They Came To Tuskeegee, Tuskegee Airmen, Prepared to Fight and Die -- Tuskegee Airmen NHS, Tuskegee AL
N 32° 27.378 W 085° 40.905
16S E 623899 N 3591779
Three signs of history located at the entrance to the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site in an introduction to the history that visitors will see down the hill
Waymark Code: WMWHJB
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 09/07/2017
Views: 2
These 3 signs of history are located at the entrance to a small park provides and visitors with an overview the operations and history of Tuskegee airmen national historic site.
The signs read as follows:
"THEY CAME TO TUSKEGEE
Young African-American men came to Tuskegee from all over the nation to train as military pilots. They began with primary flight training here at Tuskegee Institute smoked field. Tuskegee Institute also had a smaller field, Kennedy Field, where some cadets received orientation flights in the Piper J-3 "Cub" during preflight training. Cadets who successfully completed primary at Moton field transferred to Tuskegee Army airfield, 7 miles from here, for basic and advanced flight training conducted by the Army air forces. Only Moton field remains."
"THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN
The first African-American fighter pilots in the US Army air Corps with the public face of the Tuskegee airmen. They made extraordinary contributions to the Allied victory in Europe during World War II. But their success was made possible by the thousands of men and women who served in military support roles.
Over 10,000 of African-American men and women took part in the Tuskegee airmen experience. All of them -- not just the pilots -- our Tuskegee airmen.
Support personnel included:
Flight instructors
radio technicians
mechanics
air traffic controllers
aircraft armorers
administrative staff
weather forecasters
communication specialists
parachute rigors
gunners
electricians
firefighters
supply technicians
medical staff
transportation personnel
laboratory assistants
cooks
musicians
photographers"
"PREPARED TO FIGHT AND DIE
Tuskegee airmen national historic site commemorates contributions of the Tuskegee airmen during World War II -- and to American society afterward. The site preserves Mouton field, where the airmen trained before going to war. Their courageous performance in wartime earned them opportunity and respect at home and abroad. Their efforts helped pave the way for military desegregation and for the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
Like most of American society the 19 forties, the military was strictly segregated along racial lines. The Tuskegee airmen served in separate units throughout the war. Despite these conditions and the skepticism of the military leadership, they molded themselves in a highly effective combat units and serve their country with distinction. The men of the 99th fighter squadron and the 332nd fighter group completed over 1500 missions destroyed over 260 enemy aircraft (112 in the air), sank one enemy destroyer, and demolished many enemy installations.
"We were all prepared to fight and die for our country and after the war . . We were prepared to fight and die for our rights . . I think that was the contribution that was made at Tuskegee." -- George S. Lima, 2001"
Group that erected the marker: National Park Service
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
Moton Field
Tuskegee , AL
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