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The Tuskegee Airmen / tʌsˈkiːɡiː / [1] was a group of African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).
- 1940–1948
- United States
- Trained for aerial combat
- Segregation in The Armed Forces
- Tuskegee Experiment
- Benjamin O. Davis Jr.
- Tuskegee Airmen in World War II
- Tuskegee Airmen Legacy
- Armed Forces Integrated
- Sources
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
During the 1920s and ‘30s, the exploits of record-setting pilots like Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earharthad captivated the nation, and thousands of young men and women clamored to follow in their footsteps. But young African Americans who aspired to become pilots met with significant obstacles, starting with the widespread (racist) belief that Bl...
In September 1940, Roosevelt’s White Houseresponded to such lobbying campaigns by announcing that the AAC would soon begin training Black pilots. For the training site, the War Department chose the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, then under construction. Home to the prestigious Tuskegee Institute, founded by Booker T. Washington, it w...
Among the 13 members of the first class of aviation cadets in 1941 was Benjamin O. Davis Jr., a graduate of West Point and the son of Brig. Gen. Benjamin O. Davis, one of two Black officers (other than chaplains) in the entire U.S. military. The “Tuskegee Experiment” took a great leap forward in April 1941 thanks to a visit by Eleanor Rooseveltto t...
In April 1943, the Tuskegee-trained 99th Pursuit Squadron deployed to North Africa, which the Allies had occupied. In North Africa and then Sicily, they flew missions in second-hand P-40 planes, which were slower and more difficult to maneuver than their German counterparts. After the commander of the 99th’s assigned fighter group complained about ...
By the time the 332nd flew its last combat mission on April 26, 1945, two weeks before the German surrender, the Tuskegee Airmen had flown more than 15,000 individual sorties over two years in combat. They had destroyed or damaged 36 German planes in the air and 237 on the ground, as well as nearly 1,000 rail cars and transport vehicles and a Germa...
After their brave service, the Tuskegee Airmen returned home to a country where they continued to face systematic racism and prejudice. But they did represent an important step forward in preparing the nation for the racial integration of the military, which began with President Harry Truman who issued Executive Order 9981desegregating the U.S. Arm...
Todd Moye, Freedom Flyers: The Tuskegee Airmen of World War II (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010). Who Were They? Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Museum. Daniel Haulman, “Nine Myths About the Tuskegee Airmen,” Tuskegee.edu. Katherine Q. Seelye, “Inauguration is a Culmination for Black Airmen, New York Times, December 9, 2008.
Learn about the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black military pilots in the U.S. Army Air Corps, who flew more than 15,000 sorties in Europe and North Africa during World War II. Discover their achievements, challenges and legacy in the face of racial segregation and discrimination.
Apr 23, 2024 · Tuskegee Airmen, black servicemen of the U.S. Army Air Forces who trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama during World War II. They constituted the first African American flying unit in the U.S. military. Learn more about the Tuskegee Airmen in this article.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
The Tuskegee Airmen is a 1995 HBO television movie based on the exploits of an actual groundbreaking unit, the first African-American combat pilots in the United States Army Air Corps, that fought in World War II. The film was directed by Robert Markowitz and stars Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., John Lithgow, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
- $8,500,000 (estimated)
- Lee Holdridge
Jan 28, 2022 · Learn about the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black military pilots in the U.S. Army, who fought in World War II and won two victories: against the enemy and against racism. Discover their stories, achievements and challenges through PBS articles, videos and resources.
Learn about the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American military pilots and crews who flew in combat during World War II. Explore their stories, achievements, challenges and legacy at the National Air and Space Museum.
Mar 18, 2016 · Learn how the Tuskegee Airmen overcame racism and prejudice to become the first Black military pilots in U.S. history. Discover their achievements, challenges and legacy in World War II and beyond.
