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Tuskegee Airmen

The Tuskegee Airmen () were a group of primarily 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). The name also applies to the navigators, bombardiers, mechanics, instructors, crew chiefs, nurses, cooks, and other support personnel. The Tuskegee Airmen received praise for their excellent combat record earned while protecting American bombers from enemy fighters. The group was awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations. All black military pilots who trained in the United States trained at Griel Field, Kennedy Field, Moton Field, Shorter Field, and the Tuskegee Army Air Fields. They were educated at the Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University), located near Tuskegee, Alabama. Of the 922 pilots, five were Haitians from the Haitian Air Force and one pilot was from Trinidad. It also included an airman born in the Dominican Republic and one born in Jamaica. The 99th Pursuit Squadron (later the 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 other parts of 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. Although the 477th Bombardment Group trained with North American B-25 Mitchell bombers, they never served in combat. 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 empennage; the P-51B, C, and D Mustangs flew with similar color schemes, with red propeller spinners, yellow wing bands, and all-red tail surfaces. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American military aviators in the United States Armed Forces. During World War II, black Americans in many U.S. states were still subject to the Jim Crow laws and the American military was racially segregated, as was much of the federal government. The Tuskegee Airmen were subjected to discrimination, both within and outside of the army.

Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site

Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, at Moton Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, commemorates the contributions of African-American airmen in World War II. Moton Field was the site of primary flight training for the pioneering pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen, and is now operated by the National Park Service to interpret their history and achievements. It was constructed in 1941 as a new training base. The field was named after former Tuskegee Institute principal Robert Russa Moton, who died the previous year.

List of Tuskegee Airmen

This list of Tuskegee Airmen contains the names of notable Tuskegee Airmen, who were a group of primarily African-American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. The name also applies to the navigators, bombardiers, mechanics, instructors, crew chiefs, nurses, cooks and other support personnel. They were collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2006. There are 1,007 documented Tuskegee Airmen Pilots. For a complete list of graduate cadet pilots, see the List of Tuskegee Airmen Cadet Pilot Graduation Classes.

The Tuskegee Airmen

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 Forces who fought in World War II. The film was directed by Robert Markowitz and stars Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., John Lithgow, Courtney B. Vance, Andre Braugher, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Allen Payne, and Mekhi Phifer.

Who Were the Tuskegee Airmen? | Dogfights | History

The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of pilots who overcame racism and prejudice, becoming decorated war heroes of WWII.

Alabama SP Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site

This resource is located in Macon County, Alabama. Areas of significance include: Transportation. The National Historic Places Register Reference Number is 01000284.

Assignment Number: 441-GD-07-NA21 - Combined Federal Campaign - Tuskegee Airmen Event

Date Taken: 9/25/2007

Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site Area Map 2, Project Years 2004-2012

Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site Area Map 1, Project Years 2004-2012

Red Tuskegee Airmen blazer and nametag worn by Woodrow Crockett

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Tuskegee Airmen Congressional Gold Medal

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Group portrait of seven Tuskegee Airmen

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Photograph of two Tuskegee Airmen

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