Tuskegee Airmen | The Red Tails | WWII In Their Own Words | History Remembered By Heroes
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Published 2022-11-24
All black military pilots who trained in the United States trained at Moton Field, the Tuskegee Army Air Field, and were educated at Tuskegee University, located near Tuskegee, Alabama. The group included five Haitians from the Haitian Air Force, and one pilot from Trinidad. It also included a Hispanic or Latino airman born in the Dominican Republic.
Although the 477th Bombardment Group trained with North American B-25 Mitchell bombers, they never served in combat. The 99th Pursuit Squadron (later, 99th Fighter Squadron) was the first black flying squadron, and the first to deploy overseas (to North Africa in April 1943, and later to Sicily and Italy). The 332nd Fighter Group, which originally included the 100th, 301st, and 302nd Fighter Squadrons, was the first black flying group. It deployed to Italy in early 1944. In June 1944, the 332nd Fighter Group began flying heavy bomber escort missions, and in July 1944, with the addition of the 99th Fighter Squadron, it had four fighter squadrons.
The 99th Fighter Squadron was initially equipped with Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter-bomber aircraft. The 332nd Fighter Group and its 100th, 301st and 302nd Fighter Squadrons were equipped for initial combat missions with Bell P-39 Airacobras (March 1944), later with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts (June–July 1944), and finally with the aircraft with which they became most commonly associated, the North American P-51 Mustang (July 1944). When the pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group painted the tails of their P-47s red, the nickname “Red Tails” was coined. The red markings that distinguished the Tuskegee Airmen included red bands on the noses of P-51s as well as a red rudder; the P-51B and D Mustangs flew with similar color schemes, with red propeller spinners, yellow wing bands and all-red tail surfaces.
In all, 992 pilots were trained in Tuskegee from 1941–1946. 355 were deployed overseas, and 84 lost their lives. The toll included 68 pilots killed in action or accidents, 12 killed in training and non-combat missions and 32 captured as prisoners of war.
The Tuskegee Airmen were credited by higher commands with the following accomplishments:
1578 combat missions, 1267 for the Twelfth Air Force; 311 for the Fifteenth Air Force
179 bomber escort missions, with a good record of protection, losing bombers on only seven missions and a total of only 27, compared to an average of 46 among other 15th Air Force P-51 groups
112 enemy aircraft destroyed in the air, another 150 on the ground and 148 damaged
950 rail cars, trucks and other motor vehicles destroyed (over 600 rail cars)
One destroyer put out of action. The ship concerned was a World War I-vintage destroyer (Giuseppe Missori) of the Italian Navy, that had been seized by the Germans and reclassified as a torpedo boat, TA22. It was attacked on 25 June 1944 and damaged so severely she was never repaired. She was decommissioned on 8 November 1944, and finally scuttled on 5 February 1945.
40 boats and barges destroyed
Contrary to negative predictions from some quarters, Tuskegee Airmen were some of the best pilots in the U.S. Army Air Forces due to a combination of pre-war experience and the personal drive of those accepted for training. Nevertheless, the Tuskegee Airmen continued to have to fight racism. Their combat record did much to quiet those directly involved with the group, but other units continued to harass these airmen.
After segregation in the military was ended in 1948 by President Harry S. Truman with Executive Order 9981, the veteran Tuskegee Airmen now found themselves in high demand throughout the newly formed United States Air Force. Some taught in civilian flight schools, such as the black-owned Columbia Air Center in Maryland. On 11 May 1949, Air Force Letter 35.3 was published, which mandated that black Airmen be screened for reassignment to formerly all-white units according to qualifications.
Tuskegee Airmen were instrumental in postwar developments in aviation.
All Comments (21)
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I strongly believe that these man should be honored and be recognized more that they have. I hardly hear about the red tails and when I was in High Scholl, nothing was ever mention about them. LONG LIVE THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN!!!!!!!!!
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My high school is now named after Archie Williams: a Tuskegee airman/instructor who also medaled in ‘36 Olympics. He taught mathematics & computer science at my school while I attended. Loved by all.
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In my lifetime I have known two Tuskegee Airmen, Lt. Woodrow Morgan (flew a P-47D) and, Lt. Stanley Harris (flew a P-51C & D). Each man were highly admired as heads of their family and as providers for their families. One did not have to talk to them for very long to realize that man was a very intelligent men, industrious men who had, "THE RIGHT STUFF!"
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Nothing but respect for these MEN!
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I love the respect that they have for airborne aircraft but what enthrals me most is their ability to remember things in such detail!
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My Grandfather was a Afro-Native American B-17 mechanic. We're a Air Force family from Chicago, he also settled there after the war. It's striking to me that Chicago P S have been miseducating African Americans for a Hundred years!
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It's only recently because of the internet are we learning about these brave warriors! Due their actions, protecting our bombers over Germany, they have been credit with saving lives. Thank you for your service! I have a great sense of pride in these men, under extreme conditions and circumstances, they accomplished the upmost !
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I am building a P-51D and turning into a Red Tails to honor these soldiers who fought on two battle fronts.
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These guys will forever b some of my heroes.
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I was at the last Tuskegee Airman's Reunion in Riverside with Celes King IV, the son of Celes King III. Celes King III was an Army Air Force General, advisor to Eisenhower, Nixon, and Reagan. The 4 Celes Kings had the longest run of civil rights of a family in history also. Celes King III founded the Congress of Racial Equality of California (CORE-CA) and King Bail Bonds. I am the former Director of Policy for CORE-CA under Celes King IV. I have never been so impressed with people as I was with the Tuskegee Airmen that day in Riverside. All their memorabilia is at a building at UC Riverside.
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The all black squadron of red tailed P-51 Mustangs had feircely earned their rightful reputation as no one to tangle with. True heroism knows no color.
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🇺🇲"God Bless Our Veterans and Active Warrior's!!!"🇺🇲
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I’m on my way out the door or I’d watch it all. I will when I get time. I just wanted to say THANK YOU GENTLEMEN. YOU DID GOD’s WORK. TAKING CARE OF MEN AND EVERYONE ELSE ON THE SIDE OF FREEDOM! BLESS YOU !
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It just blows my mind! Why would you hold something against a person that they had no control over. I wasn't asked what color I wanted to be when I was born, neither were they. Awesome job Gentlemen, both in the military and the other battles you had to fight to be there in the first place.
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These guys were American Heroes
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I grew up in the countryside of Thailand near those bases back in the 'Nam days....then I ended up in Alabama in the 70's...Boxcars are Spooky!!!🤠😎👻
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It was the supercharging system and not the engine itself that made the P-51 better. The Allison had a single stage supercharger. The Merlin had a dual stage supercharger. Allowing it better performance up to 30,000 feet. The Allison and Merlin were actually fairly close in hp and performance up to about 16,000 feet. Fun Fact.
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The best fighter Pilot in the world. An they Proved it.
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David Sutton of "The Virginian" television series narrating, who'd a thunk it. Cool!
