During World War I, African Americans experienced unfair racial discrimination and segregation during their military service. The resulting racist rejection sparked support from African Americans for more than two decades who wanted to recruit and train as military pilots. The protest was led by Walter White of the National Association of Colored People, union leader A. Lee. Philip Randolph and Judge William H. Hastie and other prominent civil rights leaders led the way.
Finally, on April 3, 1939, Congress passed Appropriations Bill 18, which contained an amendment to Senator Harry H. Schwartz that designated funding for the training of African-American pilots. The war department managed to pour money into civilian flight schools willing to train African Americans.
Benjamin Davis
At a time when many believed that blacks lacked intelligence, skill, courage, and patriotism, a group of young people who had committed themselves to becoming the first black pilots in the United States enlisted in the army. They come from all over the country, most of them from cities like New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Detroit. Each of them has a strong personal desire to serve the United States of America to the best of its ability. Those with better physical and mental qualities were accepted as aviation cadets, initially trained as single-engine pilots and later as twin-engine pilots, navigators or bombardiers. Most of these people are college graduates or undergraduates. Others pass a comprehensive entrance exam to prove their academic qualifications.
The black pilots were trained at the Tuskegee training base in Tuskegee, Alabama. The first military aviation course began in July 1941 and was completed nine months later in March 1942. Thirteen participants completed the training, and five successfully completed the training, one of whom was Captain Benjamin Davis, a West Point graduate (the first African-American general in the U.S. Air Force). The remaining four were appointed as second lieutenants. They became the first officers of the 99th Fighter Squadron. According to statistics, from 1942 to 1946, a total of 992 pilots graduated from Tuskegee.
War posters printed with Tuskegee pilots
In June 1944, Squadron 99 was combined with the 100th, 301st, and 302nd Fighter Squadrons to form the 332nd Fighter Squadron, with all its combatants composed of blacks. Because they used to paint the vertical tail of the fighter in red to distinguish it from other squadrons, "Red Tail" became the code name of the squadron.
They were the earliest African-American Air Force in U.S. military history.
In front of a P-40 fighter there were 8 Taskerjee pilots
On the battlefield, the tenacious bomber escort cover provided by the "Red Tail" fighters of the 332nd Fighter Squadron often made enemy fighter pilots reluctant to attack the bombers they were escorting, and the successful escort record did arouse the admiration of the bomber crew. It is reported that the US Army Air Force has investigated and collected evidence for this purpose, and found that whenever the squadron was involved in the escort, the Allied loss rate was significantly lower (in the last 200 escort missions, only 25 bombers were shot down by the enemy). U.S. bomber units have asked them to provide escorts. Throughout World War II, the Tuskee Air Force shot down a total of 112 enemy aircraft, including the best German fighters. The Tuskee pilots proved with practical actions that African Americans were capable of flying the best Allied aircraft to defeat the best German fighters.
With the end of the European war in 1945, black pilots returned to the United States, and despite their excellent war record, they still faced racism and prejudice. A large number of black pilots chose to remain in service, but their missions were still limited to the 332nd Fighter Squadron and the 477th Bomber Squadron due to apartheid. Opportunities for promotion and promotion are very limited and have a strong impact on morale. Still, the black pilots performed well — in 1949, pilots from the 332nd Fighter Squadron won first place in the Air Force National Fighter Shooting Competition at Las Vegas Air Force Base in Nevada.
Crew of the 332nd Combat Squadron
During this period, many white troops were understaffed and needed experienced personnel, but because of the apartheid policy, it was not possible to obtain experienced black personnel. Until 1948, President Harry Truman signed Executive Order No. 9981, which requires equal treatment and opportunity for all armed forces in the United States. This order eventually led to the end of the apartheid of the army. It was also America's first step toward racial integration.
During and after World War II, the remarkable achievements and experience and good character of black pilots were important factors in the beginning of a historic social change to achieve racial equality in the United States.
This was the Tuskegee pilot of World War II.