Friday, July 14, 2006
Belated birthday favor
My dear son Sterling, who turned 31 recently, sent me this link with a request to pass it on. I am finally getting around to doing so. :/
The Red Tail project is not about hawks, as I first supposed, but an effort to restore vintage WWII planes for educational sorties. And not just any old planes!
(A few quotes from the website)
The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African Americans to be trained as WWII Military pilots in the U.S. Army Air Corps. This was a time when being black was more of a crime then being the enemy. Never in our nations' history has the idea of enemy lines been so blurred or has patriotism been so clearly defined. The Tuskegee Airmen challenged America's racist attitudes with the willingness to give their lives to a country not willing to serve them.
(...)
Initially shunned, due to their color, the Red Tails superior performance rapidly became legendary and they soon became the requested white bomber pilots fighter escorts. Flying over 15,000 sorties in 1500 plus missions they compiled an outstanding combat record. As bomber escorts, the Tuskegee Airmen never lost a bomber to enemy fighters; a record no other fighter group achieved. Sixty six gave their lives in combat and 32 were captured as prisoners of war.
http://www.redtail.org/airmen.html
For $10, you can buy a rivet, which comes with a personalized certificate. A good gift for those hard-to-buy for types!
Feel free to pass this along!
The Red Tail project is not about hawks, as I first supposed, but an effort to restore vintage WWII planes for educational sorties. And not just any old planes!
(A few quotes from the website)
The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African Americans to be trained as WWII Military pilots in the U.S. Army Air Corps. This was a time when being black was more of a crime then being the enemy. Never in our nations' history has the idea of enemy lines been so blurred or has patriotism been so clearly defined. The Tuskegee Airmen challenged America's racist attitudes with the willingness to give their lives to a country not willing to serve them.
(...)
Initially shunned, due to their color, the Red Tails superior performance rapidly became legendary and they soon became the requested white bomber pilots fighter escorts. Flying over 15,000 sorties in 1500 plus missions they compiled an outstanding combat record. As bomber escorts, the Tuskegee Airmen never lost a bomber to enemy fighters; a record no other fighter group achieved. Sixty six gave their lives in combat and 32 were captured as prisoners of war.
http://www.redtail.org/airmen.html
For $10, you can buy a rivet, which comes with a personalized certificate. A good gift for those hard-to-buy for types!
Feel free to pass this along!
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