Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen
HONORING THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN -- (House of Representatives - February 09, 2005)
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Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 26, honoring the Tuskegee Airmen.
When Tuskegee's first school officially opened on July 4, 1881, Booker T. Washington became the first principal and was the first of many magnificent leaders of that institution.
Due to the rigid racial segregation in the United States during World War II, over 966 black military aviators were trained. And one of those men, I am proud to say, was my father's older brother, my uncle, LeRoy Cleaver, Jr., of Wichita Falls, Texas.
My uncle and others served here at home, in North Africa, Sicily, and Europe. They proved that they were not only some of the Air Force's best men but the military's best men.
On October 9, 1943, Tuskegee's 99th Pursuit Squadron was paired with the all-white 79th Fighter Group. These groups were integrated and no longer restricted to being escorts; instead, they were assigned to the highly hazardous duty of bombing key German strongholds.
Tuskegee Airmen destroyed over 1,000 Germany aircraft and received some of our Nation's most prestigious military honors, including 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 744 Air Medals, eight Purple Hearts, and 14 Bronze Stars; and they never lost a single ship.
On February 2, 1948, President Harry Truman of my district in Missouri did what no previous President had dared. He announced courageously in a special message to Congress that he had "instructed the Secretary of Defense to take steps to have the remaining instances of discrimination in the armed services eliminated as rapidly as possible."
Even in the dark and demeaning dungeons of discrimination, the Tuskegee Airmen served with dignity.
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Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 26 honoring the Tuskegee Airmen.
When Tuskegee's first school officially opened on July 4, 1881, Booker T. Washington became the first principal and was the first of many Tuskegee leaders. Due to the rigid racial segregation in the United States during World War II, over 966 Black military aviators were trained at Tuskegee. One of these men, I am proud to say, was my uncle, the Reverend LeRoy Cleaver, Jr.
My Uncle LeRoy and others serving in North Africa, Sicily, and Europe proved that they were not only some of the Air Force's best men, but the Military's best men.
On October 9, 1943, Tuskegee's 99th Pursuit Squadron was paired with the all-White 79th Fighter Group. These groups were integrated and no longer restricted to being escorts; instead, they were assigned to the hugely hazardous duty of bombing key German strongholds.
Tuskegee Airmen destroyed over 1,000 German aircraft and received some of our Nation's most prestigious military honors, including: 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 744 Air Medals, 8 Purple Hearts, and 14 Bronze Stars.
In January 1948, President Harry S. Truman, favorite son of Independence, Missouri and Missouri's Fifth District, decided to end segregation in the Armed Forces and civil service, due in part to the tremendous successes of groups like the Tuskegee Airmen. President Truman issued Executive Order 9981, calling for "all persons in armed services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin."
On February 2, 1948, President Truman did what no previous President had dared, he announced, courageously, in a special message to Congress, that he had "instructed the Secretary of Defense to take steps to have the remaining instances of discrimination in the armed services eliminated as rapidly as possible."
The Tuskegee Airmen helped our Nation walk forward toward equality. Today, we honor them, including my Uncle Reverend LeRoy Cleaver, Jr., because they remain among the best advocates, soldiers, and examples in our Nation's history in that noble pursuit.
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