Tuskegee Airmen-Who were they? In spite of adversity and limited opportunities, African Americans have played a significant role in U.S. military history over the past 300 years. They were denied military leadership roles and skilled training because many believed they lacked qualifications for combat duty. Before 1940, African Americans were barred from flying for the U.S. military. Civil rights organizations and the black press exerted pressure that resulted in the formation of an all African-American pursuit squadron based in Tuskegee, Alabama, in 1941. They became known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
The Tuskegee Airmen were dedicated, determined young men who volunteered to become America's first Black military airmen. From 1941-1946 some 1,000 Black pilots were trained at Tuskegee University. Those who possessed the physical and mental qualifications and were accepted for the aviation cadet training were trained initially to be pilots, and later to be either pilots, navigators, or bombadiers. The airmen's success in escorting bombers during World War II-having one of the lowest loss records of all the escort fighter groups, and being in constant demand for their services by the allied bomber units-is a record unmatched by any other fighter group!
Click the link below to view more pictures of the Tuskegee Airmen. You can also read about the types of aircraft they flew and hear their story told in their own words!