We Salute Lt. Colonel Lee Andrew Archer, Jr.
It’s 1945. The war in Europe is finally over. You served your country, surviving 169 combat missions, earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, becoming the first ace of the famed Tuskegee Airmen – “The Red Tails”, and now you are coming home!
The ship docks, and you are home at last. As you come down the gangplank, you notice a sign at the bottom:
COLORED TROOPS TO THE RIGHT
WHITE TROOPS TO THE LEFT
I can only try to imagine how that must have felt for American Hero Lee Andrew Archer, Jr.. During this, Black History Month, we salute this great man.
While with the 302nd Fighter Squadron as a combat pilot, Lee "Buddy" Archer was credited for destroying six enemy airplanes on the ground during a strafing run in August 1944, as well as numerous locomotives and barges. He was best known, though for having scored three confirmed kills in one day.
Archer continued to serve in the armed forces for a career as the United States Army Air Forces transformed into the United States Air Force in 1947, eventually flying missions during the Korean War.
Archer continued to pave the way for those who would follow in his footsteps, becoming a diplomatic officer at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (aka SHAPE) and from there to be named headquarters chief of the United States Air Force Southern Command in Panama.
At the time of his retirement in 1970, Archer held the rank of Liertenant colonel.
Archer was not done. Following his military service, he was hired by General Foods Corporation in White Plains, New York. There he became one of the first corporate vice presidents of a major company in the United States.
Among his notable achievements there, Archer led North Street Capital Corporation, the company’s small-business investment subsidiary. And in 1987 he helped establish TLC Beatrice, a food conglomerate. During that same year, Archer founded Archer Asset Management, a venture capital firm.
Archer lived to see the modern Air Force evolve to include people of all ethnicities before his death in 2010, shortly after having served as an advisor for the George Lucas film, Red Tails.
For some good images of Mr. Archer, go to https://www.starduststudios.com/lee-a-archer-jr.html