In June, 1943, the Airmen launched their first combat mission over North Africa. The Airmen were later reinforced by the 332nd Fighter group in 1944. The squadrons were deemed some of the army's most successful escort groups. By the end of the war, the Tuskegee airmen had 15,000 attacks and 1,500 missions. No other group had a comparable record. They also received one hundred and fifty Distinguished Flying Crosses, Legions of Merit, and the Red Star of Yugoslavia.
The group was ultimately deactivated in 1946, yet its impacts would be profound. In 1948, the U.S. Armed forces desegregated, arguably due to the achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen. The success of the airmen also challenged the underpinnings of the segregationist doctrine in society. They demonstrated to Americans that racist notions of blacks as lesser that justified segregation were in fact invalid.
Sources:
https://www.gwu.edu/~erpapers/teachinger/glossary/tuskegee-airmen.cfm
http://www.britannica.com/topic/Tuskegee-Airmen
The desegregation of the army directly contributed to the civil rights movement, as people wanted to see desegregation in the rest of society as well. However, if the army had forced all blacks to do noncombat jobs and menial work, would the Civil Rights movement have started later? How much of an impact did the desegregation of the army have on the rest of the population?
ReplyDeleteI like how you tied the valor and exploits of the Tuskegee Airmen to the Civil Rights Movement and the increased rights for African-Americans that followed. This reminds me of other black combat groups that increased the black role in society through acts of bravery. Most notably, the 761st Tank Battalion was primarily made up of African-American soldiers who came to be known as the "Black Panthers". They earned many accolades, and their service was a huge contribution to the decision to desegregate the army.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.historynet.com/world-war-ii-761st-tank-battalion.htm