This is #Part2
A reflection from the #ChatRecap of the special #Juneteenth edition of @CPSolvers #VMR episode w/ @gradydoctor
and her wonderful Father Mr. William (Tony) Draper.
The "Positive Stories from Tuskegee"
Part 1 was hard to stomach. It demonstrated the racial disparities that existed & we should all self reflect on as clinicians to make sure it doesn't happen again
But it shouldn't overshadow what has transpired since
This is why Mr. Draper wears the hat. (not this exact one)
Before them, no African-American had been a U.S. military pilot.
So who were the Tuskegee airmen?
They were a group of Black & Caribbean-born military pilots who fought in WW II.
They formed the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the US Army Air Forces
A majority of them were educated at Tuskegee University located near Tuskegee Alabama
This was an institution found in 1881 & established by Lewis Adams & Booker T. Washington
This University has educated his family for generations and continues to be a huge part of this life
The University was founded on July 4th
It became a part of the expansion of higher education for blacks in the former Confederate states
The campus was designed by architect Robert Robinson Taylor, the first African American to graduate from MIT (pretty cool)
Tuskegee was also the home institution to the most prominent black scientist of the early 20th century, George Washington Carver
He was a leading environmentalist who developed techniques to improve soils by practicing systematic crop rotation
Carver was determined to use his knowledge to help poor farmers of the rural South.
He spent years developing & promoting numerous products made from peanuts
He was extremely admired during his career & even had his work admired by 3 presidents
When not on the road promoting Tuskegee U, he wrote a syndicated newspaper column, "Professor Carver's Advice"
His career has been chronicled in books as well as a movie
imdb.com/title/tt003251…
livescience.com/41780-george-w…
Now back to the airmen,
When the pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group painted the tails of their P-47s red, the nickname "Red Tails" was coined.
The red markings that distinguished the Tuskegee Airmen included red bands on the noses of P-51s as well as a red rudder
Despite being subjected to discrimination (In and out of the military) & the Jim Crow laws, the Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American military aviators in the United States Armed Forces.
Below are 5 pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group at Ramitelli Airfield, Italy
A total of 992 pilots were trained in Tuskegee from 1941–1946 w/ 355 being deployed overseas, & 84 lost their lives fighting 1578 combat missions & 179 bomber escort missions, w/ a good record of protection
They only lost bombers on only 7 missions & a total of only 27....
Take this and compare it to an average of 46 among other 15th Air Force P-51 groups
They received a multitude of awards & honors from their great service
🔘Three Distinguished Unit Citations en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distingui…
🔘At least one Silver Star
🔘96 Distinguished Flying Crosses
Honors cont..
🔘14 Bronze Stars
🔘744 Air Medals
🔘8 Purple Hearts
in 2007 the Tuskegee Airmen were collectively awarded a Congressional Gold Medal & is l is currently on display at the Smithsonian Institution
In 1998, the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site at Moton Field in Tuskegee, Alabama was established to commemorate & interpret the heroic actions of Tuskegee Airmen during WWII
The new site contains a museum & interpretive programs
Learn more here tuskegeeairmen.org/explore-tai/a-…
These young men left a large footprint and legacy for so many who followed their footsteps through Tuskegee U.
If you want to learn more about them check out some books, tuskegeeairmen.org/wp-content/upl…
Educational materials, tuskegeeairmen.org/wp-content/upl…
And videos, tuskegeeairmen.org/wp-content/upl…
This is a great site on History.com that has some great stories about the airmen. history.com/topics/world-w…
Who Were They? Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Museum. tuskegeemuseum.org/who-were-they/
It is impossible to not be proud of the heritage of the University and the history of those men and women who conquered and fought through segregation to achieve success while at the same time teaching their children to respect those around them.
Mr. Draper's stories were difficult to hear but nowhere near as difficult to live through.
Thanks for sharing your time and teaching us all lessons of your heritage and life. You have a lot to be proud of
Thanks @gradydoctor for the kindness you have shown me, a lesson for sure
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