The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African American aviators in the US Armed Forces. They consisted of the 99th fighter squadron, the 332nd fighter group, and the 447th bombardment group who all trained at the Tuskegee Army Airfield. These heroes faced racism and prejudice before, during and even after the war ended. The airmen excelled in combat and bomber escorts. They were proof that African Americans could fly. Being the first black pilots in the US Army, they opened the door to aviation for all African Americans. These aviators have gone down in history as the first African Americans in the US Army Air Force. The Tuskegee Airmen exchanged proof that they could fly in order to gain the chance of serving as African American pilots in World …show more content…
“Many people though the so-called Tuskegee Experiment would fail, but instead, the African American fliers were determined to prove them wrong” (Booker). They had to complete primary, basic, and advanced classes that included aeronautics, navigation, flying formations, forced landings, and other necessities before they could graduate and become part of the US army. In 1942, five African American men graduated the first class of the Tuskegee Army Airfield (Patel). Among the five graduates, was Benjamin O. Davis Jr. who would later become the first African American US Air Force general. This proved the belief that blacks were too unintelligent and unskilled to become effective aviators, wrong. These aviators became the first black US pilots to form the 99th fighter squadron after they proved themselves capable and the opportunity of being an army pilot opened up to all African Americans (Altman). In the end, the Tuskegee Airmen flew 1,578 missions, 15,533 sorties, destroyed 261 enemy aircraft, and won over 850 medals while also battling racism (“Tuskegee”).
The Tuskegee Airmen encountered racism and prejudice against black aviators in the