Showing posts with label Tuskegee Airmen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tuskegee Airmen. Show all posts

Thursday, April 28, 2022

Boeing Unveils First T-7A Red Hawk Advanced Trainer Jet that honors the Tuskegee Airmen

Boeing has unveiled the first T-7A Red Hawk advanced trainer jet to be delivered to the U.S. Air Force. The jet, one of 351 the U.S. Air Force plans to order, was unveiled prior to official delivery.

The fully digitally designed aircraft was built and tested using advanced manufacturing, agile software development and digital engineering technology significantly reducing the time from design to first flight. The aircraft also features open architecture software, providing growth and flexibility to meet future mission needs.

“We’re excited and honored to deliver this digitally advanced, next-generation trainer to the U.S. Air Force,” said Ted Colbert, president and CEO, Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “This aircraft is a tangible example of how Boeing, its suppliers and partners are leading the digital engineering revolution. T-7A will prepare pilots for future missions for decades to come.”

The T-7A Red Hawk incorporates a red-tailed livery in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II. These airmen made up the first African American aviation unit to serve in the U.S. military.

“The Tuskegee Airmen are one of the most celebrated units in our Air Force history, and the T-7A honors the bravery and skill of these trailblazers, said Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., Chief of Staff of the Air Force. “Like the Airmen they were named and painted to pay homage to, the T-7A Red Hawks break down the barriers of flight. These digitally-engineered aircraft will make it possible for a diverse cross section of future fighter and bomber pilots to be trained, and provide an advanced training system and capabilities that will meet the demands of today’s and tomorrow’s national security environment.”

The aircraft will remain in St. Louis where it will undergo ground and flight tests before being delivered to the U.S. Air Force. The T-7A program resides at Boeing’s St. Louis facility with the aft section of the trainer being built by Saab in Linkoping, Sweden. Saab will soon start producing that section at their new production facility in West Lafayette, Indiana.

As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity.

Sunday, January 16, 2022

Tuskegee Airman Charles McGee dies at 102

Retired Brigadier General Charles McGee, part of the pioneering all-Black Tuskegee Airmen during World War Two and one of its most decorated pilots, died on Sunday at the age of 102, his family said in a statement.

McGee, who flew 409 combat missions spanning World War Two, Korea and Vietnam, died in his sleep Sunday morning, a family spokesperson said. "He had his right hand over his heart and was smiling serenely," his youngest daughter Yvonne McGee said in a statement released by the spokesperson.

"Today, we lost an America hero," Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Twitter. "While I am saddened by his loss, I'm also incredibly grateful for his sacrifice, his legacy and his character. Rest in Peace, General."

After flying as a Tuskegee Airman in World War Two, he built a legacy for the next three decades as an Air Force pilot during the North Korea and Vietnam wars. He retired about 50 years ago.

After his military career, McGee worked as a business executive and an airport manager in Kansas City, Missouri. He also served as president of the Tuskegee Airmen association.

McGee is survived by his three children, 10 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

Tuesday, January 04, 2022

Washington Football Team will NOT be called the Red Tails

By George L. Cook III African American Reports

Two years after the Washington Football Team dropped its name which many considered racist , the team has announced that on February 2, 2022, they will announce a new team name.

While Many wanted a name that represented the military, some of us were more specific and wanted the team to be called the Red Tails after the legendary Tuskegee Airmen.

The name Red Tails comes from the distinctive deep red color that the pilots painted the tails of their planes.

Unfortunately, it appears that the team will not be called the Red Tails. Per ESPN WFT co-CEO Tanya Snyder confirmed that the final eight candidates were Armada, Presidents, Brigade, Redhawks, Commanders, RedWolves, Defenders and Football Team.

To be honest, my first thought was that this is some bullsh*t. Once I calmed down I realized that while it's not the change that I and others may have wanted, it's still better than the old team name.

It's still some B.S. though.

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Tuskegee Airmen Clifton Brooks Sr. dies at 99

Cliffton E. Brooks Sr., who served as a cryptologist with the famed all-Black Tuskegee Airmen, passed away Friday night at the age of 99.

He was the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen in the state of West Virginia.

Many who knew Brooks in his post-military years knew him as a community fixture - dedicating time to Washington Smith Post 152 American Legion, serving as a Mason in Potomac Lodge 41 and a member of Keyser Moose Lodge 662, and keeping active as a member of Janes United Methodist Church in Keyser.

Most recently, Brooks has been the recipient of several honors in his hometown, including Mineral County Day citations from the West Virginia Senate and House of Delegates, Black History Month honors from WVU Potomac State College, and having the South End Park - where his children often played when they were growing up - renamed the Clifton E. Brooks Sr. Park.

The barrier-breaking Tuskegee Airmen Squadron was formed in 1941 as a result of pressure by various civil rights groups, and included pilots, navigators, bombardiers, and maintenance and support staff, including the cryptologists who coded and deciphered top secret messages.

Saturday, October 02, 2021

NJ School to be renamed after Tuskegee Airman

Malcolm E. Nettingham died last year at age 101, but his legacy as a member of World War II's celebrated Tuskegee Airman will long be remembered with the announcement this week that a New Jersey middle school will bear his name. 

Members of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board of Education passed a resolution to rename Park Middle School as the Malcolm E. Nettingham Middle School, as tribute to one of the last living members of the group of elite Black World War II fighter pilots. 

The community will have the opportunity to learn about his contributions before the official renaming ceremony on Nov. 11, Veterans Day. 

“We are proud to call Mr. Nettingham an alumnus of the district and are excited to honor his memory by renaming the middle school after him,” said Schools Superintendent Joan Mast. “This will allow students for generations to come to learn from Mr. Nettingham’s legacy and continue to celebrate his deep roots in the community and school district.”

Nettingham, a resident of Scotch Plains for nearly a century, died in September 2020. He graduated from Scotch Plains High School in 1936. 

Nettinham received the Congressional Medal of Honor in 2007 for his military service and valor. His hometown honored him by making him the grand marshal of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Memorial Day Parade in 2014. He also was inducted into the first Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Hall of Fame in 2015. 

“Mr. Nettingham typified everything our community values: humility, service to others, inner strength, dedication to family and community, and so much more,” said Park Middle School Principal Jocelyn Dumaresq. “The choice to rename Park Middle School is even more fitting in that it was once Scotch Plains High School, the school from which Mr. Nettingham graduated in 1936.”

[SOURCE: MYCENTRALJERSEY]

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Air Force football unveils new uniforms honoring Tuskegee Airmen

The Air Force football team unveiled new uniforms that honor the Tuskegee Airmen. The uniforms were revealed Monday as a part of the 2020 Air Power Legacy Series. This year marks the fifth season of the Air Power Legacy Series, according to the Air Force football team. It began in 2016 to honor the Air Force’s history.

The uniform is gray with black lettering, according to the Air Force. The helmets, which are a chrome base, will feature the p-51 aircraft flown by the airmen with the signature red tails and nose that helped identify the squadron. Also on the helmet will be the squadron patches for the 99th, 100th, 301st and 302nd.

Air Force will debut the uniforms for against Navy, on Oct. 3rd, in Falcon Stadium.

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Tuskegee Airman from N.J. dies at 101

Tuskegee Airmen Malcolm Nettingham, 101, of Scotch Plains, NJ died Monday. He would have been 102 on Oct. 1.

“He said he was not a hero and didn’t do anything special,” his daughter Deborah Nettingham said. “I said ‘dad, you’re living history. You kind of owe it to the younger generation, African Americans and everyone to let us know your story.’"

Nettingham was among a group of African American soldiers selected in 1944 to integrate a radio communication class in the Army Air Corps. He was stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey and trained as a radio operator/gunner on a B-25 bomber in 1945.

He became part of the important support units for the renowned, trailblazing Black squadron.

He was honorably discharged in 1946 and spent 32 years working for an industrial electronics company until his retirement.

Nettingham was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007.

Nettingham was survived by his daughter Deborah, of Scotch Plains, and son, Malcolm V., of Piscataway; six grandchildren and other family members. He was a member of the Metropolitan Baptist Church of Scotch Plains for the past 96 years where he taught Sunday school and sang in the choir.

[SOURCE: NJ.COM]

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Tuskegee Airman James A. Cotten dead at 93


James Alonzo Cotten was born on June 4, 1927, in Chapel Hill, NC. At his request, he was cared for at home by his family, and transitioned on August 14, 2020. James was married for 73 years to his high school sweetheart, Oteria. They met at a dance, and continued to dance throughout his life.

Chief Master Sergeant (Ret) James A. Cotten was drafted into the U.S. Military Service from his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa., and was inducted into the U.S. Army at Indiantown Gap, Pa. on August 14, 1945. Upon completion of Basic Training in January 1946, he was selected for assignment to the famed Tuskegee Airman, 332nd Fighter Group, the all Afro-American Army Air Corps Unit at Lockbourne Army Air Base, Columbus, Ohio.

During his military career, Cotten was assigned to many other military installations and after more than 21 years of active military service in the U.S. Air Force, he retired at McGuire AFB, Lakehurst, New Jersey on December 31, 1965.

In 1966, he entered into U.S. Civil Service for another 45 years with the Department of Defense at Joint Base McGuire-Dix. In December 2012, he retired as the Supervisory Contract Administrator for U.S. Transportation Command Contract Airlift Program.

On May 3, 2012, James A. Cotten was presented the Congressional Gold Medal for his military service with the Tuskegee Airmen. A Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress and is the highest civilian honor in the United States. It is awarded to persons "who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient's field long after the achievement."

Mr. Cotten was an active member of the Twenty Plus Retirement Club. He served the ABCO community in the capacity of Board Member and was on the Supervisory Committee for more than 9 years. Also, he served on the New Jersey Credit Union League Board of Directors for over 20 years.

Mr. Cotten affectionately known as "Dad or Granddad", was the patriarch of the Cotten family, and he leaves behind to cherish his loving memory, wife, Oteria; brother, Ralph (Sandra); sister, Lorraine (Roland); sisters-in-law, Charolette (Russell-predeceased), Gwendolyn, and Antoinette (Ben); brother-in-law, MSgt (Ret) William Smith (Debra); ten children, Charen; LtCol (Ret) James M. (Berthel); Marlane (Tyrone); Wannetta (Cmdr (Ret) Ernest L. Jolly); Christina; Terie; Arlene (Mark); SMSgt (Ret) Dale A. (Zina); Kevin; Lauren (Aundrey); 16 Grandchildren; 21 Great-Grandchildren; two Great-Great-Grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to the Twenty Plus Retirement Club Scholarship Fund, PO Box 46, Mt. Holly, NJ 08060.

His life Celebration Services will be held private to the family Friday, August 21, 2020. Family and friends may participate in a walk through viewing Thursday, August 20, 2020 5pm until 8 a.m. at the TL Hutton Family & Friends Funeral Services, 869 Beverly Road, Burlington, N.J. All attendees must wear a mask to enter walk through. Friends may also view by Live Stream 11 a.m. Friday at the website below.

TL Hutton Family & Friends Funeral Services

www.tlhuttonfuneralservices.com

To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Air Force Names New Jet the T-7A Red Hawk in Honor of Tuskegee Airmen

The U.S. Air Force will call its new trainer the T-7A "Red Hawk."

Acting Air Force Secretary Matt Donovan announced the name of the jet, known previously as the T-X, on Monday, alongside retired Col. Charles McGee, who was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen.

"The name, Red Hawk, honors the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, and pays homage to their signature red-tailed aircraft from World War II," Donovan said here during the annual Air, Space and Cyber conference.

"The name is also a tribute to the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, an American fighter aircraft that first flew in 1938 and was flown by the 99th Fighter Squadron -- the U.S. Army Air Forces' first African-American fighter squadron," Donovan said.

According to a video shown at the conference, the T-7 will have red vertical canted tails, mimicking those of the Red Tail Squadron's P-51C aircraft.

The Tuskegee Airmen defied the odds by becoming the first African-American pilots, navigators and support personnel to serve during World War II, often escorting and protecting bombers.

[SOURCE: MILITARY TIMES]

Sunday, December 29, 2019

100-year-old Tuskegee Airmen promoted to Brigadier General

On Dec. 20, 2019 One hundred year old Tuskegee Airmen Charles McGee was promoted to Brigadier General when the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020 was signed into law.

"It’s wonderful to be recognized for service and what it means to serve," McGee said. "Certainly to receive that honorary rank is very meaningful."

McGee protected the Eighth Air Force bombers as part of the famous "Red Tails Squadron." Back then, white pilots were sent home after 50 missions. But McGee flew 136 missions over Nazi Europe. He then served in Korea and Vietnam, before retiring from the U.S. Air Force with the rank of Colonel.

The centenarian’s family is anticipating a ceremony sometime next month. McGee insists his promotion is about promoting others sticking to their dreams.

"We had folks tell us you can’t do something," McGee said. "I think this kind of sweeps that away. Realize that you can."

[SOURCE: 10tv.com]

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Plaza in NYC named for Tuskegee Airman Captain Roscoe Brown

NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, today joined Former New York City Mayor David Norman Dinkins; Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr.; City Council Member Fernando Cabrera; Community Board 5 District Manager Kenneth Brown; President of Bronx Community College Dr. Thomas Isekenegbe; Dr. Roscoe Brown’s son Dr. Dennis Brown; and community members to cut the ribbon on renovations to the former M.L.K. Plaza, and officially rename it Captain Roscoe Brown, Ph. D. Plaza.

“Dr. Roscoe Brown was a remarkable person, and it gives me great pleasure to not only unveil this beautifully renovated plaza, but to name it in his honor as well,” said Parks Commissioner Silver. “Dr. Brown dedicated his life to service, education, and civil rights advocacy, and I hope that all that enjoy this new plaza are reminded of him and his commitment to the community for years to come.”

"Roscoe Brown was an internationally recognized trailblazer in the fields of military service, community service and education. This new plaza will help us remember his impact on our borough, our city and our nation, and I am proud to have contributed $333,000 from my own capital budget towards its completion. Roscoe Brown was a dear friend to so many in our borough, and it is important that we keep his memory alive for generations to come," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

“Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. was a hero and a Bronx icon,” said Council Member Cabrera. “Leading Bronx Community College as president for 16 years, Dr. Brown opened countless doors and created invaluable opportunities for students and this community. Shortly after his death I approached the Parks Department about naming the plaza at Hall of Fame Terrace and University Avenue in his honor. I also submitted legislation to co-name University Avenue from Hall of Fame Terrace to W. 180th Street for Dr. Brown. I am extremely pleased that we are celebrating the completion of these two projects today.”

The Aqueduct Walk Plaza Reconstruction project reconfigured the original plaza with new paths and seating to better utilize the space for community gatherings and to maximize pedestrian circulation throughout the site. New fencing, lighting, and landscape improvements have also been incorporated for both beautification and safety.

The plaza has also been renamed in honor of Captain Roscoe Brown, Ph. D. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. was a decorated Air Force Veteran and member of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen who served during World War II. Following his military service, Brown completed his Master’s degree in 1949 and a Ph.D. in 1951, both from New York University. He continued his life of service and civil rights advocacy with organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club of America, the Jackie Robinson Foundation, Libraries for the Future, and the National Park Service. Roscoe Brown also became a prominent academic figure in New York City, becoming president of Bronx Community College in 1977, holding the post for sixteen years.

The $2.9 million project was jointly funded by a $2 million allocation from Mayor Bill de Blasio, $600,000 from City Council Member Fernando Cabrera, and $333,000 from Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr.

Saturday, November 02, 2019

Air Force Academy airfield named in honor of Tuskegee Airmen commander

Gen. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., the first African American general in the Air Force, once said, “I could have been a teacher. I could have been a doctor or a lawyer, if I wanted to, but I didn’t – I wanted to be a pilot.”

His journey, marked by excellence and overcoming institutionalized racial barriers, was celebrated at the Air Force Academy, Nov. 1, during a ceremony to name its airfield in his honor.

A mock up of the new airfield sign was unveiled in front of an audience that included Davis’ extended family, documented original Tuskegee Airmen, and high-ranking military members, civil servants and cadets.

“His story and legacy of indomitable spirit will forever be enshrined on this airfield and is going to serve as an inspiration for generations of cadets,” said Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein.

Davis is most widely known for commanding the 332nd Fighter Group and the Tuskegee Airmen in WWII, who earned a reputation for their skill while protecting American bombers. Prior to the war, Davis, and his father, were the only African American line officers in the Army. Neither were allowed to command or lead white service members.

His service, and the service of the Tuskegee Airmen, are linked to President Harry Truman’s decision to desegregate the Armed Forces.

Davis’ nephew, L. Scott Melville, said his famous uncle realized early in his career that protesting the system wouldn’t get him far, so he took a rather radical approach to the era’s rampant discrimination.

“His strategy would be to lead by example and eventually the others would follow,” Melville said. “It was a strategy that required a lot of determination and patience [but it worked].”

Melville said Davis adopted the strategy while still a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point where he finished in the top 15 percent of his class despite being ostracized by other cadets. He carried it with him throughout his 30 year career. Davis is linked to helping women gain access to the Air Force Academy.

One guest speaker, Gen. Charles Brown, Pacific Air Forces commander, said his career success is the direct result of Davis’ achievements.

“I would not be standing here today if not for Gen. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., and the Tuskegee Airmen,” Brown said.

[SOURCE: USAFA]

Friday, August 23, 2019

99-year-old Tuskegee Airman awarded five overdue WWII medals

99-year-old Thomas Franklin Vaughns served in the Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1946 as a mechanic for the Tuskegee Airman and was also later drafted into the Korean War.On August 21, 2019 Vaughns received five long overdue military medals.

Tuesday, July 02, 2019

Tuskegee Airman gets diploma 80 years after high school

James Shipley, who was unable to finish high school but went on to serve as crew chief for the famed Tuskegee Airman has received an honorary diploma nearly 80 years after leaving high school.

During a speech, Shipley acknowledged he wasn't a good student during high school, but he was happy to receive a diploma.

Shipley said discrimination was more prevalent when he was younger. "People are beginning to realize that color doesn't matter. It's what's in the heart," he said to applause.

Military historian Jeremy Amick, who organized the event says Shipley didn't have a chance to earn his diploma years ago. He attended an all-black high school that wasn't credentialed through 12th grade. Shipley would have had to travel to Sedalia for his final year, and he didn't have the resources to do so.

The event took place at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1003 in St. Martins. Attendees included Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, Sen. Mike Bernskoetter, retired Army Maj. Gen. Hank Stratman, and a representative to U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley.

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Tuskegee Airman Who Flew 142 WWII Combat Missions Dies at 99

World War II pilot Robert Friend, one of the last original members of the famed all-black Tuskegee Airmen, has died at the age of 99.

Friend’s daughter, Karen Friend Crumlich, told The Desert Sun her father died Friday at a Southern California hospital.

Born in South Carolina on 1920’s leap day, Friend flew 142 combat missions in World War II as part of the elite group of fighter pilots trained at Alabama’s Tuskegee Institute. The program was created after the NAACP began challenging policies barring black people from flying military aircraft.

Friend’s 28-year Air Force career included service in the Korean and Vietnam wars. He also worked on space launch vehicles and served as foreign technology program director before retiring as a lieutenant colonel and forming his own aerospace company.

[SOURCE: KTLA]

Saturday, December 08, 2018

100-year-old Tuskegee Airman, Wilfred Defour found dead in Harlem home

Wilfred DeFour, a member of the Tuskegee Airmen — an all-black squadron of World War II pilots that inspired African-Americans across the country — died in his Harlem home Saturday. He was 100.

DeFour was an aircraft technician for the famed squad, which got its name from the group’s training facility in Tuskegee, Ala.

During World War II, the pilots ran missions over North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. DeFour painted the tails of the aircraft from which the squadron drew its “Red Tails” nickname.

Just last month, DeFour was honored as a post office on Macombs Place in Harlem was renamed the Tuskegee Airmen Post Office Building.

DeFour worked as a postal employee for more than 30 years after his military service.

"We didn't know we were making history at the time,” DeFour, said during the renaming ceremony. “We were just doing our job."

Counting all pilots and support staff — from the mechanics to the cooks — roughly 20,000 men were part of what is considered the “Tuskegee experience.”

As of 2015, some 600 were still alive, according to the Tuskegee Airmen National History Museum in Detroit.

[SOURCE: NY DAILY NEWS]

Saturday, July 28, 2018

Tuskegee Airman who went missing during World War II identified 73 years later

The Defense Department announced Friday that it has accounted for the first of more than two dozen black aviators known as Tuskegee Airman who went missing in action during World War II.

Capt. Lawrence Dickson, a fighter pilot who had trained at the Tuskegee Army Flying School, was 24 when he went down over Austria on Dec. 23, 1944, while on a mission.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) had been investigating the possibility that human remains and other items found at a crash site in Austria this past summer were Dickson's.

On Friday morning, the DPAA informed his daughter, Marla Andrews, 76, of East Orange, New Jersey, that the remains were those of her father.

"I feel great!" she said in a telephone interview. "I really do feel a relief . . . I had a good crying jag."

Dickson is probably the first missing Tuskegee Airman found since the end of World War II, the DPAA has said.

The heroic pilot was among the more than 900 black pilots who were trained at the segregated Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama during the war.

He was on his 68th mission and had already been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for meritorious service.

There were 27 Tuskegee Airmen missing from the war. Now there are 26.

Read more: Tuskegee Airman who went missing during World War II identified 73 years later

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Thomas Ellis, a Tuskegee Airman, is dead at 97

Former Sgt. Maj. Thomas Ellis, one of six surviving Tuskegee Airmen in San Antonio, died Jan. 2 of a stroke in a local hospital. He was 97.

A draftee, he served as a top administrator with the first all-black Army Air Forces unit and was proud of the unit’s record — 15,533 sorties, 112 aerial kills, three Presidential Unit Citations and 96 Distinguished Flying Crosses.

Known as approachable and easygoing, even with strangers, Ellis also chafed at the racism African Americans endured from white officers during the war and knew the importance of proving that the 332nd Fighter Group was up to the job.

“He was very opinionated, very outspoken,” said Rick Sinkfield, national spokesman for Tuskegee Airmen Inc., which has 1,400 members across the country, around 20 of them pilots from the legendary unit. "He realized he was in the segregated military at the time and so he was very aware all eyes were on those guys to do well.

Ellis will be buried with full military honors at 9 a.m. Friday in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

Ellis entered the Army as two-thirds of all Americans did, as a draftee. His daughter, Janice Stallings, said he entered the service in 1942 and was transferred to the Army Air Forces.

Ordered to Tuskegee Army Airfield, Ellis was the only enlisted member in the newly activated in the 301st Fighter Squadron, rising to staff sergeant and becoming an integral member of the 332nd Fighter Group, serving under then-Col. Benjamin O. Davis, who eventually became an Air Force general.

They deployed to Italy, where Ellis earned seven battle stars and left the Army as a sergeant major.

[SOURCE: STARS AND STRIPES]

Friday, June 30, 2017

Tuskegee Airman, Congressional Gold Medal winner George Watson dies

George Watson Sr. of Lakewood NJ, one of the original Tuskegee Airmen has died. He was 96.

Mr. Watson died of complications due to pneumonia on June 19. Services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Calvary Lighthouse Church, just a few hundred feet away from the Watson home on East County Line Road.

During his 26 years of service in the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force., he was assigned to stations in Germany, England, Turkey, Iran and McGuire Air Force Base in Burlington County, his grandson Bryce Watson said.

His duties during World War II included delivering aircraft parts to the "Red Tails," the nickname for the African-American airmen responsible for flying escort for heavy bombers. His grandson said he was injured while on guard duty, but later returned to service.

After retiring, Tech Sgt. Watson managed the Greenwood Cemetery in Lakewood, his grandson said. He also made a life out of talking to schools and community groups about the Tuskegee Airmen.

Two films were made about the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, and Watson was interviewed and credited for his contribution to George Lucas' 2012 movie "Red Tails." Experts estimate that fewer than 200 of the airmen are still alive.

[SOURCE: NJ ADVANCE MEDIA]

Friday, April 21, 2017

Tuskegee Airman Buford A. Johnson dead at 89

Buford A. Johnson, a Tuskegee Airman who served as a mechanic and crew chief in the Army Air Corps and U.S. Air Force and spent his retirement years introducing new generations to the history of the World War II African-American fighter corps, has died.

Johnson, of Highland, died Saturday, April 15. He was 89 and a retired master sergeant after an Air Force career that included World War II and the Korean War, according to his family obituary.

Johnson served from 1945 to 1966, starting with the famed 99th Fighter Squadron formed for African-American service members in Tuskegee, Ala.

Johnson was with the 99th from 1946 to 1948, the year President Harry S Truman issued an executive order desegregating the armed forces.

[SOURCE: http://www.pe.com]