest pilot with the Flying Tigers, while stationed in Okinawa. He was a C-47 pilot and Tropical Meteorologist, having served in Europe and Asia. He was a registered Medical Technologist, President of the Auburn University Independent Semi-Fraternity, Who's Who among Students in American Universities and Colleges, a member of Aeronautical Sciences and the American Meteorological Society. He taught meteorology to the flight students at Tuskegee Institute, and was an Alumnus of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute which is now known as Auburn University. He is mentioned in Tom Brokaw's book. Mr. Bass was a former Commander of the American Legion Post #2 for five years. He was of the Presbyterian faith. A visitation will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., today, at Greg Hancock Funeral Chapel. At other times, friends may call at the residence of Deborah and Gene Allen, 390 Lakewood Ave. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Legion Post #2., P.O. Box 6803, Americus, Georgia 31709. [Source: Findagrave]
Born January 20, 1920 in Petersburg City, Virginia, Lt. Colonel (Ret.) Howard Lee Baugh, died at the Johnston-Willis Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, on August 23, 2008. He was a member of the famous Tuskegee Airman. He was born in Petersburg, and attended public schools in Petersburg and Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from Virginia State College (University) in Petersburg in 1941, he decided he wanted to get involved in the war effort. He didn't want to be in the infantry, so he signed up for the Army Air Corps, the precursor to the modern U.S. Air Force and entered the Army Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet in March 1942. He completed pilot training in November 1942 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. He was one of 994 black pilots to graduate from Tuskegee Army Air Field, Tuskegee, Alabama between 1940 and 1946. In July 1943, Howard Baugh was assigned to the 99th Fighter Squadron in Sicily, Italy. He flew 135 combat missions in P-40s and P-51s. In January 1944, he and his wingman were credited with shooting down on German FW-190 fighter bomber over the Anzio beachhead. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and the usual theater and campaign medals. In June 2004, the French Government presented Baugh with its highest and most prestigious military award, the French Legion of Honor. During 25 years of active duty he amassed almost 6000 pilot hours, including 250 combat hours. He flew over 15 different types of planes to include 1100 hours in 4 types of jet aircraft. After retirement from the Air Force in 1967 he was employed by Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, New York. In 1984, he retired from Eastman Kodak and moved back to Virginia. Interment was in Arlington National Cemetery on October 30, 2008. [Source: Findagrave]
Born July 29, 1926 in Atlanta, Georgia, this Tuskegee airman served in World War II and the Korean War. After his military service he worked for the San Diego Gas & Electric Company as a communications technician. He also built model warplanes in his home workshop. He died November 21, 2005 in San Diego, California, and is buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego.
Born October 11, 1920, in Pueblo, Colorado, Lt. Colonel Biffle served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He died December 7, 2000, and is buried in Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado.
He trained to be a Tuskegee airman in 1943 and was a gunner and navigator-bomber in B-25 Mitchell bombers during World War II. In the Korean War he flew bomber missions in B-29 and B-26 Marauders. In Vietnam he flew B-52s. He died September 19, 2020.
Entered into rest on Thursday, March 22, 2007 in San Jose, California at the age of 86. Beloved husband of Dolores Jenkins Bolling. Loving father of George R. Bolling II (Zerelda), John R Bolling and the late Frank Bolling (Mary Lou). Cherished grandfather of Francine M. Bolling. Caring Brother of Gladys Fletcher and the late Edward Bolling (Ellen). Mr. Bolling is also survived by numerous relatives, extended family members and friends. He served in World War II and the Korean War. Family and friends are invited to attend a visitation on Friday, March 30, 2007 at 5:00 pm at Oak Hill Funeral Home's Drawing Room Chapel and a funeral service on Saturday, March 31, 2007 at 2 pm, Drawing Room Chapel. Interment will follow at Oak Hill Memorial Park, San Jose. [Source: Findagrave, Published in San Jose Mercury News on March 25, 2007]
Born July 13, 1920, this Tuskegee airman served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He died July 21, 1991, age 71 and is buried in Biloxi National Cemetery, Biloxi, Mississippi.
Born July 6, 1925 in Chicago, Illinois, he served with the Tuskegee airmen in World War II and then served in the Korean War. He died August 14, 1985 in Seattle, Washington and is buried in Los Angeles National Cemetery in California.
Born April 19, 1923, Booker was a Tuskegee airman who served in World War II and the Korean War. "One of the first black military aviators known as the Tuskegee Airmen, William L. Booker, has died at the age of 90. Booker's family says he died November 30, 2013, at a Kirkland, Washington, nursing home after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. Booker served as a navigator and flight engineer on B-24 and B-25 bombers with the 477th Bombardment Group based at Godman Field, Kentucky. He flew with all-black crews with pilots trained in Alabama at Tuskegee Institute. After World War II and the Korean War, he worked for Boeing for 34 years. He served 10 years as president of the local Tuskegee Airmen's chapter. Booker is survived by his wife of 45 years, Dolores, two sons, two daughters and grandchildren." [Source: Findagrave]
Born on February 25, 1928, Tech Sergeant Bowman served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He died April 7, 1993 and is buried in Fort Custer National Cemetery, Augusta, Michigan.
Colonel Boyd joined the Civil Air Patrol in 1943 and then joined the Army Air Corps on January 20, 1944. He also flew in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He became a radar intercept officer and helped protect fuel tanks for bombers in Tule, Greenland. He retired as a major after 28 years as a combat veteran. He died on June 21, 2018 at the age of 91.
John F. Briggs, a member of the Tuskegee Airmen an a fighter pilot during World War II, died Saturday, June 2, 2007, of cancer at home in The Hallmark residence in Creve Coeur. He was 86. He is survived by his wife, Mary Jane (Williams), two brothers, George Carper an Adolphus Briggs. After the war, Mr. Briggs stayed in the military and retired from the Air Force in 1963 as a major. He joined the Federal Aviation Administration testing the skills of commercial pilots. He retired from the FAA in Texas in 1986. Mr. Briggs is depicted in a mural honoring black aviators at Lambert Field. Mr. Briggs was born in St. Louis and graduated from Sumner High School in 1939. He joined the Tuskegee Airmen, a program of the segregated Army Air Forces to train black fighter pilots at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. [Source: Findagrave]
On Monday, December 22, 2014, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Horace H. Brissette transitioned into eternal life. On January 12, 1929, he was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the late Cecil and Irene Hearn Brissette, where he grew up with his brothers, Cecil, Jr., and the late Albert Brissette. He was a Tuskegee airman who served in Korea and Vietnam.
Dr. Brown was a Tuskegee airman who served with the 332nd Fighter Group in World War II and was a prisoner of war. During the Korean War he served in Japan. (He finished his flight training at Tuskegee in May of 1944.) He later served in the Strategic Air Command. He served in the military for 20 years and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.
He was the only man without a college degree accepted into the Tuskegee Institute flight school. Because his flight training did not end before World War II ended, he did not see combat in that war. He entered the Air Force Reserves in November 1945 and re-entered active service in September of 1951, serving in the US Air Force Medical Corps as a licensed pharmacist. He served during the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. He retired from the military in 1971 and then worked in the health care industry until he retired in 1991.
Thomas Earl Brown, 78, of Duncanville, Texas, formerly of Jones County, died March 28, 2009, at Charlton Methodist Hospital in Duncanville. He was a graduate of the Jones County schools and North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University. Upon graduation, he received his second lieutenant's commission and his navigator wings after training with the Tuskegee Airmen. After 26 years, he retired from the Air Force with the rank of colonel. He was an ROTC instructor at his college alma mater and in Ohio, Texas and North Carolina high schools. A memorial service was held on Saturday, April 4, 2009, at the South Duncanville Congregation of Jehovah's Witness. He is survived by his wife, Betye of Duncanville; children, Shirley Turner of Trenton, Diana Parker and Gregory Brown, both of Duncanville; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren; and eight siblings, Robert Brown of Burlington, William Brown, Raymond Brown, Sadie Smith and Marion Odessa Sutton, all of Greensboro, Cecil Brown of Durham, Leslie Brown of Raleigh and Clement Brown of New Bern. Local announcement by Mills Funeral Home, Inc. [Source: Findagrave, published in Sun Journal from April 10 to April 13, 2009.]
Colonel Rayvon Burleson (USAF, retired) of Smyrna, Delaware, and Nags Head died at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia July 14, 2003. Born in Albemarle in 1920, he graduated from Albemarle High School and enlisted in the U. S. Army in October 1941. While in the Army, he attended Davidson College. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1944 and received his pilot wings in 1945. During his 30year military career, he served as a transport, bomber; helicopter and test pilot. Colonel Burleson's initial flying duty consisted of coastal bomber patrol in the Pacific Northwest at the end of World War II. When the National Security Act of 1947 created the United States Air Force, he transitioned to its ranks and joined the Strategic Air Command. After the retirement of the B36, he transferred to the Military Air Transport Service, flying various aircraft. Col. Burleson was a part of the Air Force transition to the C-133 Globemaster and helped to activate two squadrons at Dover Air Force Base. He served as one of the C- 133s turboprop test pilots, becoming the fifth aircraft commander to be checked out in the aircraft and also flew weather tests in the aircraft at Wright-Patterson AFB. For the C-133 program, he served as pilot, flight commander, chief pilot and squadron commander He also served as Chief of Aircrew Standardization from I960-1968 Colonel Burleson served two tours in Vietnam as the Director of Rescue and Commander, 3rd Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group. He was responsible for the recovery of all aircrews shot down by hostile action. In 1969, he returned to Dover AFB, where he retired in 1970. After retirement, he worked as a corporate pilot for Indoor Tennis International before joining the Foundation for Airbourne Relief. This job consisted of flying food and medical supplies to remote, famine-stricken areas of Bangladesh. In 1973 he returned to Delaware where he served as Chief Pilot for Diamond Aviation in Cheswold. The following year he became the first Delaware State Aeronautics Administrator, a position he held from 1974-1990. During his 16-year career, he was responsible for updating civil airports throughout the state and oversaw the building of the Civil Air Terminal at Dover AFB. After his retirement in 1990, his love of flying continued as he could be seen flying his various civil aircraft all over the state. His wife, Sibyl Lowder Burleson, preceded him in death in 1984. He was one of nine children of Lee and Bess Burleson and is survived by a brother, Ernest L. Burleson of Concord, and two sisters, Louise Caseman of Atlanta, Georgia., and Maxine Tucker of Albemarle. Also surviving are two daughters, Elizabeth B. Morris of Bowers Beach and Lucinda B. Novotny of Smyrna and Nags Head; two grandchildren, Lt.j.g. Robert Burleson Novotny and Jane Lowder Novotny. Also surviving are many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to: the C-133 Fund, AMC Museum Foundation, Box 02050, Dover AFB, Delaware 19902 or The Scholarship Fund of the John Porter Chapter of Tuskegee Airman, Inc., c/o Mrs. Nettye Evans, 138 Turner Drive, Dover, Delaware 19904. A memorial service for Colonel Burleson will be held at Summit Airport at 4;30 p.m. October 11, as part of "Summit Aviation's Celebration of Flight 1903-2003" where his T6 Texan warbird, one of two remaining Tuskegee Airmen advance trainers, will be on display. [Source: Findagrave]
MSgt. Roosevelt Burton Sr. (Ret) was born in Fayetteville, Texas on June 21, 1927. He was the first born of eight children to the late Zelmo Burton, Sr. and Ellen Flakes Burton. He was preceded in death by his wife of 40 years, Ruby A. Burton; his beloved siblings, Zelmo Burton, Jr., Ernestine Burton, Sherman Burton, Erma Jean Burton Mitchell and eldest child, Roosevelt Burton, Jr. Roosevelt (Rell) or even Burton as most referred to him, loved growing up in Fayetteville, Texas. As a young boy his grandfather always told him, he would become a preacher due to him carrying around a bible and preaching on occasional Sundays. As he got a little older his Dad wanted him to be a carpenter. Neither of those suggestions stayed with him and after moving to San Antonio with his parents and graduating from Phillis Wheatley High School he decided to join the military. At first he wanted to join the Navy. He completed the physical but, days prior to enlisting he watched a movie playing in town which showed a group of Navy men on a ship that sunk and that's when he decided to join another branch. When he told his parents, they were leery about his decision but supported him. In 1945, Roosevelt joined the military, he loved and missed his family and as soon as he joined he had an allotment sent home monthly to help maintain the household and assist with the upbringing of his siblings. During his career he was assigned to bases in Arizona, North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, Guam, Arkansas, Georgia, Philippines, Carswell AFB, Texas, Bermuda, Thailand, Goose Bay Laborador, Lackland and Randolph AFB in San Antonio. He remained in the military for 26 years, serving in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam wars. After retiring from the military, Roosevelt returned to work and retired from two additional careers which included Civil Service and the San Antonio State Hospital. Always a man of good character Roosevelt remained active in church and was a member of East St. Paul United Methodist Church where he was on the Steward Board. He was also an active member of the Tuskegee Airmen, Community Workers Council, Freemasonry Organization and the American Legion. Roosevelt lived a lifetime of service to God, Family and his Country. He was a pillar of strength to those who knew him and will be greatly missed. Roosevelt leaves to cherish his memory, daughters, Dr. Sharon L. Burton and Roxanne Burton-Hiers (Paul); sisters, Virginia Ford, Lillian (Shirlee) White; brother, Cardell Franklin Burton; granddaughter, Yoshino W. White (Cameron); grandsons, Marques L. Hiers and Darreus A. Hiers. Lewis Funeral Home. [Source: Findagrave]
Born May 15, 1920 in Decatur, Georgia, and died April 30, 2004. He served in World War II and the Korean War. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Julius Warren Calloway, 87, passed away Monday, January 23, 2012 at home with family at his side. He was one of the original Tuskegee Airmen presented the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007 and received an honorary doctorate degree from Tuskegee University in 2006. In 1997 he was inducted into the Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame. In 1990 he retired from the Louisville Regional Airport Authority, where he served as Human Resources Director after retiring as a Major from the U.S. Air Force in 1970. He received his wings as a Tuskegee Airman in 1944 and served in the military during World War II and the Korean War. He was also a graduate of Central High School Class on 1942. He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Jacqueline Dreher Calloway. Julius is survived by his sons, Julius W. Calloway III, Heber D. Calloway (Danuta), daughters Linda C. Johnson (Leland), Jacqueline C. Richardson (Theodore); grandchildren, Leland Johnson, Jr. (Rabia), Nea Ricks (Shawn), Tiarra Richardson, Adam Richardson (Kimberly), Jordan Richardson; seven great-grandchildren; and his brother, Irvin Calloway (Alyce)." [Source: Findagrave]
"Colonel William A. Campbell, known to many simply as "Bill", died at age 95 on April 24, 2012. Born on April 12, 1917 in Tuskegee, Alabama, he was the fourth of six children of Thomas Monroe Campbell and Anna Campbell. Following elementary and high school in Tuskegee, Bill graduated from Tuskegee Institute in 1937 with a BS in Business Administration and began clerking for the U.S. Department of Agricultural Extension in Tuskegee. During that time the opportunity arose to join a group of distinguished young Black men learning to fly at Tuskegee Army Air Field who would later become known as the Tuskegee Airmen. He became a member of the class SE-42-F graduating in 1942 as a Second Lieutenant. He was assigned to the 99th Fighter Squadron, 33rd Fighter group and arrived in Farjouna in Tunisia in 1943. As a fighter pilot with the 99th (affectionately referred to as the "Red Tails") he participated in the Sicilian and Italian campaigns, flew 106 missions, and by the war's end was the commander of the 99th Fighter Squadron. In 1947 he became commander of the 332nd Fighter Group. Campbell went on to fight in two more wars during his military career, serving in both Korea and Vietnam. He remained in the Air Force until 1970, reaching the rank of full Colonel. He earned two Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit and 13 Air Medal Clusters. After retiring from the active military, Bill spent the next 13 years as a professor at the Navy Post Graduate School Monterey, CA where he taught Defense Resource Management. Colonel Campbell also had a wonderful family life. After a short courtship following WWII, he married Wilma Jean Burton from Chicago in September of 1946. Together they raised three sons, traveled the world and enjoyed friendships built over a lifetime. While attending a past Tuskegee Airmen Convention, he was asked what advice he would give to a young person trying to achieve their dream. Bill said, "Do the best you are capable of doing, that's all you can do; but do it all the time." Bill was an extremely gifted athlete; his first love was tennis. He won an untold number of single and doubles tournaments while serving in the U.S. Air Force. As a member of the Monterey Peninsula community, Bill served as a volunteer with a number of community based organizations which included: The Meadowbrook Tennis Club, The Monterey Peninsula Branch of the NAACP and the Legal Aid for Senior Citizens. He is survived by Wilma, his wife of 65 years, and three sons and their families. [Source: Findagrave from obituary published in The Monterey Herald on May 16, 2012.]
Floyd Jefferson Carter Sr. was born November 02, 1922 in Yorktown, Virginia, the son of Thomas Jefferson Carter (1883-1952) and Mildred Segar Carter. A veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, he was a Tuskegee airman. He was a participant in the Berlin Airlift and the recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007. He retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel, and then worked as a New York Police Department detective for 27 years. Carter died March 08, 2018 at the age of 95 and is buried in Arlington Cemetery. He was survived by his wife Artherine Helena Johnson (1924-2019), whom he married in 1945, and his children Floyd Carter Jr. and Rozalind Carter.
He was born on September 27, 1919 in Amory, Mississippi to parents Willie Ann Sykes Carter and George Washington Carter. He graduated from Tuskegee High School in 1941 and went on to join the United States Army in July of 1942 as a member of the 99th pursuit unit, which was one of the units that became known as the Tuskegee Airmen. He was one of the most active in promoting the legendary fighter pilots. Through their bravery and skill as World War II fighter pilots, the all-black Tuskegee Airmen are credited with not only taking part in winning the war, but in overcoming racial stereotypes and barriers. The fighter pilots' mission was protecting bombers looking for trains or enemy troops to attack in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and Germany. He was one of the 33 original pilot trainees in the Tuskegee Airmen program, a member of the 99th Fighter Squadron and an aircraft maintenance supervisor. He remained in the integrated Air Force after World War II. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1955 and a Master's degree in Education in 1969 from Tuskegee Institute. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1969. After his retirement from the United States Air Force, he became associate dean for student services at Tuskegee University and served in several other important capacities during his time there. He died November 8, 2012 in Opelika. Survivors include three children; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; one sister; one brother. He died at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika.
Born August 27, 1915, Eugene Calvin Cheatham, Jr. was one of the Tuskegee Airmen and a career officer in the United States Air Force. Cheatham was born in Georgia on March 3, 1924. His father was an Episcopal missionary whose work took the family to Africa and Europe. While living in New York City, he became a Boy Scout and by 1930 he had completed the requirements for Eagle Scout. Unable to afford a full uniform, he never appeared before his board of review. Cheatham was a fighter pilot with the 332nd Fighter Group— better known as the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. He flew 150 missions during the Korean War. He achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel and retired in 1977. He then worked as a personnel and equal-opportunity officer for the Air Force, serving in Japan, Montana and San Bernardino, California. In 2001, Cheatham attended a Veterans Day event where he expressed his regret at not earning Eagle Scout to one of the organizers who happened to be an Eagle Scout. Executives from International Profit Associates petitioned the National Council of the BSA to award Cheatham's Eagle Scout. Unable to locate records, the Scouts tested Cheatham and performed an exhaustive board of review according to the requirements of 1930. On September 18, 2004 Cheatham was awarded his Eagle Scout in a ceremony at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. Cheatham died on May 10, 2005 from pancreatic cancer and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery." [Source: Findagrave]
He served in the US Army and US Air Force during World War II, the Cold War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Lieutenant Colonel Cowley retired from the Air Force in 1970 and then worked in the Department of Defense until 1995. He moved to Los Angeles, California in 1970.
Born March 21, 1923 in Chicago, Illinois, he became a Tuskegee airman, flying missions in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He retired from the Air Force in the 1960s. He received a bachelor's degree in aeronautics from Tennessee State University, a master's degree in industrial relations and personnel management from the University of Chicago, and a doctorate in psychology from Western Colorado University. He later became director of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for Eastern Airlines. He died December 23, 1988, Miami, Florida, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Born on October 24, 1926, Craigwell enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1945 and was assigned to the 332nd Fighter Group (Tuskegee Airmen). He flew over 400 combat missions during his flying career, receiving 26 medals of valor. In the Korean War he was part of a group of American Air Force instructors that taught Korean pilots how to fly fighter planes. He received the rare honor of being awarded fighter pilot wings from the United States and Korean Air Forces. His military career spanned 1945 to 1973, and he retired as a colonel. He died April 9, 2011.
Born August 31, 1918, Crockett graduated from Dunbar High School in 1939 and joined the 349th Field Artillery Regiment--the first Black-American Field Artillery unit in the regular army, in 1940. He transferred to Tuskegee in August of 1942 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in 1943. He served in the 100th Fighter Squadron and the 332nd Fighter Group in Italy, flying 149 combat missions. He flew 45 combat missions in the Korean War. He retired from the military in 1970 with over 5,000 hours of flight time and 520 combat hours. He received a Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf clusters, and two soldier's medals for bravery. He died in Washington, D.C. on August 16, 2012.
See Black-American Firsts section.
Deitz was born in June 1919 in Portland, Oregon. He was a former Oregon track star who set records in the 100-yard dash, the 220-yard race and relays at Franklin High School and University of Oregon. He joined the Army Air Corps, fighting in Italy and Eastern Europe with the Tuskegee airmen. He flew 93 missions in 1943-44 with the 332nd Fighter Group. He stayed in the Air Force as a test pilot after the war, retiring as a Major in 1961 after 20 years of service. He later became a parole officer for three years and a parole supervisor for 17 years. He played horn and double bass in the Portland Junior Symphony and the University of Oregon. He died of a heart attack in April 1992 in Columbus, Ohio.
This World War II Army Aviator and renowned Tuskegee Airman and Federal Government official was born August 20, 1921 in Trenton, New Jersey and died March 26, 1992 in Reston, Virginia. Driver, a native of Trenton, earned his bachelors' degree from the New Jersey State College in 1942. He later earned a masters' degree in safety from New York University. Driver was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps in October of 1942 and served as a combat pilot and flight leader with the 99th Fighter Squadron. He was officially credited with one combat victory over a German Focke-Wulf 190 aircraft on February 5, 1944. He also had one "probable" victory as well. By the end of the Second World War, Driver had completed 123 combat missions. He also served in the Korean War. After retiring from the Air Force following a 20-year career, Driver served for five years as the Chief, System Safety Engineering, for North American Aviation. He was then hired by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). He was the NTSB's Associate Administrator for Rule Making from 1967 to 1978. He then accepted a Presidential appointment, serving as the Vice Chairman of the NTSB from 1978 to 1981. His last government position was with NASA Headquarters as the Director of the Aircraft Management Office in Washington DC from 1986-1990. Driver is buried in a place of honor, in front of General Daniel J. "Chappie" James, Jr. [Source: Findagrave with bio by Warrick L. Barrett]
"Lt. Col. Charles Harris Drummond Jr., a member of the Tuskegee Airmen black pilot corps that served during World War II, died last week of a stroke shortly after surgery. He was 78. Drummond, who was trained as a B-25 Bomber pilot, died last Thursday in Community Hospital in Monterey. He belonged to the 477th Bomber Group, which was preparing for action in Southeast Asia when the war ended. Drummond was in the Air Force Reserves when World War II ended and transferred to the Massachusetts National Guard, and was recalled into the Army in 1951 for the Korean War -- where he flew L-19s and helicopters. A native of Cambridge, Mass., who attended Boston University Law School, Drummond retired from the Army in 1970 after 30 years of military service. Eight years ago, Drummond founded the Summer Flight Academy -- a program in the San Francisco Bay area that trains underprivileged young people to fly airplanes. Drummond is survived by Doris, his wife of 55 years, and six children. A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. next Tuesday at Hayes C.M.E. Church in Seaside. Drummond will be cremated and buried November 17 at Arlington National Cemetery."
"Lt. Colonel Edward P. Drummond, Jr., (USAF Retired) of Lakewood, Washington, died in Seattle on Sunday, August 3, 2014, after a long illness. He was the last surviving member of the Tuskegee Airmen that was a member of the Sam Bruce Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., based in Seattle. As a member of Class 46-C, Lieutenant Colonel Drummond was a graduate of the last class of African American pilots trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama, during World War II to assist in prosecution of the war effort against the Axis. A Memorial Service is scheduled for Thursday, August 28, 2014, 2 p.m., at Mountain View Memorial Park at 4100 Steilacoom Boulevard SW, Lakewood. Proceedings are set for the Aspen Chapel, located within the Celebration of Life Center. Upon entering the Mountain View Memorial Park grounds, simply follow the blue center line to get to the chapel. A reception will follow immediately in the Willow Room at the same facility. Members of the public are invited. Edward Powell Drummond, Jr, was born on Aug. 28, 1926, in Philadelphia, Penn. The early part of his life was spent on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where he attended schools in the Pocomoke City area, and was class valedictorian at Stephen Long Elementary School in 1939. Known as "Pal" to his family and childhood friends, he attended Salzburger Junior High in Philadelphia, and graduated from West Philadelphia High School in June 1944. His academic studies at Howard University in Washington, D.C. were interrupted by World War II and the call to serve his country. Lieutenant Colonel Drummond was drafted into the United States Army and was ultimately accepted into the Aviation Cadet Training Program at Tuskegee, Ala. He was a member of the last official class of the Tuskegee Program that trained African American pilots for combat duty in the U. S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Lieutenant Colonel Drummond served in the military for 25 years, and was honorably discharged in 1970. He worked twelve years for the State of Washington in the Social and Health Services Department and the Department of Licensing. He retired a second time in 1982. The military career of Lieutenant Colonel Drummond included tours of duty in Japan, Korea, England, France, Viet Nam and Germany as well as duty assignments in Ohio and Washington State. During his career as a pilot, he flew the B-25, P-47, F-80, F-84, F-86D, and F-106. Lieutenant Colonel Drummond was one of the first two African American pilots to fly jets into combat during the Korean War where he completed 104 missions. Lieutenant Colonel Drummond was assigned to McChord Air Force Base twice during his career. He first joined the 325th Fighter Wing, Air Defense Command in January 1961 as Operations and Plans Officer. He was further assigned in 1962 as Operations Officer to the 318th All Weather Fighter Squadron, 325th Fighter Wing. After serving a year in Viet Nam from June 1963 to June 1964, he returned to McChord as a Plans Officer in the 25th Air Division in June 1964. His final duty station was as Plans Officer at Headquarters United States-European Command in Stuttgart, Germany from 1967 to 1970. At the time of his military retirement, Lt. Col. Drummond had achieved Command Pilot status with 5700 Flying Hours; and had amassed numerous service awards including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 8 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Purple Heart, Air Force Commendation Medal, Joint Services Commendation Medal, Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal and the Distinguished Service Award. Lieutenant Colonel Drummond was among the Tuskegee Airmen honored with the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, D. C. on March 29, 2007, and attended the official ceremony in the Capitol with his wife, Alberta. He also received an honorary doctorate degree from Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Despite battling chronic illness for many years, Lieutenant Colonel Drummond remained active in the Sam Bruce Chapter, devoting many hours to communities across the Northwest to raise awareness of the contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen to beat back racism and discrimination in the United States. He often spoke at area schools, service clubs, and various venues for retired and active duty military personnel. He was a frequent participant at special events and panel discussions at the Museum of Flight in Seattle and Boeing; and when his health permitted, a regular participant in the Living History Day Program for the State of Oregon, an effort he always considered vital to keeping the real meaning of Veterans' Day alive amongst the youth of the country. He was one of four Tuskegee Airmen honored in March 2012 with an invitation to meet with members of the Washington State Legislature, and used the opportunity to urge legislators to work cooperatively with each other regardless of party affiliation. Lieutenant Colonel Drummond is survived by his wife of sixty-five years, Alberta Morris Drummond of Lakewood, Wash.; and his three children, Edward Powell Drummond, III, of Apple Valley, California; Michael Morris Drummond of Seattle; and Sheryl Drummond Halliburton of Phoenix, Arizona. He is also survived by six grandchildren and four great grandchildren." [Source: The Skanner News, published August 14, 2014]
Born September 16, 1920, in New York, New York, Dryden graduated from Tuskegee Army Flying School and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant on April 29, 1942. Nicknamed "A-Train", he flew a P-40 fighter plane in North Africa, Sicily and Italy during World War II. He flew fighter jet missions in the Korean War and taught air science at Howard University. He retired in 1962 as a Lieutenant Colonel. He died June 24, 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia. "Tuskegee Airman. One of the first of the pioneering black World War II pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Lt Colonel Charles W. Dryden's 21-year military career included combat missions in Korea and assignments in Japan, Germany and U.S. bases. He was a member of the famed 99th Pursuit Squadron and 32nd Fighter Group that served in North Africa and Italy during WWII. Dryden was born in New York City to Jamaican parents who were educators. He graduated from Peter Stuyvesant High School and earned his B.A. degree in political science from Hofstra University and his M.A. degree in public law and government from Columbia University. In 1996, he was awarded an honorary degree of doctor of humane letters by Hofstra University. Three months prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Dryden enlisted in the Army Air Corps as a cadet. Sent to Tuskegee Army Flying School, a segregated training base in Alabama for black aviators, he became a member of the 42-D, the second class graduated from the station. Dryden was assigned to the 99th Fighter Squadron, the first black United States military flying unit that was dispatched to North Africa under command of Lt. Colonel Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. The inexperienced unit flew P-40s in air-ground support and medium bomber escort missions and soon earned the respect of senior officers, challenging initial skepticism in many quarters as to the ability of Negroes in flying and fighting. On June 9, 1943, Dryden was flight leader of six P-40s on patrol over the island of Pantelleria when they encountered Luftwaffe fighters escorting bombers on a mission to attack allied troops. In the 99th's first encounter with enemy fighters, Lieutenant Dryden led his flight, outnumbered by the enemy, to victory, damaging one enemy fighter and causing the enemy bombers to drop their bombs into the sea and retreat. The novice 99th suffered no damage. In October, 1943, Dryden returned to the United States to help train an all black fighter group to be designated the 332nd. As flight instructor at Selfridge Field, Michigan, and Walterboro Army Air Field, South Carolina, Dryden prepared hundreds of pilots for aerial combat. Shortly after the three original squadrons of the 332nd arrived overseas, they were joined by the seasoned 99th, and the all black group established itself as a well disciplined, successful fighting unit. As escorts, this group never lost a friendly bomber to enemy fighters-a distinction to which no other allied fighter group can lay claim. As a career officer, Colonel Dryden served in the Korean War as a forward observer pilot who flew an unarmed plane behind enemy lines relaying valuable information to headquarters on location and movement of enemy forces. Following the war, he served as a professor of air science at Howard University and retired in 1962 as a command pilot with 4,000 hours flying time. Dryden later retired from Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems Company in Georgia after 13 years and then worked actively in the greater Atlanta area (where he and his family had made home) with young people in schools and churches. A source of inspiration for many who aspired to or have chosen careers in aerospace, he served on the advisory board of Aviation Career enrichment, Inc., a non-profit youth motivation organization in Atlanta. Dryden was a member of several organizations and received numerous awards. He was inducted into the Honorable Orders of Daedalians in 1997 and was designated and Outstanding Georgia Citizen by the Secretary of State the same year. He was a member of the board of directors of the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame, the Atlanta Metro Lions Club and the Atlanta Chapter-Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (ACTAI), which he helped found in 1978 and which he served as president, vice president and national convention committee chairman in 1980 and 1995. Dryden was the author of A-Train: Memoirs of a Tuskegee Airman, released in April, 1997. He also was enshrined in the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame May 16, 1998 and in March 2007 President Bush and Congress awarded the Tuskegee Airmen the Congressional Gold Medal. Some 300 surviving airmen-including Dryden-gathered in Washington for the ceremony. Dryden was married twice and had six sons and one daughter. Lt Colonel Charles W. Dryden, an inspiration for so many died in an Atlanta hospital of natural causes at age 87." [Source: Findagrave with bio by Curtis Jackson]
Born February 1, 1920, he grew up in Bloomington, Indiana. In 1934 he moved to Durham, North Carolina. He joined the army infantry on January 19, 1942 and later graduated from training at Tuskegee, commissioned April 29, 1943. He completed 350 combat missions in North Africa and Italy while serving with the 99th Fighter Squadron during World War II. He was injured twice. He re-enlisted in the US Air Force and served as a flight mechanic. He participated in the Korean War and Vietnam War. He received a Distinguished Flying Cross. He retired in 1972 and died April 16, 2006 in Goldsboro, North Carolina.
Ellis Edwards was one of two brothers who were Tuskegee airmen. His brother Jerome died in 1943 after his plane experienced a malfunction. Ellis was born May 17, 1922 and enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program at West Virginia State College. He then became a Tuskegee airman, serving with the 332nd Fighter Group (Red Tails) in Italy. He received a Distinguished Flying Cross for downing two enemy ME-109's over Italy in 1945. He continued to fly as a pilot in the Korean War. He died June 3, 1979.
Born November 6, 1921 near Eureka, North Carolina, Exum joined the Army Air Corps after high school graduation. He trained on P-47 Thunderbolts and B-25 bombers. During World War II he took part in escort missions accompanying bomber planes on sorties over Europe. He flew Air Force jets on combat missions in the Korean War. In the late 1950s he performed in air shows. During the Vietnam War he flew injured troops to hospitals in Japan and Guam as a contractor. He died August 18, 2013 in Washington, D.C.
Commissioned as a B-25 bombardier, Fountain cross-trained in weather, becoming a weather officer after World War II. He participated in reconnaissance missions over the North Pole and later a combat tour in B-29s over Korea at the end of the war. He also toured in Korea as staff weather officer for the 8th Army. He participated in 19 B-29 combat missions as a bombardier over Korea.
Lt. Colonel Friend was born February 29, 1920 in Columbia, South Carolina. He studied aviation at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and joined the 99th Pursuit Squadron--a unit for black men. He was assigned to the 322nd Fighter Group and flew 142 missions in P-47 and P-51 Mustangs. He flew single-engine planes into combat in the Mediterranean theater during World War II. He served as operations officer during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He worked on the Titan, Atlas and Delta rocket programs after the war. From 1958 to 1963 he led the US Air Force's Project Blue Book to investigate UFOs. He later became an executive of the aerospace companies Stanford Mu and Fairchild Stratos. He died June 21, 2019 in Long Beach, California, at the age of 99.
After getting his wings at age 20, he joined the Army Air Corps and trained with the 6th and last class of airmen at Tuskegee. World War II had just ended. He had tours of duty in Greenland, Alaska, and Tinian Island between World War II and Korea. He flew P-51s in a combat tour in Korea. His military service spanned from 1946 to 1962. After leaving the military he became an upholsterer at the Chrysler Assembly plant in Newark, Delaware, and retired from the plant.
After being drafted into the Army Air Corps, he was sent to a school in Alabama to learn maintenance on planes flown by Tuskegee airmen. During World War II he remained stateside. He was discharged after World War II, but then enlisted in the Army and made a career of it. He served in Germany and when the Korean War broke out he became a tank loader and driver. He held the same job in the Vietnam War. He retired in 1973 as a first sergeant with a total of 26 years in the military. After retiring from the military he became a school bus driver.
Born June 20, 1920, he graduated from Iowa Falls High School in 1938 and then enlisted in the Army in July 1942. He was the first black officer in the United States Air Force from Iowa. He was deployed to Italy with the 301st Fighter Squadron. During the Korean War he served as a Wing Technical Inspector in Japan with the 315th Air Division. He remained in the Air Force for 22 years, retiring as a major in 1964. He died October 10, 2013.
Killed in action in Korea. See Firsts section of this page for further details.
Drafted into the Army in 1942, Hall was a ground crewman for the 332nd Fighter Group during World War II. He later served in the Korean War and Vietnam War, retiring in 1973 as a Chief Master Sergeant. He died in Florida.
Born in 1925, he was raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and joined the Army Air Corps in 1943. He was deployed to Italy as a Tuskegee airman, flying 21 combat missions. After the war he trained other pilots at Tuskegee. He was recalled to service in the Korean War, serving with the 19th Bomb Group in 45 B-29 combat missions. In Vietnam he flew 70 night missions piloting a C-119 gunship. Hardy was in the military from 1942 to 1971 and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Lt. Colonel Harvey was born July 13, 1923 in Montclair, New Jersey. He was drafted into the Army Air Corps in April of 1943 and was assigned as an engineer to make air strips in the jungles of the South Pacific. He took flight training at Moton Field in Alabama and graduated from Flying School at Tuskegee as a 2nd Lieutenant on October 16, 1944. He was assigned to the 99th Fighter Squadron at Godman Field in Kentucky, where he flew P-47s. He was selected as one of three primary members to participate in the historic first USAF Weapons Meet. His team placed first flying F-47Ns. During the Korean War he was the first black jet fighter pilot to fly in Korean air space. During his military career he received the DFC and eleven Air Medals. He was also a flight commander, test pilot, assistant group operations officer, flight safety officer, and Battle Staff Training Officer for the Commanding General of NORAD. He retired from the military on May 31, 1965 after 22 years of service.
Born in 1924 in St. Louis, Missouri, he flew "Red Tail" P-51s with the 332nd Fighter Group in World War II as a Tuskegee airman. He continued to fly in the Korean War and Vietnam War. He was the first black helicopter pilot in the Air Force. He died in 2010.
Francis L. Horne, Sr., age 91, a resident of Abington, Pennsylvania died on January 8, 2014. He was born in West Palm Beach, Florida on 24 February 1922. Upon graduation from high school, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps on 9 July 1942. His first duty assignment was at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee, Alabama. The Tuskegee Army Airfield (TAAF) was the home of the training grounds for hundreds of pilots who later served overseas during World War II. While stationed at Tuskegee, he was assigned to the 318th TAAF Base Unit and the 1155th Single Engine Flying Training unit, serving as an aircraft mechanic's helper and radio repairman. He completed his tour of duty at TAAF in 1945, having attained the rank of Sergeant. At the conclusion of World War II, he received an honorable discharge from active duty and entered Hampton Institute (now known as Hampton University), in Hampton, Virginia. Upon completion of the Reserve Officers Training Program, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Vocational Industrial Education. Colonel Horne was recalled to active duty service in 1951 during the Korean War. While on active duty, he completed tours of duty at Fort Bliss, Fort Meade, Moon Run, Pennsylvania, Niagara Falls, New York, Germany and Korea; retiring from active duty in 1969. After his military retirement, he taught in the Newport News School System for twenty years as an Industrial Arts teacher, retiring in 1987. Colonel Horne provided over 200 inspirational speeches on the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen; he educated and inspired citizens, young and old with his uplifting recollection of historical events. His presentations were sought after by a myriad of organizations, military units and schools and his efforts have extended to cities throughout the state of Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, and New Jersey. His military education included the Air Defense Artillery Officer Basic and Advance Courses, Fort Bliss, Texas; the Army Intelligence School, Europe; and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF), Fort McNair, VA. His awards included the Army Commendation Medal, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Overseas Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal. He received various honors and accolades for his contributions to the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. In 2004, he was honored by his hometown of West Palm Beach, FL with a recognition proclamation and key to the city. In January of 2006, he was awarded the Honorable Order of St. Michael Bronze Award by the Army Aviation Association of America. As a Documented Original Tuskegee Airman (DOTA), Colonel Horne and other DOTAs were cited for the Congressional Gold Medal at the U.S. Capital on 29 March 2007 when President Bush conferred this distinct honor on all of the individuals who participated in the Tuskegee Airmen Program. Colonel Horne was preceded in death by his wife of 25 years Carrie Broxton Horne The funeral service is April 16, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. at Arlington National Cemetery. Burial will follow immediately after the funeral service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make donations to SarahCare of Jenkintown, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, PA 19046.
[Source: Findagrave, published in Daily Press from April 8 to April 11, 2014]
Lyman L. Hubbard, Sr., born May 17, 1926 in Springfield, Illinois, the only Springfieldian to graduate from pilot training at Tuskegee Army Air Base during WWII, died on January 12, 2012 at his home in Springfield, Illinois. Lyman was a graduate of Class 45-H at Tuskegee and flew B-25 bombers. He was recalled to active duty during the Korean conflict and made a career of the Air Force. Lyman was a command pilot with nearly 7000 hours flying time in complex multi-engine aircraft, including the EC-121 Super Constellation. He was an accomplished aviator and a strong leader. Lyman served combat tours in Southeast Asia and among his many U.S. and foreign military decorations: he was awarded the Bronze Star, Air Medal with oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, and Vietnamese Honor Medal. He retired from the Air Force in 1970. For the past fifteen years Lyman and his wife of 65 years, Eartha Mary, have lived on the family farm where Lyman spent much of his youth. The farm has been in the family for nearly 165 years and Springfield attorney Abraham Lincoln once represented Lyman's great-great-grandmother in a legal dispute over the land. May 17, 2006 was declared Lyman Hubbard Day in Springfield by proclamation of the mayor and city council in recognition of his service to the country. His devotion to the city and its history was reflected in his concern that the Lincoln Colored Home, a national historic property and one of the first African American orphanages in the United States, was in danger of being destroyed. In 2005, he purchased this historic Springfield property that is linked to the Dana-Thomas House. Lyman graduated from Feitshans High School in 1944 where he was an "A" student and a star athlete in basketball, football, and track. He earned an Associates of Art degree from Springfield Junior College and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA. As a youth, he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America and proudly abided by the Scout's oath throughout his life. Lyman was 85 years old at the time of his death and is survived by his wife, Eartha Mary Burton Hubbard; sons, Lyman Jr., Lee, Mark; 12 grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He was the first son of the late Rev. Lyman R. Hubbard and Helen M. Locke Hubbard. Burial will be at Camp Butler National Cemetery with the Sangamon County Inter-veterans Burial Detail Honor Guard performing military honors with an active U. S. Air Force Honor Guard. [Source: Findagrave]
"Willis J. Hubert of Atlanta, Georgia died on Friday, May 11, 2007. After a distinguished military career in which he achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. Hubert became Academic Dean and, later, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Morehouse College. In 1943, he entered the U.S. Air Force (until 1947, the U.S. Army Air Corps) and trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field, where he was one of the original Tuskegee Airmen, under the command of General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. During a military career of 27 years, he had tours of duty in Europe and the Pacific, and he was the first African American to earn M.A. and Ph.D. degrees while on active duty, as well as the first to complete the Harvard Business School (Military Co-op) Statistics Training Program. As a Tuskegee Airman, he was awarded, in absentia, the Congressional Gold Medal on March 29, 2007 at a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. Dr. Hubert was born in Savannah, Georgia on May 9, 1919, the youngest child of Lillie Jones Hubert and John Wesley Hubert. He graduated in 1936 from Cuyler-Beach High School, where his father was principal and his mother was a former teacher. After receiving a B. S. degree in 1940 from Hampton Institute, he completed requirements for an M.A. degree in rural sociology at Fisk University and then taught at Trinity High School in Athens, Georgia for a year. He later earned an M.A. degree from New York University, as well as a Ph.D. degree from NYU in 1961. A member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, he was active in several professional organizations, serving as president of the Southern Conference of Deans of Faculties and Academic Vice Presidents and as First Vice President of the National Association of College Deans, Registrars and Admissions Officers. He was a long-time member of Friendship Baptist Church. His devoted wife of 56 years, Evelyn Robinson Hubert, predeceased him in 2001, and he is survived by a daughter, Renee Camille Hubert of Atlanta, GA; a son, Robin W. Hubert of Dallas, TX; two sisters, Beautine DeCosta-Lee of Washington, DC. and Mamie E. Russell of Silver Spring, MD; and several nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held on Friday, May 18 at 10:00 a.m. until hour of service at 11:00 a.m. in our Cascade Chapel. Interment Forest Lawn Memorial Garden. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his name to the American Cancer Society; 2970 Clairmont Road, N.E., Ste. 840; Atlanta, Georgia 30329." [Source: Findagrave from obituary published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution from May 15 to May 17, 2007.]
Born October 28, 1923 in Los Angeles County, California, he enlisted in the army October 27, 1942 in Los Angeles. He served in Italy in 1944 with the 100th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group. He was a mechanic that serviced P-39, P-47 and P-51 aircraft. He was a skycap for more than 60 years at airports in Burbank and Los Angeles. He died on January 05, 2015, in Los Angeles.
This Tuskegee airman graduated April 29, 1943 and served in Italy with the 302nd Fighter Squadron During World War II. He survived a plane crash during combat action. He served in the Korean War and Vietnam War. During his military career he earned a Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, and a Purple Heart.
Born August 25, 1917, Charles F. Jamerson was a pilot and one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. He graduated from flight training at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama on March 25, 1943, Class 43-C-SE (Single-Engine Fighter) as a 2nd Lieutenant. He served in the U.S. Air Corps Force during World War II, and the Air Force during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He entered the service on April 1, 1941 and retired as a Major on August 25, 1977. He died June 4, 1996 in Riverside County, California. Interment took place on June 11, 1996.
12th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 101 missions in P51s and F80s in Korea 1950-51. Daniel James, the first Black four-star general in the Air Force, became a member of the Tuskegee Airmen in 1943, but spent World War II stateside as a flight instructor. During the Korean War, he flew 101 combat missions. As a vice commander of the Eighth Tactical Fighter Wing in Thailand, James flew 78 combat missions during the Vietnam War. In 1970, as the commander of the 7272nd Fighter Training Wing at Wheelus Air Force Base in Libya, James had a memorable standoff with Muammar el-Qaddafi, who had recently led a successful military coup of Libya's government. Qaddafi was attempting to seize the base when he encountered James outside its gates." I had my .45 in my belt. I told him to move his hand away. If he had pulled that gun, he never would have cleared his holster," James said. The encounter passed without incidence and James succeeded in removing 4,000 people and $21 million in assets from the facility. He died on February 25, 1978, a month after retiring from the Air Force. He was born in 1920 and died in 1978. [Source: History website]
Lt. Colonel Jamison was born on February 25, 1918 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He attended the University of Chicago where he studied medical bacteriology. He received his civilian pilot's license in 1940. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on August 21, 1941 and graduated on April 29, 1942. He joined the 99th Fighter Squadron when it went to North Africa. There he flew 67 combat missions. He retired from the military in 1963 and later retired from a career at the Social Security Administration. He died March 6, 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Master Sergeant Johnson was born August 30, 1927 in Longview, Texas. He joined the army air corps and served as chief mechanic servicing P-47N Thunderbolts of the 99th Fighter Squadron of the 477 Composite Group 1946-1948. He served in the military from 1945 to 1966 and was a World War II and Korean War veteran. His team won the propeller division of the first US Air Force Weapons Meet in Las Vegas in 1949. Johnson died April 15, 2017.
Born in Bellaire, Ohio, Johnson was drafted into the army in 1945 and assigned as an aviation cadet at Tuskegee. He was the last cadet to graduate from Tuskegee since World War II had ended. He was sent to Enid Army Air Field in Oklahoma and then Lockbourne Army Air Base at Columbus, Oho. During his 31-year military career he served in the Korean War and then commanded an aviation battalion in Vietnam. He received a Distinguished Flying Cross in Vietnam and received 10 Air Medals during his career. He served as commander of a US Army Aviation Battalion in South Korea. After retiring from the military he held positions in the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Born March 29, 1928 in High Point, North Carolina, he joined the army in 1946 and trained at Tuskegee. He served with the 99th Fighter Squadron and 332nd Fighter Group. During the Korean War he served in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. He retired from the Air Force in 1971. He was a qualified instructor for the AT-6 and T-33. He also became a Squadron Commander. He was a history professor at Our Lady of the Lake University and was a San Antonio city commissioner.
A World War II veteran Tuskegee Airman, he also served in the Korean War. He remained in the military for over two decades. He was born in 1925 and died in 2013.
Born April 05, 1922, Charles W. Ledbetter was one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, and in the U.S. Air Force in the Korean War and Vietnam. During the Korean War Tech Sergeant Ledbetter was assigned to the 3rd Bomb Wing where he flew 25 night missions in Fifth Air Force B-26 light bombers as an engineer-gunner. He spent 30 years in the U. S. Air Force until his retirement as a Master Sergeant. He died July 23, 2003 and is buried in Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, California.
Born October 4, 1922, Lehman enlisted in the army in November 1942 in Los Angeles. He received navigator/bombardier training at Hondo, Texas, and served as Post Exchange Officer for the 477th Bomb Group at Lockbourne AFB in Ohio. He took additional navigation training at Mather AFB in California. He flew 68 missions in Korea from 1950 to 1952. He was promoted to captain and then assigned to Fairchild AFB in Spokane, Washington with the Strategic Air Command (SAC) 57th Air Division. In June of 1957 he earned the rating of senior navigator and was sent to Westover AFB in Massachusetts. There he served as a navigator on top secret B-36 and B-52 bombers with SAC. In 1965 he attended the Air War College at Maxwell AFB. He retired from the Air Force after 27 years. He died August 7, 2001.
"Considered one of the most outstanding Tuskegee Airmen, Lester is permanently featured in a display at the US Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. Lester was born in Richmond, Virginia on February 8, 1923, but grew up in Chicago. He was a star football player at West Virginia State College. After the outbreak of the Second World War, Lester enrolled in the Army Air Corps in July 1943 and was accepted for pilot training at Tuskegee. After his graduation in December 1943, he was assigned to the newly activated 100th Fighter Squadron of the 332 Fighter Group. After being deployed overseas, he completed ninety combat missions. He made history on July 18, 1944 when he shot down three enemy Messerschmitt 109 aircraft in less than five minutes. Lester's first aircraft, the "Spirit of St. Alphonsus School," was purchased by the students of a northwest Chicago Catholic grade school, who prayed for him every day. The plane was assigned to Lester because he was from Chicago. Since Lester was also a Catholic, the assignment was a particular source of pride to the St. Alphonsus student body. Following World War II, Lester remained in the military for a 28 year career, including service in the Korean War. His assignments also included service as the wing commander at Eielson Air Base in Alaska. At the time of his retirement, he was a member of the staff at the US Air Force Headquarters in the Pentagon. His decorations included the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters and the Legion of Merit. Ironically, one of Lester's daughter's Ivy League university professors denied that there had been African American combat pilots during the Second World War and was reticent to acknowledge evidence to the contrary that she provided to him. Lester earned the nickname "Lucky" because he survived a variety of intense combat encounters without as much as a scratch or bullet hole in his aircraft. Lester's three victory mission was recently commemorated on The History Channel's "Dogfights: Tuskegee Airmen" program. At the height of his post military career, Lester served as the first president of the ICF International Fund, a venture capital consulting firm. Clarence Lester died March 17, 1986 in Washington, D.C." [Source: Findagrave]
Born April 29, 1922, Perry Willis Lindsey was one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. He graduated from flight training at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama on October 16, 1945, Class 45-G-TE (Twin-Engine Bomber) as a 2nd Lieutenant. He served as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II and the Korean War. He achieved the rank of 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He went on to become the first Black-American principal in the Long Beach Unified School District, Long Beach, California. He died January 30, 2004 and is buried in Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, California.
Lt. Colonel (Ret.) Mann was born in New York City on May 23, 1921. He joined the Army Air Corps and flew 48 missions over Europe with the 99th Fighter Squadron, 332 Fighter Group, 477 Medium Bombardment Group during World War II. His military career covered 21 years until he retired in 1972. He received a Bachelor's and Master's degree. He died May 17, 2014 in Titusville, Florida.
Tuskegee Airman Captain McDaniel was among 72 members of the 332nd Fighter Group who, on March 24, 1945 departed their base at Ramitelli, Italy on an important bomber escort mission. The 332nd was to escort the bombers for the first segment of their mission. When the relief squadron that was to escort the bomber formation to their destination in Berlin did not appear, the 332nd pressed on, even though their P-51 aircraft were getting low on fuel. As the bombers approached their target, the were attached by a formation of German Me-262 jet fighters. The 332nd, engaged these aircraft and shot down three. No bombers were lost. Captain McDaniel was one of two Tuskegee Airman shot down and he was taken prisoner. He was freed at the end of the Second World War. He subsequently saw combat during the Korean War and later retired from active duty as a Lieutenant Colonel. He was born July 7, 1916 and died November 12, 1989. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. [Source: Findagrave]
"Colonel Charles Edward McGee was born December 7, 1919 in Cleveland, Ohio. He was one of the Tuskegee Airmen and a career officer in the United States Air Force for 30 years. He holds a US Air Force record of 409 fighter combat missions flown in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. In 2011, McGee was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio. He also served as a consultant to the 2012 George Lucas film, Red Tails. Charles Edward McGee was honored by President Donald Trump just before his 100th birthday in December 2019, and was honored again during the 2020 State of the Union Address given by President Trump on February 4, 2020. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery." [Source: Findagrave]
Miller grew up in Florida, attended Florida A&M, and then attended flying school in Chicago. In July of 1941 he was drafted into the Army. He trained at Tuskegee, but when the Army found out that he was color blind, he was sent to Texas in an all-black infantry regiment as supply sergeant. He remained stateside during World War II. He arrived in Korea in 1953, and was commander of a company that installed and maintained communication lines for troops. He retired as Captain in 1961. He received a bachelor's and master's degree and was president of the city council in Tinton Falls, New Jersey. For two years he was Superintendent of Schools in the US Virgin Islands. He moved to Wichita from New Jersey in 2003.
Lt. Colonel Miller was born August 4, 1926 in Bloomington, Illinois. He joined the Army Air Corps and graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant on November 20, 1945. He flew single-engine airplanes and was then stationed in Japan and the Philippines, where he flew C-54 four-engine airplanes and jets. He spent 24 years in the Air Force, retiring from the Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel. After the military he worked 16 years at General Electric in Cincinnati as a technical instructor (airplane engine group). He died September 12, 2020 in Cincinnati.
Lt. Colonel Mulzac was born October 11, 1923 in Baltimore City, Maryland. He graduated from Tuskegee Institute in 1944 and served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. After military service he was a member of the New York Fire Department, retiring in 1967. He then worked as a sky marshal and was a U.S. Customs inspector. He died February 1, 2015 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, New York.
Born in 1919, Peterson joined the Army Air Corps in 1942 and eventually was commissioned as a lieutenant. While serving as a recruit at Tuskegee Flying School, he became the official pen pal of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, a supporter of Tuskegee. Throughout his training he shared his experiences via correspondence with the First Lady. During World War II he served at Tuskegee Flying School and Guadalcanal. He also served in the Korean War. After his military service he was a Los Angeles Commissioner chairman. He died March 15, 2006 in Los Angeles.
Born October 25, 1921, Priestly attended Tuskegee University for two years. Because the government had reached its pilot's quota, he became a pilot mechanic. He retired from the US Air Force as a Master Sergeant after 22 years of service. He married Wanda D. Lyles on October 9, 1958 in Evansville, Indiana. Priestly died of a heart attack at his church on February 12, 2006.
CWO Pulliams as born November 17, 1919 and was a Tuskegee airman who served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He retired from the Air Force after 30 years of service. He died July 2, 2002, age 82, and is buried in Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, California.
Colonel Randall grew up in Roanoke, Virginia. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1945, but pilot training was canceled after World War II. Randall was discharged, but then joined the Air Force in 1948. He graduated from fighter pilot school in 1970. In the Korean War he flew 75 combat missions in his P-51 Mustang. In Vietnam he was part of Operation Rolling Thunder. On October 13, 1965, his plane was down down on its 44th mission in Vietnam. He recovered and continued serving in the military until 1980. Among his numerous medals were the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star. Colonel Randall died December 09, 2019 at the age of 93.
See Black-American Firsts section.
Col. Lawrence E. Roberts, USAF, Retired, a Tuskegee airman during World War II died in Biloxi, Mississippi on October 15, 2004. Born December 9, 1922 in Vauxhall, New Jersey, he was 81 years old and had been married to the former Lucimarian Tolliver for 57 years. He was the loving son of Robert and Dorothy Roberts and the brother of Robert Roberts all who preceded him. He was the father of four children, Dorothy, Sally-ann, Robin and Lawrence. He had eight grandchildren, two great grandchildren and many other relatives. Colonel Roberts was a graduate of Morningside College and received a Master's Degree from Tuskegee Institute. He entered the army as a private and retired a Colonel. During his long military career, he was a graduate of the 44K class of the prestigious Tuskegee Airmen. His was assigned the pilot training at Tuskegee Army Air field where he was prompted to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He was with the 477th Medium Bombardment Group. Among some of this medals and awards were Legion of Merit with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, The US Force Commendation Medal and the Distinguished Service Order received from the Republic of Vietnam. Colonel Roberts was stationed in many assignments including stations in the United States, Japan, Canada and Vietnam. He was a jet fighter pilot and flight instructor at the fighter school at Williams Air Force Base. Col Roberts was the Officer Training at Keesler Air Force Base and Commander of a NATO communication organization and Advisor to the Vietnamese Air Force. After retiring from the Air Force, he was employed by Global Associates. In addition to his military career Colonel Roberts was an active participant in both his church and his community. He was member of the General Assembly Council, and chairman of the council of Presbytery of Mississippi. He was also an Elder of the 1st Presbyterian Church of Bay St. Louis and served on their board of Trustees. He was buried in Biloxi National Cemetery in Biloxi, Mississippi. [Source: Findagrave]
LeRoy Roberts, Jr. Age 86, was the oldest of eight children. He grew up in Toccoa, Georgia and was valedictorian of his high school. LeRoy earned a B.S. from San Francisco State College. Prior to his civilian career, LeRoy retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel and was one of the distinguished aviators in World War II, known as the Tuskegee Airmen. He flew 42 missions against the enemy and served as a fighter pilot with the 332nd Fighter Group in Italy. As a flight commander in the Korean War, he led 106 missions against the enemy in support of the United Nations' effort. His decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with one (1) cluster, the Air Medal with eleven (11) clusters and the Air Force Commendation with one (1) cluster. In May of 2007, the Tuskegee Airmen received the Congressional Medal of Honor for their exemplary service and bravery in World War II. LeRoy was a gifted speaker who provided insight into the historic contribution and sacrifices the Tuskegee Airmen made for the freedom we all enjoy as Americans. He is preceded in death by his son, LeRoy Roberts, III and his granddaughter, Charlotte Factory. LeRoy is survived by his wife, Ann Johnson Roberts, three daughters - Karen Robinson, M.S., Susan Roberts, and Dr. Cheryl Roberts, his son-in-law Miller Adams, his grandson, Christopher Robinson, and great grandson David Issiah Donaldson. A rosary will be recited at Piper- Morley-Mellinger Funeral Home on Sunday, August 17th at 4:00 p.m. The funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, August 18th at St. Charles Borromeo in Tacoma, WA. at 9:00 a.m. with a reception to follow at the parish hall. A grave side service will be held at Calvary Cemetery following the reception. A memorial to honor his life will be planned at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: Tuskegee Airmen National Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 9166, Arlington, VA 22219-1166. Telephone number: [Please enable JavaScript.]. [Source: Tacoma News Tribune, August 2008]
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was shipped to Italy in 1944 as a mechanic with the 100th Fighter Squadron of the Air Corps 332nd Fighter Group. During the Korean War he was a national guard combat engineer. His post-military career was with the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. He died January 05, 2015 at his home in Los Angeles, California.
See Black-American Male Korean War Veterans of Note section of this page of the KWE.
See Male Black-American Veterans of Note section for further details about Percy Sutton.
Charles William Tate was born October 18, 1922 in Manchester, Pennsylvania. He was in the first unit of black American fighter pilots who trained at Tuskegee, the black college founded by Booker T. Washington. The Tuskegee Airmen were a regiment of black pilots who flew in the Army Air Forces during World War II. They became known as the Tuskegee Airmen. The group trained to be fighter pilots for the 99th Fighter Squadron. They saw action in North Africa, Italy, France, and Germany. Tate completed 99 missions and earned a commission of Second Lieutenant. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and four Oak Leaf Clusters and he was later inducted into the Hall of Valor at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After the war, he re-enlisted and served in the Korean War as a Captain. He then came home and worked for the U.S. Postal Service, rising in the ranks to manager of a Pittsburgh Post Office. He died November 18, 2005 in Pittsburgh. Captain Tate is survived by his three children, Robert Tate, of Las Vegas, Sharon Dykes, of Rankin, Pennsylvania, and Charles Tate, of McCandless, Pennsylvania; and two sisters, Willa Mae Kennedy, of Philadelphia, and Rachel Waters, of Rydel, Pennsylvania. [Source: Findagrave]
This Tuskegee airman was born October 20, 1918 in Jackson, Alabama. He was drafted in the Army Air Corps on July 25, 1942. In 1946 he was assigned to 318th Army Air Force Base Unit and then 332nd Fighter Group. On April 12, 1951 he was promoted to Tech Sergeant and assigned to Hamilton Air Force in California. On April 29, 1951 he was given flying status as Aerial Engineer on B29s and C47s as a crew member on flights monitoring radar operations from Canada and Mexico. He retired on October 2, 1963 after 20 years in the military. He then became an Equipment Metal Mechanic at Presidio Army Base, San Francisco. He retired in July of 1983.
See Black-American Firsts section.
Born October 11, 1922 in Madison County, Tennessee, General Theus graduated from Community High School in Blue Island, Illinois. He joined the Army Air Corps in December of 1942 and attended Army Administration School at Atlanta University. During World War II he was administrative clerk, chief clerk, and 1st sergeant of pre-aviation cadet and basic training squadrons at Keesler Field, Mississippi. He attended OCS, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in January 1946 and then served as squadron adjutant at Tuskegee for one year. In August of 1952 he was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Comptroller, Headquarters, United States Air Force in Washington, DC. During his illustrious career he served in Greece and then was base comptroller at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base in Vietnam. His military career continued for decades. He died October 15, 2007.
Born July 05, 1920 in Woodbury, New Jersey, Lt. Colonel Tull was drafted into the Army Air Corps in 1943. He became a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, serving with the 477th Bombardment Group in World War II. He served in the Reserves before being recalled to active duty in 1952 during the Korean War. He was a navigation instructor, received training on B-29s, and then served with the 98th Bombardment Wing. In 1956 he began a career as an electronic warfare equipment operator, instructor, and evaluator. He served his country during the Vietnam War, retiring from the Air Force in 1970 after 27 years of military service. When he retired he was commander of the 55th Electronic Intelligence Operations Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. After leaving the military he taught high school biology and was a junior high counselor at Omaha Public School District Monroe Junior High School until he retired in 1990. He died October 11, 2009 at the age of 89.
See Korean War Veterans of Note in this section.
Jesse Lee, U.S. Air Force chief master sergeant and one of the Tuskegee Airmen, passed away of congestive heart failure at his home in Rubidoux, California, on March 2, 1998. He had lived in Rubidoux twenty-nine years. He was born July 14, 1922 in St. Joseph, Louisiana. One of the first black flight engineers ,he was a member of the Inland Empire chapter of Tuskegee Airmen Inc. A graduate of Tensas High School in St. Joseph, Louisiana, he graduated from the U. S. Army Air Forces' first segregated training program for black pilots and support crew during World War II at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama. He served in World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars before retiring in 1973. In the 1970s, he was a candidate for the Rubidoux Community Services District board. He earned an associate degree in business from Riverside City College in 1976; served on the executive board of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter in Riverside and was a parishioner at St. John's Catholic Church. Survivors include his wife, Dorothy; two daughters, Deborah Tyler-Dillard and Patricia Tyler; four sons, Jesse Jr., John, Jeffery and Jerome; four grandchildren; six nephews and three nieces. [Source: Findagrave]
Born July 7, 1920, Vaughns was from Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was drafted into the Army Air Corps in 1942 during his senior year at high school. He trained to be a mechanic for B-25 bombers in Bakersfield, California, and then was transferred to the Tuskegee airmen, serving until 1946. He joined the Reserves and then was recalled to service in the US Air Force in 1950-1951. He was discharged in 1952 and returned to Arkansas. Following was a career dedicated to helping youth through AmeriCorps VISTA, Delta Service Corps, and 4-H Clubs of America.
This Tuskegee airman grew up in Waco, Texas and was drafted into the army in 1943. He served in World War II, and then was a member of the 514 Trucking Company in Korea. He completed two tours of duty in Vietnam in an engineering battalion. He received two Bronze Stars for meritorious service in combat zones. Chief Warrant Officer 3 Walton retired from the military in 1974 after 30 years and two months of service. He then worked for the Waco Veterans Affairs Regional Office. He was a table tennis champion and held other Golden Age Games medals.
He served in a ground support unit for Tuskegee airmen. Lt. Colonel Ware retired from the Air Force after 30 years of service in the military.
Colonel Warren was originally from Gurly, Alabama. He joined the Civilian Pilot TraininProgram2 and on November 19, 1942 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He trained at Tuskegee and then was stationed at Freeman Field. He was among the 162 black officers arrested for demanding lawful entry into the white officers' club during the Freeman Field Mutiny of 1945. He attended navigator/bombardier school, graduating on February 4, 1945. After the war he attended the University of Illinois, majoring in architecture. He left school to accept a job with an architecture firm in Chicago. He was recalled to the Air Force on March 13, 1952 and joined the 17th Bombardment Group in Korea, where he carried out 50 missions. In Vietnam he carried out another 63 missions. He was selected as the navigator on the first C-141 to fly into North Vietnam to return the first group of American POWs to the Philippines. After 35 years of service he retired November 11, 1978. Colonel Warren died May 17, 2014.
Born in Wildwood, New Jersey in 1920, he joined the US Army Air Corps and trained at Tuskegee. He went to Germany, Turkey, Iran and Italy as a ground crewman in World War II. After the way he was a Tech Sergeant at McGuire AFB. He retired from service in 1969.
Born May 14, 1924 in Lawrenceville, Virginia, he enlisted in the Reserve Corps in 1942 and then joined the Army Air Corps. At Tuskegee he was known as "Mr. Death". He joined the 301st Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group in March of 1945 and flew 19 missions. He was discharged in January 1947 as a Captain, attended Western Virginia State University where he got a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering, and then was recalled to active duty in August of 1948. He participated in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He retired from the military in 1974 and died September 6, 1992. [See also: Black-American Firsts.]
See Black-American Notables on this page of the KWE.
Born in Harris, Texas on November 2, 1917, Williams received a B.A. degree from Western University in Kansas in 1936; a second degree in education from Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1941; and a master's degree from the University of Michigan. He was turned away from the Army Air Corps pilot training program due to the racism that existed at that time. In 1940 he joined the Army, but not as a flier. He worked in an office and became a 1st Sergeant. In 1942 he was selected for OCS and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant. For three years he was assigned to the Tuskegee Airmen Program as Assistant Director of Physical Training. He trained cadets in parachute landing and survival techniques. He trained nearly all 992 men who became Tuskegee Airmen. After World War II he coached tennis and basketball at North Carolina A&T College in Greensboro, North Carolina. He returned to military service in 1948 during the Berlin Airlift crisis and served during the Korean War on Okinawa. He retired on November 30, 1963, at a Lieutenant Colonel. From 1964 to 1985 he became a teacher in Miami-Dade County Public School System. He was the author of Without Wings I Served. He died in Miami, Florida on July 2, 2015, at the age of 90.
See Black-American Firsts section of this KWE page.
Born September 20, 1921, Lt. Colonel Wilson was a Tuskegee airman who flew in World War II in Europe. He received a Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, and a Bronze Star in that war. He left the military briefly but returned to the Air Force to serve in the Korean War. He flew RF-4C Phantom Jets in Vietnam, retiring in 1968. Wilson accidentally drowned in his swimming pool in Ashford, Connecticut on July 09, 2002. He is buried in Arlington Cemetery.
This Tuskegee airman was born April 13, 1916, and died July 11, 2001. He served in World War II and the Korean War. He is buried in Angelus Rosedale Cemetery, Los Angeles, California.
Born in Gloucester, Virginia, in 1920, Lt. Colonel Wilson received a bachelor's degree in sociology from Virginia University. Prior to completing his studies, he was drafted into the Army Air Corps and became a Tuskegee airman. He flew Ps-40 Warhawks and P-51 Mustangs on sixty missions over Italy. He was promoted to captain by the war's end. During the Korean War he flew B-26K bombers and C-47s in 39 combat missions. He received a Bronze Star during the years he served in Korea and Japan (1950-52). He received a master's degree in business from the University of Dayton, Ohio. He was promoted to Lt. Colonel in 1961 and retired from the Air Force in 1968. He later became Assistant Vice President of Bank of America, retiring in 1984. He died on March 15, 2006.
He joined the Army Air Corps ROTC, serving with the 2164 Army Air Base Reserve Unit from 1943-45. He joined the Army Air Corps on December 12, 1945, and was assigned to different air bases as a US Air Force Supply Specialist. He retired from active duty and reserves after a 30-year military career on August 31, 1975. After retirement he began working at Northrop Aircraft Corp in Hawthorne, California and McDonnell Douglas Services, Inc., St. Louis. He retired in May of 1981.