On July 19, 1941, the U.S. Air Force began a program in Tuskegee, Alabama to train black Americans as military pilots. At the time, the Army was segregated, and only whites were allowed to fly. In the five years that followed, 992 black pilots graduated, receiving commissions and pilot wings. These black World War II pilots, who fought both fascism and racism, became known as the Tuskegee Airman.
Originally created in 1997 as a Christmas gift for her father, the public's reaction was so overwhelming, that Phyllis Gomer-Douglas decided to not only keep the site online, but to continue to update it. With first-person stories and photos, Gomer-Douglas pays tribute to her father, Joseph P. Gomer, and his fellow Tuskegee airmen. "During World War II, black fighter pilots fought the Germans abroad and racism in the ranks ... may we never forget ... and may future generations understand the way it was."
"Tuskegee is more than a town located in Macon County, Alabama. It is an idea and an ideal. It was a bold experiment and a site of major African-American achievements for over 100 years." This National Parks Service web exhibit honors three legends: Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver, and the Tuskegee Airmen. Washington was the first principal of the African-American college that became the Tuskegee Institute. Carver was a teacher there for forty years. The Tuskegee Airmen (America's first black pilots) were named after the Institute where they began their Air Force training.
"They said we didn't have the intelligence, the demeanor, the courage to be combat pilots. They learned differently. It was never about color; it was always about education and opportunity. All we needed was a chance and training. And we seized it when it came," explains fighter pilot Frank McGee, a retired colonel. This illustrated article from Airman magazine includes interviews with four Tuskegee Airmen, who explore the obstacles they overcame, and their accomplishments.
Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. is a national organization created in 1972 after several "well-attended Tuskegee Airmen reunions." It includes articles, photos, and a long page of stats. Best read is found at the very bottom of the Missions page (look under Briefing) which summarizes the combat record of the Tuskegee Airmen. It is too long to reproduce here, but includes the amazing fact that no bombers escorted by 332nd Fighter Group were lost.
Frank Ambrose is a professional photographer who began his career as an Air Force photographer in 1943. So it is not surprising that the highlight of his Tuskegee Angels page are the photos. Visit for a an easy-to-read overview of the Tuskegee story, an explanation of why they were called the Red Tails, and of course, the photos.
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or try a FREE trial of the Printables ClubThe following links are either new discoveries or sites that didn't make it into my newspaper column because of space constraints. Enjoy!
National Museum of USAF: Tuskegee AirmenRed Tail Project | Tuskegee Airmen: Lest We Forget |
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