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Making history: Original Tuskegee Airmen share experiences, challenges faced

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Danielle Johnson & Airman 1st Class Bekah Phy
  • 305th Air Mobility Wing public affairs
PHILADELPHIA --  The public learned more about the original Tuskegee Airmen during an open forum at the Tuskegee Airmen Convention July 19. The convention will continue through July 20.

Seven Tuskegee Airmen pilots spoke about their personal experiences as some of the first African-American pilots and answered questions posed by the audience.

The Airmen discussed several issues, including integration into the Army, their motivations to fly and the challenges they faced being African-Americans during a time of racial segregation.

"The Air Force, in my estimation, was the first to practice integration," said William Holloman, an original Tuskegee Airman pilot from St. Louis, Mo. "They did the experiment starting in 1947. It worked."

Mr. Holloman also explained that Charles Lindbergh inspired him to fly. "The second best pilot in the world came from St. Louis, and that was Charles Lindbergh," the former pilot jokingly said. "When I was 4 years old, I wanted to be just like him, but my father said I was too dark."

George Hardy, an original Tuskegee Airman pilot and Philadelphia native, said he never considered flying while growing up. It was after the war in Europe started when he changed his mind. "Once I got in, I really fell in love with it, and it became my life's work." Mr. Harding, however, encountered some unique challenges along his journey - because of his fair-skin color, he experienced feelings of animosity from his fellow African-American trainees as well as his Caucasian counterparts.

As some of the first Americans to break the race barrier, the Tuskegee Airmen helped influence the future of the U.S. military and American society.

"I had no idea I was making history," said William Fauntroy, who is also an original Tuskegee Airman pilot. "It didn't occur to me I was doing anything special."

"I feel very proud that there is a slogan that the Tuskegee Airmen are the men who changed our nation and that the performance of black pilots in World War II was a big influence of President (Harry) Truman," said Dr. James Richardson, a Tuskegee Airman from Philadelphia. "... Once the military desegregated, the community started desegregating. I'm extremely happy to be happy to be a part of what changed our country."

"The Tuskegee Airmen breaking the race barrier was a tremendous accomplishment for American history," said Senior Airman Brittany King, 305th Civil Engineer Squadron, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. "They opened the doors for so many people - hearing their stories proves that if we come together and believe in something, we can make it happen."

Not only did the Tuskegee Airmen change the country 66 years ago, they continue to change the world today. "Their perseverance inspires me," said Airman 1st Class Cloyed Brown, 605th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, McGuire AFB. "I just know if they can make it, then the little things I go through every day are nothing. Being here inspires me to go back to my base and make more of a difference."

Tuskegee Airmen, Incorporated is the national organization that works to honor the accomplishments and perpetuate the history of the legendary young African-American men who enlisted during World War II to become America's first black military Airmen, ground crew and mechanics.

The Tuskegee Airmen were young men who enlisted at a time when there were many people who thought that black men lacked intelligence, skill, courage and patriotism. They came from every section of the country, with large numbers coming from New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Washington, D.C.

The surviving Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in March 2007, the most distinguished award bestowed by Congress. The convention offers a chance to meet these American heroes.

TAI has 51 chapters worldwide. For more information, visit www.tuskegeeairmen.org.