"All Gave Some.... Some Gave All" is a popular quote
these days. Remembering how Black Men sacrified their
lives also to save and protect this country is gratifying.
In the words of my "Uncle Bill," Sgt. William C. Ferguson, Sr.,
a now deceased Tuskegee Airman.....
"The Tuskegee training program was intended to fail.
One class was reduced from 80 to 6 by graduation.
Even the law of probability could not help you."
For every Black pilot there were ten other civilian or military
Black men and women on ground support duty. Many of these men
and women remained in military service during the post World
War II era and spearheaded the integration of the armed forces
of the United States with their integration into the U.S. Air
Force in 1949. The "Tuskegee Experiment" achieved success rather
than the expected failure is further recorded by the levation of
three of these pioneers to flag rank: the late General Daniel
"Chappie" James, our nation's first Black Four-Star General;
Lt. General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., USAF, Retired; and Major
General Lucius Theus, USAF, Retired. Our nation should forever
be grateful for the courage and dedication of.....
"The Tuskegee Airmen."
