Tuskegee Airmen were the favored escorts of WWII bomber

pilots
Today (12/22/14) the United States lost another incredible member of the Greatest Generation when
Lowell Steward passed away from natural causes at the age of 95. One of the most incredible
accomplishments for which he rightfully deserves to be remembered is the fact he was a member of
the Tuskegee Airmen.
Following his graduation from Santa Barbara College in 1941 with a degree in business, Steward
joined the Army Air Corps and received training at Tuskegee Army Air Field located in Alabama.
When he completed his training, he joined the 100th Fighter Squadron in Italy, where he completed
143 missions and won the Distinguished Flying Cross among other awards. The Distinguished Flying
Cross is awarded to any person, while serving in any capacity with the Air Corps of the Army of the
United States, including the National Guard and the Organized Reserves, or with the United States
Navy, who distinguishes him/herself by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in
an aerial flight. Other noted recipients are Charles Lindberg and Richard E. Byrd.
-----

As Americas airmen, sailors, soldiers and Marines bravely went up against enemies in Europe and
the Pacific, the Tuskegee Airmen faced off against an additional enemy. To understand that enemy,
we need to turn back the hands of time and see what they were up against and how they handled it.
In July 1941, the Army Air Corps added a new component to its framework. This group of
determined and dedicated individuals became Americas first black military pilots. Team members
came from the cities of Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.
The majority of these individuals either held college degrees or had successfully completed a
number of college hours. Others on the team had no college experience; however, they successfully
completed a comprehensive entrance exam.
The Tuskegee Airmen were required to meet the same mental and physical standards as other pilots.
Those who did not qualify to be pilots were trained for such positions as aircraft mechanics, radio
repairmen and control tower operators in order to outfit a fully functioning squadron for the Army
Air Corps.
The first pilot class consisted of thirteen students. Captain Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., a graduate of West
Point Academy, was one of five who successfully completed the course and received the silver wings
of the Army Air Corps. By 1946, 996 pilots had graduated. 450 of these went on to serve overseas in
the 332nd Fighter Group or the 99th Pursuit Squadron. They flew combat missions over Italy, North
Africa and Sicily. In July 1944, the pilots of the 99th Pursuit Squadron were merged into the 332nd
Fighter Group.
While their Caucasian counterparts focus was centered on fighting World War II, the Tuskegee
Airmen fought two wars World War II and racism. The Airmen stationed atSelfridge Field in
Michigan, though highly trained officers, were treated as "trainees" and denied entrance to the
officers club on base; a contradiction to Army regulations. The disagreement resulted in the Airmen
being transferred to Godman Field in Kentucky.

The unfair attitudes they confronted in Michigan were waiting for them in Kentucky; thus they were
transferred to Freeman Field in Indiana. Once again, the black pilots attempted to enter the officers
club, which was their right as fully commissioned officers, only to meet with hostilities. This time,
103 of the Airmen were arrested and ordered to face court martial. The charges against 100 of the
Airmen were quickly dropped. Two others saw their charges dropped a bit later and one officer, Lt.
Roger "Bill" Terry, was convicted.
In 1945, the war in Europe ended and the Airmen returned to the United States. Though the war
they had bravely fought in the European theater was now over, their other war continued. Upon
returning home, the Tuskegee Airmen were again faced with the problem of bigotry and racism. For
some reason, society was unable to see the outstanding war record the Airmen possessed because it
refused to look past the color of their skin. Many of the Airmen elected to remain in the service;
however they were confined to either the 332nd Fighter Group or the 447th Composite Group. The
limited opportunities for advancement and promotion took a toll on the groups morale; but the
Airmen maintained their record of superb performance.
During 1947, the newest branch of the military, the United States Air Force, began plans to
integrate its units. This could not come too soon because a large number of white units found
themselves severely undermanned and were in dire need of the skills and training their black
counterparts offered.

In 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive

Order 9981, ending segregation in the US military. This
also led to the beginning of racial integration
throughout the United States.
On August 12, 1995, fifteen of the surviving officers who
had previously faced court martial met in Atlanta,
Georgia during the Tuskegee Airmen National
Convention. Here they received official notification
stating references regarding Freeman Field had been
fully purged from their records. In addition, Bill Terrys
conviction was reversed and his record cleared.
President George W. Bush honored the Tuskegee
Airmen in the Capitol Rotunda on March 29, 2007
during the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony. This
medal is the most prestigious Congress offers. Among
those present were Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson and Dr.
Roscoe Brown. During his remarks, President Bush
commented, Even the Nazis asked, 'Why would African-American men fight for Escorts in North Goa
a country that treated them so unfairly?' In Escorts in North Goa attendance was Airmen Joseph
Philip Gomer, accompanied by his wife Elizabeth. Gomer provided this response to the question:
"We're all Americans. That's why we chose to fight. I'm as American as anybody. My black ancestors
were brought over here, perhaps against their will, to help build America. My German ancestors
came over to build a new life. And my Cherokee ancestors were here to greet all the boats." Joseph
Philip Gomer