Research Paper On Tuskegee Airmen

The Tuskegee Airmen

The Tuskegee Airmen was one of the most successful military groups in history. Several events had to happen to allow these African American men to fly for their country, but when they did, they amazed all. These men received immense amounts of training. They had some of the most advanced air crafts of their time. This Air Force group was able to earn a highly respected reputation among allies and enemies. Lets see how these men turned out. The second World War had started and men were joining to defend their country. At the beginning, African American men were only allowed to be infantrymen. They sought to fly, but the government and the military said black men cannot fly. The government would say, according to the book freedom flyers, “Negro pilots cannot be used in our present Air Force since this would result in having Negro officers serving over white enlisted men. This would create an impossible social problem.”(Moye Todd page 54). Finally after extensive controversy, the government agreed to train them to fly and called them “an experiment,”(Tuskegee Airmen Project paragraph 1).

The Airmen were allowed to train in the P-40 Warhawk and the P-39 Airocobra which were also some of the planes taken into battle with the Airmen. The other two planes that were allowed were the P-47 Thunderbolt and the beloved P-51 Mustang. The Mustang was the newest plane and the most powerful by far being able to reach altitudes higher than the other planes and able to fire and deal damage from farther than any other fighter. The Tuskegee Airmen, now referred to as the Red tails because of the red painted tails on their planes, received the duty of bomber escort. This job was much needed as the bombers were slow planes and harder to maneuver so they had to be protected. The Airmen's job was to protect the bomber at all