Questions
Who were the Tuskegee Airmen?
They were primarily African-American military pilots and airmen who served in World War II, a group that included not just pilots but navigators, bombardiers, mechanics, instructors, crew chiefs, nurses, cooks, and other support personnel. They trained at airfields around Tuskegee, Alabama.
When did the program start?
The 99th Pursuit Squadron was activated on March 22, 1941, at Chanute Field, Illinois, with flight training beginning at Tuskegee, Alabama later that year. From 1941 to 1946 the program trained 992 pilots.
Why are they called the "Red Tails"?
Pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group painted the tails of their aircraft bright red as a unit marking, earning them the nicknames "Red Tails" and "Red-Tail Angels." The look later carried over to their P-51 Mustangs with red propeller spinners, yellow wing bands, and all-red tail surfaces.
Did Eleanor Roosevelt really fly with a Tuskegee instructor?
Yes. On March 29, 1941, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt flew with chief civilian instructor C. Alfred "Chief" Anderson in a Piper J-3 Cub, and after landing she reportedly said, "Well, you can fly all right." She later helped arrange a $175,000 loan to build Moton Field.
What planes did they fly?
They flew several fighters over the course of the war: the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, the Bell P-39 Airacobra, the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, and finally the North American P-51 Mustang, the aircraft most associated with them.
Is it true they never lost a bomber they escorted?
That famous claim was found to be a myth by Air Force historian Daniel Haulman in 2007. Research showed 27 bombers were lost under 332nd escort, though this was still exceptional, since other P-51 groups in the Fifteenth Air Force averaged 46 lost.
Who led the 332nd Fighter Group?
Colonel Benjamin O. Davis Jr. commanded the 332nd Fighter Group and led the famous March 24, 1945 escort mission to Berlin. He went on to become the first African-American general in the U.S. Air Force.
What was their combat record?
The airmen flew 1,578 combat missions and are credited with destroying 112 enemy aircraft in the air and 150 on the ground, plus damaging 148 more. They also shot down three German jets, including Messerschmitt Me 262s on March 24, 1945.
What medals and honors did they earn?
They received three Distinguished Unit Citations, 96 Distinguished Flying Crosses awarded to 95 airmen, 744 Air Medals, 14 Bronze Stars, at least 60 Purple Hearts, and at least one Silver Star.
How many airmen were killed?
Of the 355 pilots deployed overseas, 84 lost their lives, including 68 in action or accidents and 12 in training. Another 32 were captured as prisoners of war.
Did any Tuskegee Airmen become famous after the war?
Yes. Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. became the first African-American four-star general in 1975, Charles McGee was promoted to brigadier general at age 100 in 2019, and Coleman Young, who served in the 477th, became Detroit’s first African-American mayor in 1974.
What was the Freeman Field Mutiny?
In April 1945, African-American officers of the 477th at Freeman Field, Indiana peacefully tried to enter a whites-only officers’ club and were arrested. Future Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall reportedly defended the arrested officers, and Colonel Benjamin O. Davis Jr. later took command of the group.
Did they receive a Congressional Gold Medal?
Yes. On March 29, 2007, roughly 300 Tuskegee Airmen and widows received the Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol rotunda, presented by President George W. Bush. The medal is now displayed at the Smithsonian Institution.
Whatever happened to the missing airman Lawrence Dickson?
Captain Lawrence E. Dickson, age 24 and on his 68th mission, went missing on December 23, 1944 escorting a flight toward Prague. His remains were recovered in Austria and identified on July 27, 2018, 74 years later.
How are they remembered today?
The Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site sits at Moton Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, and in 2021 an America the Beautiful quarter was issued depicting a Tuskegee Airman with P-51 Mustangs and the motto "They fought two wars."
