Title Freedom flyers : the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II / J. Todd Moye

Published Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, ©2010

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Description 1 online resource (vii, 241 pages [8] pages of plates : illustrations Series Oxford oral history series Oxford oral history series. Contents Prologue: This is where you sit -- The use of Negro manpower in war -- The Black Eagles take flight -- The experiment -- Combat on several fronts -- The trials of the 477th -- Integrating the Air Force -- Epilogue: Let's make it a holy crusade all around Summary From the Publisher: As the country's first African American military pilots, the Tuskegee Airmen fought in World War II on two fronts: against the Axis powers in the skies over Europe and against Jim Crow racism and segregation at home. Although the pilots flew more than 15,000 sorties and destroyed more than 200 German aircraft, their most far-reaching achievement defies quantification: delivering a powerful blow to racial inequality and discrimination in American life. In this inspiring account of the Tuskegee Airmen, historian J. Todd Moye captures the challenges and triumphs of these brave pilots in their own words, drawing on more than 800 interviews recorded for the National Park Service's Tuskegee Airmen Oral History Project. Denied the right to fully participate in the U.S. war effort alongside whites at the beginning of World War II, African Americans--spurred on by black newspapers and civil rights organizations such as the NAACP--compelled the prestigious Army Air Corps to open its training programs to black pilots, despite the objections of its top generals. Thousands of young men came from every part of the country to Tuskegee, Alabama, in the heart of the segregated South, to enter the program, which expanded in 1943 to train multi-engine bomber pilots in addition to fighter pilots. By the end of the war, Tuskegee Airfield had become a small city populated by black mechanics, parachute packers, doctors, and nurses. Together, they helped prove that racial segregation of the fighting forces was so inefficient as to be counterproductive to the nation's defense. Freedom Flyers brings to life the legacy of a determined, visionary cadre of African American airmen who proved their capabilities and patriotism beyond question, transformed the armed forces-formerly the nation's most racially polarized institution-and jump-started the modern struggle for racial equality Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 221-231) and index Subject United States. Army Air Forces. Fighter Group, 332nd. United States. Army Air Forces. Fighter Squadron, 99th. United States. Army Air Forces. Composite Group, 477th. United States. Army Air Forces -- African American troops SUBJECT United States. Army Air Forces fast United States. Army Air Forces. Composite Group, 477th fast United States. Army Air Forces. Fighter Group, 332nd fast United States. Army Air Forces. Fighter Squadron, 99th fast Subject World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial operations, American World War, 1939-1945 -- Regimental histories -- United States World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Europe World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, African American African American air pilots -- History World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Western Front. African American air pilots -- History World War, 1939-1945 -- Regimental histories -- United States Armed Forces -- African American troops World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial operations, American Military campaigns Military operations, Aerial -- American World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Europe World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, African American HISTORY -- Europe -- Western. African American air pilots Armed Forces -- African American troops Military campaigns Military operations, Aerial -- American Military participation -- African American Regimental histories Armed Forces -- African American troops. Military campaigns. World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, African American. World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial operations, American. World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Europe. African American air pilots -- History. Military operations, Aerial -- American. World War, 1939-1945 -- Regimental histories -- United States. Europe United States United States -- African American troops. United States -- Composite Group, 477th. United States -- Fighter Group, 332nd. United States -- Fighter Squadron, 99th. Genre/Form History History. Form Electronic book ISBN 9780199741885 0199741883 9780199752744 0199752745

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