Research Paper On Tuskegee Airmen

“Although African Americans have been the victims of racial oppression throughout the history of the United States, they have always supported the nation, especially during wartime” (“Taylor, Clarence”). December 17 1941 brought new opportunities for African Americans that would help their ongoing move up in society. This date marked the declaration of the war against the Axis powers. “For many African Americans, the war offered an opportunity to get out of the cycle of crushing rural poverty. Blacks joined the military in large numbers, escaping a decade of Depression and tenant farming in the South and Midwest. Yet, like the rest of America in the 1940s, the armed forces were segregated” (“Claudia, Reinhardt and Bill Gazel”). The predominantly

These African American flyers were the first to fly as black pilots in the military. While being the first of their kind they had to constantly prove their worth. To solidify their position in the Armed forces these flyers strived to be twice as good as white flyers just to be considered on the same spectrum as them. During the war just about 145, 000 African Americans served in the Airforce. They were also referred to as, “The Red Tails,” due to their red paint on the tails of their planes. As well as being referred to as, “The Black Eagles.” “Their primary missions consisted of escorting bombers while fighting off other fighter planes, they made their mark in southern Europe and eventually as far as Berlin” (“Tuskegee Airmen”). “The performances of Chief Alfred Anderson, Benjamin O. Davis, and Daniel “chappie” James, helped pave the way for the desegregation of the U.S. military. These airmen reflect the struggle of African Americans to achieve equal rights, not only on legal attacks on a system that wants them to fail, but through non-violent techniques aimed at segregation in the military” (“Tuskegee Airmen- why significant?”). These flyers set the bar high receiving 150 flying crosses and destroyed 103 enemy aircraft. The Tuskegee Airmen resembled hope for African Americans throughout the country. “The Tuskegee Airmen flew in more than 700 bomber escort missions. During these bomber escort missions, they protected the bombers from enemy fighters. The Tuskegee Airmen was the only fighter group to have a perfect record protecting the bombers” (Interesting Tuskegee Airmen Facts”). The respect for them was so high, bomber squads suggested to the military that they have these airmen escort them knowing they were in great hands. These contributions in the air were highly acknowledged, but the contributions on the ground for African Americans were also