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In 1941, Tuskegee, Alabama, was selected as the site of an important new development in military training.
For the first time, black Americans were to be allowed to serve their country as members of the United States Army Air Corps. During its five-year history,
Tuskegee Army Air Field was home to almost 1,000 African-American pilots.
For every black pilot there were ten other civilian or military Black men
and women on ground support duty. Together, they filled the ranks of the 99th Fighter Squadron, the 332nd Fighter Group, and the 477th Bombardment Group.
Those Black Americans became a cohesive, motivated and dedicated group who
fought both segregation and America's enemies. Their successes
helped cause significant changes in War Department Policies governing the
utilization of Black Americans in the Armed Forces. |
