99th Fighter Squadron - April 1942-October 1945 - Tuskegee Airmen NHS, Tuskegee AL - Timelines on Waymarking.com

When Tuskegee Institute petitioned the United States government to allow it to train and identify African-Americans as combat pilots, United States Armed Forces were strictly segregated on the basis of race. Few leaders of the American military believed that black men could be taught to fly, much less that they would be accepted by their white comrades.

However, the exigencies of war were such that the 90 ninth fighter squadron was authorized the train at Mouton field by the Tuskegee Institute, and that the squadron was activated for active duty overseas in April 1943. By war's end, the men of the 99th fighter squadron had proven themselves to be outstanding pilots of great daring and bravery. They were not only accepted by their white comrades, they were specifically requested to fly missions protecting bombers over Europe by white bomber crews.

The memory compliments and legacy of the Tuskegee airmen is preserved and on public display at the Tuskegee airmen national historic site outside Tuskegee Alabama. This timeline is located in Hanger number 2, and is free to visit.

The timeline begins with the departure of the 99th Fighter Squadron from New York to their first duty station in the North African theater of war with the Twelfth Air Force, describing their major engagements and accomplishments month by month until V-E Day in May, 1945.

For more on the Tuskegee Airmen, see here: (visit link)

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