Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen were African American fighter pilots in World War II as the 332nd Fighter Group of the U.S Army Corps. These men faced a lot of discrimination despite the fact that they were fighting for our home country, the U.S. These pilots were the first African American pilots. The U.S congress forced these black men to form their own unit that did not include and white males. The Army tried to keep African Americans out of the Army by making tests and courses they had to go through which some thought were impossible. These men took up the challenge and all managed to pass the tests and go through the courses and defy all odds. The 332nd fighter group was ready to go to war and escorted the 15th (white) Air force unit into heavy strategic bombing raids of Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Poland and Germany. After completing this mission and gaining much needed respect, the Tuskegee Airmen were then nicknamed the “black birdmen”. The Tuskegee Airmen were awarded several Silver Stars, 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 8 Purple Hearts, 14 Bronze Stars, and 744 Air Medals. In total, 994 pilots were trained in Tuskegee, 445 were deployed overseas, and 150 airmen lost their lives. After the war, the Tuskegee Airmen still faced racism and prejudice. The country owes a huge debt to these brave men who put their lives on the line for a population that was against them the whole time.
