Legacies of the Tuskegee Airmen: First Black Officer to Earn Pilot Wings

Over 400 enemy aircrafts shot down and flying 200+ escort missions without losing a bomber later the Tuskegee Airmen proved to not only themselves, but the rest of America that they flew with passion and determination matched by no other, even the white flyers. It all started with this man, Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin O. Davis Jr. who became the first black officer to earn his wings on March 7, 1942. He was one of only 5 black officers to complete the course and collect their wings.

Davis Jr. was initially turned down for flight training because there was not a black air unit within the U.S. military and segregation issues still prevailed. However in 1940 due to Franklin D. Roosevelt wanting to secure the African-American vote promoted Davis Sr. to brigadier general, then ordered for the creation of a black flying organization in which Davis Jr. would eventually head. The United States Air Corps. brought in Davis Jr. to command the first unit because they needed someone that was African-American and graduated from West Point. Davis Jr. was the only black man to do so finishing 36th overall out of 276 cadets.

By 1943 Tuskegee had close to 1,000 airmen ready to fly their first mission which came on June 2nd the same year trying to take out ground infantry in Tunisia. Davis's squadron was later accused of not having the same desire as white fighter pilots and was encouraged to be removed from combat. The ruling was eventually overturned and Davis took over the 332nd Fighter Group as his squadron continued to dominate the air shooting down several German combat planes and other aircrafts.

During the spring of 1944 Davis Jr. was assigned to the bomber-escort mission which the Tuskegee Airmen became well known. When assigned they were giving the P-51 Mustangs which were considered the "elite planes of the U.S. Military" and when the war ended had accumulated nearly 5,000 enemy aircraft destroyed and thousands more not able to function. As the 332nd escorted the bombers they were faced with overwhelming odds including their very first mission where 39 Tuskegee planes held off over 100 German fighters.

However it wasn't until March 24th, 1945 that Davis Jr. and the 332nd took on their hardest mission. It was a 1,600 mile round trip escort to Berlin and the same mission Germans came out with their highest technology to date, the Me 262 jets. The 332nd held their own on this day only losing one fighter to the Germans 10 and not one American bomber was lost. The group was supposed to be relieved by another fighter squadron which never showed so Davis Jr. kept going before meeting the Messerschmitt 262 fighters and low on fuel. It was a day celebrated by many even whites on the ground that seemingly did not know in the planes were black pilots. If not for later named General Benjamin Davis Jr. and his ability to lead, America quite possibly could have lost World War II.