Who is your hero?- A tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen

Tuskegee Airmen (seated in white shirts) on tour in Detroit.

The older kids at the summer camp where I work had the opportunity to meet several of the Tuskegee Airmen. There was a traveling tour sponsored by Focus Hope in Detroit. The kids learned a bit of history as they watched a film, shook hands and asked questions of the airmen who were present.

Parkridge Community Center camp kids visit with the Tuskegee Airmen.

 

 

Here’s some of the information the kids learned:

·         The Tuskegee Airmen were African American pilots who fought in World War II. They were the first African American military aviators in the U.S. armed forces.

·         The airmen were aviators “during the time of Jim Crow laws and a time when the American military was racially segregated (Wikipedia).”

Some of the kids already had background knowledge of the Tuskegee Airmen. They were familiar with the movie Red Tails which was based on the trials and triumphs of Tuskegee Airmen. These airmen were considered heroes for their accomplishments.

Below are a few trivia questions about the Tuskegee Airmen

1.      The Tuskegee Airmen are known by the color of their P-51 tails. What color were they?

2.      The first 36 graduates at Tuskegee formed the 99^th Pursuit Squadron. Where were they stationed for their first combat mission?

3.      How many aerial victories are credited to the Tuskegee Airmen?

4.      Who is unofficially credited as the only “Ace” of the Tuskegee Airmen?

5.      Using the record of the Airmen, along with other contributions by African American soldiers during the War, President Harry Truman issued an Executive Order in 1948 that did what?

Answers to trivia

1.      Red

2.      Tunisia – The 99^th Squadron was sent to North Africa and flew its first combat mission against the island of Pantelleria on June 2, 1943.

3.      112 – The Airmen flew rescue missions and remained with the bombers until an enemy aircraft actually attacked.

4.      Lee Archer Jr.

5.      Desegregated the military.

To view all of the trivia questions from where these were gathered check out www.funtrivia.com/en/subtopics/The-Tuskegee-Airmen-303143.html.

 
There are many heroes in history, some are local, and some are in our families. My hero is my grandfather Robert Pollard who served in the army during World War II. He served his country and his family well.

 

Who do you consider to be a hero?