The Tuskegee Airmen: The Men Who Changed a Nation

Having entered Sicily, the Tuskegee Airmen participated in the most famous battles of the Italian peninsula, including the invasion of Salerno and of Anzio, the battles of Montecassino and of Rome; and then, in Southern France, the Balkans, and finally into Germany—all the while completing their missions with heroic deeds, and fulfilling the goals inherent in their struggle for the right to fight. Although the hero in the book is the late General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., the authors also present the stories of other soldiers—those who lost their lives in that tremendous conflict. The battles brought the races together, mixing the blood of all men and women—their lives on the line. Their achieve-ments: Dead or alive, they consecrated their first goal: the attainment of a complete lasting integration of the United States Armed Forces and, secondly, the integration of the entire nation--to think that, this achievement was accomplished without typical upheavals wherein large numbers of people are killed. The crowning glory to this attainment can be seen in the many important positions held by Black American men and women in every Service and every Branch of government, including the Presidency of the United States. And the Tuskegee Airmen, in no small measure, have made it all possible! The most compelling evidence can be seen on TV ads wherein African Americans of all ages appear on a regular basis and in all kinds or roles. Few know, however, that that volume—the 1th Edition, was published first in 1955, by Captain Charles Francis, who established the name Tuskegee Airmen for all Americans to emulate. This 5th Edition, however, has been enlarged by more than 300 pages and contains the most complete list of Officers with photographs of each graduating class. It also includes all kinds of information on the Enlisted Tuskegee Airmen who served throughout World War II.