HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- Seven members of the storied Tuskegee Airmen were honored at a ceremony at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Aug. 9.
The event dedicated an F-16 Fighting Falcon, painted with the distinctive 'Red Tail' markings of the historic Tuskegee Airmen. The aircraft will remain on display at the Aviation Challenge Facility at the Space and Rocket Center.
The commander of the Army Materiel Command met with the seven airmen before the ceremony, and spoke during the dedication.
"It's hard to describe in words the feeling I have at this point in my career," said Gen. Dennis L. Via. "I can tell you I would not be a four-star general standing before you today had it not been for the great sacrifices of these men, and those others who served with them who laid the foundation on which we stand today. I proudly stand on their shoulders. I know it would not have been possible without their efforts."
Retired Air Force Colonel Charles McGee, one of the about 950 original Tuskegee Airmen, addressed the crowd at the ceremony about the biases, assumptions and racism the group faced in the early 1940s.
"Because of our happenstance of birth, we were not qualified in any technical area. We could dig ditches, build railroads, cook food, drive trucks -- but fly an airplane? Not possible," McGee said. The efforts of the Tuskegee Airmen broke through those stereotypes. "It made it possible for us to write a new bit of history for our country. Certainly we are proud that it happened."
Retired Air Force Colonel Roosevelt "R.J." Lewis, chairman of the Alabama Space Science Exhibit, read off the impressive biographies of the men on stage. Those airmen included McGee, Leo Gray, George Hardy, James Sheppard, Enoch Woodhouse, Donald Elder and Milton Crenshaw.
While the original Tuskegee Airmen flew in P-51s, a direct linkage exists between them and the F-16. The F-16 on display was flown by the 301st Fighter Squadron, a unit activated in World War II as part of the Tuskegee legacy. The Squadron was reactivated in 1991, flying the F-16.
"Placing this aircraft here today, in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen, will be enduring for future generations," Via said. "It's about understanding the mission they accomplished both overseas and fighting against the enemy, and also when they came back home to the United States, where they continued to carry the flag forward, and laid the foundation for future generations."
"Young men and women who come through and visit will be able to see a real aircraft with a red tail," he added. "Generation after generation will talk about what these men accomplished."
The dedication also supports an upcoming "Black Wings: American Dreams of Flight" exhibit at the Space and Rocket Center. The exhibit, which opens Aug. 24, chronicles the story of African Americans who, despite facing racial barriers, attained great achievements in the world of aviation.
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