The Accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen - 830 Words

During the mid-19th century, there were still many acts of segregation. Although black men had been allowed to vote and rightly think for themselves, many Americans still dismissed them as equals. However, something happened that would change that view for many Americans. It is more than a mere footnote in history. During World War II, in Tuskegee, AL, an all-African American institute was allowed to train black pilots. These men were called, â€Å"The Tuskegee Airmen.† What was so special about these men? One might ask, â€Å"What did this group accomplish?† These men accomplished many things in their lifetime; however we will look at a few of their biggest achievements and why they are so important to American history. On July 19, 1941, the Tuskegee Institute, started by Booker T. Washington, opened its first aviation cadet class. This was also the first pilot class to open for African American students. Historically, this was a major point for all blacks in America. This was an invite to prove their mettle fighting and piloting alongside white men. This program was run by Col. Noel F. Parrish. Many black men were excited and jumped to join the bandwagon. In fact, Lt. Col. Dryden stated, â€Å"We had to be number one, whether we were mechanics, cooks, maintenance.. Nurses, pilots or whatever! We had to be number one! That’s was to be expected.† This was the mind set and they proved it. Altogether, between 1941-46, there were nine-hundred and ninety-two Tuskegee airmen trained forShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Tuskegee Airmen and Charles McGee1524 Words   |  7 PagesMany have heard of the Tuskegee Airmen and their accomplishments. They were a group of African American fighter pilots. They proved to be quite vital to the success of World War II. What many people may not know is the Tuskegee Airmen had several squadrons which fought throughout Europe during the war. The most famous squadron was the 332nd fighter squadron, they we re commonly known as the Red Tails. Charles McGee was among those men apart of the Red Tail squadron. Charles McGee is one of most notableRead More Tuskegee Airmen Essay1869 Words   |  8 PagesAmericans as fighter pilots(Tuskegee Airmen1). Basic flight training was done by the Tuskegee institute, a school founded by Booker T. Washington in 1881(Tuskegee Airmen 1). Cadets would finish basic training at Tuskegees Moton Field and then move on to the Tuskegee Army Air Field to complete his transition from training to combat aircraft. The early Tuskegee squad were taught to fit in with the famous 99th fighter squadron, tagged for combat duty in North Africa. Other Tuskegee pilots were commissionedRead MoreThe Violence Of Black People And People Of Color Essay1596 Words   |  7 Pagesdiscrimination were the Tuskegee Airmen. 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On June 19, 1939, Benjamin was promoted to First Lieutenant, then Captain, Major, and Lieutenant Colonel temporarily a rank he would permanently hold in June 1948. BenjaminRead More African americans in world war I Essay1986 Words   |  8 Pagespermitted was also evident in the Civil War. There is a history of complaints to establishing combat roles which are usually reserved for white troops. Not till the bombing of Germany in World War II in a massive air raid which was escorted by the Tuskegee airmen did U.S. military black personnel receive a prestigious assignment that exhibited major influence to the success of the war. 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One big step for minorities was that they were able to fight in World War II. The Tuskegee Airmen are very well-known in history. They were an all-black air team that was very successful in the war. Jackie Robinson would have been part of the first all-black battalion to fight on the ground for the USA, but Robinson was previously kicked out