That gratitude will be expressed Thursday when the legendary black aviators will receive a Congressional Gold Medal during a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda. The award is the most prestigious Congress can offer.
"It's never too late for your country to say that you've done a great job for us," Ret. Col. Elmer D. Jones, 89, of Arlington, Va., said in an interview. Jones was a maintenance officer during the war.
President Bush , members of Congress and other dignitaries are expected to join some 300 airmen, widows and relatives.
Ret. Lt. Col. Walter L. McCreary, who was shot from the sky during a mission in October 1994 and held prisoner for nine months in Germany, said it hurt that the group had not been honored for its accomplishments.
"We took it in stride. It's a recognition long overdue," said McCreary, also 89, of Burke, Va.
The Tuskegee Airmen were recruited into an Army Air Corps program that trained blacks to fly and maintain combat aircraft. President Roosevelt had overruled his top generals and ordered that such a program be created.
But even after they were admitted, many commanders continued to believe the Tuskegee Airmen didn't have the smarts, courage and patriotism to do what was being asked of them.
Nearly 1,000 fighter pilots trained as a segregated unit at a Tuskegee, Ala., air base. Not allowed to practice or fight with their white counterparts, the Tuskegee Airmen distinguished themselves from the rest by painting the tails of their airplanes red, which led to them becoming known as the "Red Tails."
Hundreds saw combat throughout Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa, escorting bomber aircraft on missions and protecting them from the enemy. Dozens died in the fighting; others were held prisoners of war.
It long had been thought that the Tuskegee Airmen had amassed a perfect record of losing no bombers to the enemy during World War II. But new research has cast doubt on that theory.
Two historians recently said Air Force records and other documents show that at least a few bombers escorted by the Tuskegee pilots were downed by enemy planes. A former World War II bomber pilot said last year that his plane was shot down while escorted by the unit.
Congress has awarded gold medals to more than 300 individuals and groups since giving the first one to George Washington in 1776. Originally, they went only to military leaders, but Congress broadened the scope to include authors, entertainers, notables in science and medicine, athletes, humanitarians, public servants and foreign officials.
Other black recipients include singer Marian Anderson, athletes Joe Louis, Jesse Owens and Jackie Robinson, civil rights activists Roy Wilkins, Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, the Little Rock Nine, Rosa Parks and Dorothy Height, and statesmen Nelson Mandela of South Africa and former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
The actual medal for the airmen, made possible through legislation by Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., will go to the Smithsonian Institution for display. Individual airmen will receive bronze replicas.
Into the Tiger's Jaws
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America's First Black Marine Aviator -- Frank E. Petersen, J. Alfred Phelps From then-segregated Topeka, KS in the early 1950's, aching to be free and try his wings; joins the U.S. Navy. Against all odds, he finds himself training to become a naval aviator -- and realizes a dream to become a marine aviator.-- a mountain no other black had ever climbed. He not only does it but with determination ascends the Marine's career ladder. First black Marine aviator, squadron commander, group and wing commander and, finally, the great Quantico Marine Base. |
Montford Point Marines Honor General Petersen
The District of Columbia Chapter of the Montford Point Marine Association held a Testimonial for Lieutenant General Frank E. Petersen, Jr., USMC, Retired, on Sunday, February 20, 1994, at Bolling Air Force Base. Gen. Carl E. Mundy, Jr., Commandant of the Marine Corps, attended.Gen. Petersen joined the U.S. Navy as a seaman apprentice in June 1950. In 1951 he entered the Naval Aviation Cadet Program and in October 1952, he completed flight training and accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
His first tactical assignment was with Marine Fighter Squadron 212 during the Korean Conflict. His second combat tour came in Vietnam in 1968. He flew more than 350 combat missions and has over 4,000 hours in various fighter/attack aircraft.
During his career, Gen. Petersen commanded a Marine Fighter Squadron, a Marine Aircraft Group, a Marine Amphibious Brigade, a Marine Aircraft Wing, and Marine Corps Combat Development Command.
Gen. Petersen was the Marine Corps' first African-American aviator, wing commander, base commander and general officer. He retired from the Marine Corps on August 1, 1988. (Division of Public Affairs, HQMC)
Lt General Petersen's book is Into the Tiger's Jaws: America's First Black Aviator
Currently Petersen chairs the board of directors of the National Marrow Donor Program.
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Operation Skyhook 2007 N A I, Inc, - Black Wings in Aviation Event Details Coming Soon |
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Memorial Day Weekend Fly-In Is A Great Success The largest gathering of black pilots in the country was held over the Memorial Day Weekend during the 32nd Annual Fly-In held in Tuskegee, Alabama. The event celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the deployment of the Tuskegee Airmen. During World War II, a group of African-American aviators were the first within the segregated U.S. Military to prove that blacks could fly in combat. Twelve of the original aviators attended the weekend event. President Sam Jones said, "That's really unique, because these gentlemen are over 80 years old and you don't really get that many of them together that much anymore." One of those original airmen, Henry Bohler of Tampa, Florida, has attended every Fly-In event since 1971. Jones said, "These gentlemen proved to be some of the brightest and most brilliant people of our race when they participated as Tuskegee Airmen because they offered so much." The Tuskegee Airmen were dedicated young soldiers who volunteered to become America's first black military airmen in what was termed a 'Noble Experiment' nearly 60 years ago. Those who were accepted for aviation cadet training and who became single or multi-engine pilots were trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee Alabama. From 1942 to 1946 nearly 1,000 African Americans graduated in aviation cadet classes and also received commissions and pilot's wings. At first restricted in their roles during World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen played a crucial role in escorting other pilots during missions. Over a hundred young people were bussed to the event to attend the Academic camp, which Jones describes as "a pre-college experience." The camp held an orientation on the first day and then the young people were taken on tours. Black Wings partnered with the Tuskegee University and the FAA Center of Excellence to hold the event. During the course of the event, the young people went on tours of the Museum of Aviation and attended classes set up by the engineering department at the university. On Sunday, a banquet was held at the Kellogg Conference Center. Young people from as far away as Detroit and Texas came to Alabama to participate in the three-day event.. Jones said, "Kids are astonished by the education of the people there." "The mechanics that worked on the planes had Master's Degrees," he said. President Jones said that normally the Fly-In is funded through membership. "This year we had an opportunity to get some assistance from the FAA." Jones said, "That reinforces that aviation is very much alive in our community and so is the involvement of young people in the aviation area." The FAA showed to us the importance of continuing this event," Jones said. "When other people pat you on the back, it's like atta-boy and it reinforces." There were some amazing events during the fly-in. In attendance was a Corporate Jet that belonged to a church. One gentleman from Arizona flew in a 'kit' airplane that he had built himself. Another arrived in a low-wing aircraft. The aviators who participated in the Fly-In proved that they are in full support of our youth.. One individual who hails from St. Louis has agreed to promote the event in his own community. He owns three McDonald's Restaurants in the St. Louis area and has agreed to do some in-store advertising in the restaurants. Next year he will be back with some young people from St. Louis. One of the participants during this year's event called Pine Bluff where Brian Smith, President of the National Organization of Tuskegee Airmen was attending a charter chapter meeting. Upon hearing that the Alabama group had flown some 300 kids on Saturday, he flew to Tuskegee to see what was going on. He told President Jones, "This is the pattern that we should probably try to adopt with our other flying events." He strongly reinforced holding ACE Camps with the Fly-Ins. The event was a huge success. Next year's event is sure to be even larger as young people from across the nation are exposed to opportunities available to them in both education and aviation. Sam Jones said, "I really feel we touched a lot of children from the inner cities and also woke up the conscious level of the nation because of the press coverage." |
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