The Tuskegee Airmen
THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN
In 2009, at the age of 15, Kimberly Anyadike became the youngest African American woman to complete a transcontinental flight across the United States. The adventure began in Los Angeles and continued on to Newport News, Virginia. She continued on to complete the round-trip in only 13 days.
Ms. Anyadike is an accomplished and ambitious young woman. One of her objectives in completing this momentous achievement was to inspire other youth while honoring The Tuskegee Airmen, who served as an inspiration to her.
The Tuskegee Airmen was a group of primarily African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) airmen, and ground support personnel who fought in the second world war. They comprised the332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the United States Army Air Forces - predecessor the today’s United States Air Force.
The Tuskegee airmen have been recognized for their superior combat record earned while protecting American bombers from enemy fighters. The group was awarded 3 Distinguished Unit Citations.
The 99th Pursuit Squadron (later known as the 99th Fighter Squadron) was the first black flying squadron. The 99th wa the first to deploy overseas to North Africa and Sicily.
The 332nd Fighter Group was the first black flying group. They deployed to Italy early on in 1944.
The 477th Bombardment Group were trained on B-225 bombers, but never actually served in combat.
In the summer of 1944, the 332nd Fighter Group were tasked with flying heavy bomber escort missions. July 1944 saw the addition of the 99th Fighter Squadron.
The 99th Fighter Squadron initially flew the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk – a fighter-bomber aircraft, while the 332nd Fighter Group and its 100th, 301st and 302nd Fighter Squadrons were equipped for initial combat missions with Bell P-39 Airacobras, then later with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, and eventually with the aircraft with which they became most commonly associated, the North American P-51 Mustang.
When the pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group painted the tails of their P-47s red, the nickname "Red Tails" was soon implemented.
During the second world war, black Americans in many U.S. states were still subject to the barbaric Jim Crow laws. That bled over into the racially segregated American military. Despite their achievements, The Tuskegee Airmen were subjected to discrimination, both within and outside of the army.
These brave and talented men had to overcome prejudice from the beginning of their careers, and beyond. They served honorably and accrued a remarkable record.
Sixty-six Tuskegee Airmen died in combat. Theirs was one of the lowest loss records of any escort fighter group.
During the course of the second world war, 72 Tuskegee Airmen shot down 112 enemy aircraft.
The toll included 66 pilots killed in action or accidents, 84 killed while training and non-combat missions and 32 captured as prisoners of war (POW).
– "The power of excellence is overwhelming. It is always in demand and nobody cares about its color." These hallowed words are from one of our greatest original Tuskegee Airmen, General Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr., who flew 101 combat missions in Korea, and 78 more in Vietnam.
At the age of 15, she couldn’t fly solo, so she chose as her safety pilot/observers Ronnell Norman and Major Levi H. Thornhill, an 87-year-old retired USAF pilot who himself had served as a member of the Tuskegee Airmen.
Along the way they stopped at numerous cities across the country, and the Cessna 172 she piloted was autographed by about 50 Tuskeege Airmen.
Ms. Anyadike has since gone on to serve as an EMT, volunteered with her local chapter of the Flying Samaritans, and received her undergraduate degree from UCLA in June 2016.
The Tuskegee Airmen inspired her, and now she can serve as an inspiration for all young people.