Back Print :The Tuskegee Airmen were dedicated, determined young men
who enlisted to become America's first black military airmen, at a time when there were many people who thought that black men lacked intelligence, skill, courage and patriotism. They came from every section of the country, with large numbers coming from New York City, Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Detroit. Each one possessed a strong personal desire to serve the United States of America at the best of his ability.
Those who possessed the physical and mental qualifications were accepted as aviation cadets to be trained initially as
single-engine pilots and later to be either twin-engine pilots, navigators or bombardiers. Most were college graduates or undergraduates. Others demonstrated their academic
qualifications through comprehensive entrance examinations. No standards were lowered for the pilots or any of the
others who trained in operations, meteorology, intelligence,
engineering, medicine or any of the other officer fields. Enlisted members were trained to be aircraft and engine mechanics, armament specialists, radio repairmen, parachute riggers,
control tower operators, policemen, administrative clerks and all of the other skills necessary to fully function as an
Army Air Corp flying squadron or ground support unit.
