Tuskegee Airmen

General 3

"In 1936, Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. was the first African American to graduate from West Point Military Academy in 47 years"

After War 3

"My career in public service was made possible by the heroes like the Tuskegee Airmen trail-blazed" (Barack Obama, 2008).

During War 8

33 of the Tuskegee Airmen became POWs (prisoners of war)

During War 10

About 450 Tuskegee Airmen acquired 850 medals between 1943 and 1945

After War 4

After seeing Obama's inauguration, the Tuskegee Airmen sang the National Anthem.

General 1

Before WWII some people didn't think blacks were smart enough to be pilots

Training 7

Charles Alfred Anderson (Chief) was pilot for Eleanor Roosevelt in 3-29-1941. She was so impressed that she told her husband Franklin Delano Roosevelt

During War 11

Even against segregation and prejudice the Airmen were one of the most admired fighter groups of WWII

After War 1

Executive Order 9981 integrated the Armed Forces without racism President Harry Truman, signed the order on July 26, 1948 after WWII

During War 1

First African American military pilots in WWII

After War 5

In 2013 San Diego made a three mile highway as a monument for the Tuskegee Airmen

During War 6

Other names for the Tuskegee Airmen were "Black or Lonely Eagles," the German Luftwaffe named them "Black Bird Men." and later "Red Tail Angels"

After War 2

Segregated units were gone by the end of 1954

Training 1

The Airmen were trained at a segregated air base in Tuskegee, Alabama

General 5

The Army Air Force was so desperate they decided to try and train African American pilots

General 4

The Civilian Pilot Training Act of 1939 gave colleges money to train only white pilots later in 1939 black colleges got money to support pilot education

During War 3

The Red Tails lost bombers during their first few missions.

During War 7

The Red Tails obliterated 251 of the foes' aircraft.

Thesis

The Tuskegee Airmen were significant to the Civil Rights Movement because they proved that African Americans could fight and fly planes just as heroically as whites and deserved to be treated equally.

Training 2

The Tuskegee Institute built a base with airfield, mess hall, and barracks

General 2

The few African Americans who learned to fly trained themselves or trained overseas

Training 5

The others graduates of the university were used to support the pilots by making and repairing gear, engines, and radios

Training 4

They studied weather, navigation, engineering, and learned strafing (learned how to rapidly fire while flying low)

Training 6

Tuskegee Airmen might have never gotten to go to war without Eleanor Roosevelt's assistance

During War 5

Tuskegee Airmen shot down three German jets in one day

During War 2

White pilots were not allowed to go on more than 52 missions, however African American pilots, a lot of the time flew up to 100 missions because of lack of replacements.

During War 4

even though they fought equally or better than other pilots some people were still racist after returning to base

During War 9

only 66 of the 332nd Fighter Group died in battle

Training 3

the first training started in August 1941