8.+The+Tuskegee+Airmen+and+other+successes+by+US+minorities

http://www.tuskegee.edu/Global/story.asp?S=1127396 Tuskegee Airmen Profile Name: William Johnson Date of Birth: June 5, 1922 Event taking place at this time: WWII: African Americans were allowed to join the US Air Force Background/Interests: William can now fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a pilot

I have always loved aircrafts but I never imagined that I would ever be able fly one. My name is William Johnson and I am from New York City. Following my nineteenth birthday on June 5, 1941, I joined the first aviation cadet class at Tuskegee Army Field in Alabama. Nine months later I successfully completed training. (“Tuskegee” 1). Other African Americans came from all cities across the nation such as Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Detroit (“Who” 1). Although we are now allowed to join the US Air Force, we are still segregated from white officers and enlisted men. African Americans aren’t allowed to stay overnight at the nearby Maxwell Field, which is the location of the visiting officers’ quarters. We gave ourselves the name the Lonely Eagles because the other African American pilots and I can only fight in black units. Although we feel that this segregation is unjust, we agree that a segregated unit is better than none at all. I have always wanted to fulfill my dream to become a pilot for the US Air Force (“Tuskegee” 1). Occasionally I hopefully listen to the radio to hear President Roosevelt’s plans to prohibit racial discrimination by both federal agencies and companies that are engaged in war work. Soon after training I was sent overseas to Italy to fight in the war (Danzer 702). I received a letter from my old friend James who joined the Air Force shortly after me. He said that he never went overseas and was later trained at Selfridge Field, Michigan as a bomber crew in the 477 Medium Bombardment Group. James told me how African Americans were still discriminated upon by white Americans (“Who” 2). In Italy Americans made impressive strikes against the Germans (“Tuskegee” 2). We heard rumors about how the 92nd Infantry Division won seven Legion of Merit awards, sixty five Silver Stars, and one hundred and sixty two Bronze Stars for courage under fire. My fellow pilots and I became angered that African Americans across Europe were risking their lives for the US, but we were still discriminated upon by whites. Mexican and Japanese Americans were forced to serve in segregated units as well. Seventeen Mexican American soldiers were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor (“Danzer” 573). My fellow pilots and I were praised for our hard work and bravery while fighting. As the war raged on we continued to hope that the racial discrimination against us African Americans would soon be put to an end.

Works Cited Danzer, Gerald A. et al. //The Americans: Reconstruction to the 21st Century.// Illinois: McDougel Little Inc, 2003. “Tuskegee Airmen.” //American History.// 2008. ABC-CLO. 20 October 2008. “Who were the Tuskegee Airmen?” //Tuskegee// //Airmen History.// Tuskegee Airmen Inc. 20 October 2008.