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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 10, 2004)
November 10. 2004 JJprtlanb © bseruer Page A3 Unit Changed Military View on Race V’« - BUSINESS OPTIONS Members of the Tuskegee Airman in a World War II era photo. FLEXIBLE Businas* Career D eg rees Professional Certificate* • BS BUSINESS A N D LEADERSHIP’ • BUSINESS ANO LEADERSHIP’ • BA COMMUNICATION STUDIES • CONFLICT RESOLUTION AN D MEDIATION • BA INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES’ • BA ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION’ • BS REAL ESTATE’ Tuskegee Airmen reunite (AP) — In the era of Jim Crow - when the Army brass didn’t think blacks were capable o f flying - a group o f minority pilots changed the way the military looked at race. The T uskegee A irm en, their ranks thinning as the World War II fighter pilots age, reunited last weekend in South Carolina. This year marks the 60th anni versary of the creation in 1944 o f the advanced combat training pro gram for the black airmen at a small Army Air Force base in Walterboro, S.C. The program had started three years earlier in Tuskegee, Ala. In all, almost 1,000 pilots would be trained, 450 deployed overseas and 150 would lose their lives in training or combat. The pilots deployed to North A frica and Europe flew support m issions including strafing en emy am m unition dum ps, rail lines and highw ays. Later, the airm en flew escort for bom bers. In c lu d in g g ro u n d s u p p o rt p e rs o n n e l, th e re w ere a b o u t 14,000 T u sk eg ee A irm en , said 85-year-old Hiram E. Little Sr., a retire d school te a c h e r from A t lanta. To the m ilitary, the program at squadron,” said Carter, 85. “They as biased and racist as they were said it would create problems. They before World War II.” were firmly convinced no white It w asn’t until the late 1970s that personnel would take orders from the airmen began to receive recog black off icers. The Negro press and nition for what they had done. other organizations and sympathiz Now, through conventions and ers brought pressure on the War meetings, the group wants to pass Department to do something about its story to future generations. this unit.” People with an interest in the his The airmen then proved they tory and in getting young people could handle anything asked of involved in aviation can join the airmen. “The Buffalo Soldiers were with Teddy Roosevelt in the late 1800s but their organization is still liv ing," Little said. "W e’re trying to — HerbertCarter.veteranairman bring new people in so as we die there will be someone to keep the them. Tuskegee Airmen going for the None of the bombers escorted future.” by Tuskegee Airmen fighters were Looking back. Carter says he lost during World War II, although feels sorry for those officers all 66 of the fighter pilots lost their those years ago who could not see lives and 33 other fighter pilots beyond the color of a soldier’s skin. were shot down and taken pris He said he feels “pure pity for the oner, Carter said. people who are so biased and preju At war’s end, the airmen returned diced in their ways that they can ’t to a nation where 1 i tt le had changed. accept a person on their own indi “We were not so naive as to vidual merits.” think America was goingtochange Little says the airm en helped that much.’ he said. “When we open doors for those w ho fol returned alter V-E Day things were lowed. I When we returned after V-E Day things were as biased and racist as they were before Wot Id Wat II. first was sim ply “an experim ent to prove the N egro co u ld not fly and fig h t,” said H erb ert C arter, o f T u sk eg ee, w ho w ent on to a 2 5 -y e a r c a re e r in the m ilitary . “We were just determined that all we wanted was an opportunity,” he says. But even after the pilots of the first squadron were trained, the Army delayed deploying the unit for months. 1 “No com mander from Burma to England w anted this all-black j • ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION’ • PUBLIC RELATIONS • BA SCIENCE • REAL ESTATE STUDIES’ • M BA’ ■ TRAINING A N D DEVELOPMENT • M A INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES (ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION) ’ Available in an online formal. YEAR-ROUND ADMISSION • C la s s e s s c h e d u le d • S c h o la r s h ip s •C u s to m o n lin e fo r a ll a g e s d e g re e To w o r k w i t h e v e n in g s , w e e k e n d s a n d p la n o p t io n a n a d v i s o r , e - m a i l s t u d e n t in f o @ m a r y lh u r s t e d u o r c a ll 5 0 3 . 6 9 9 . 6 2 6 8 . ★ US News & World Report BEST COLLEGES 2 0 0 5 "N um ber one in Northw est for small classes" MARYLHURST UNIVERSITY N o r th w e s t C om m ission on C olleges a n d U n iv e rs itie s a c c re d ite d In te rn o tio n o l A s s e m b ly fo r C o lle g ia te Business Edu catio n a c c re d ite d 1 7 6 0 0 PACIFIC HIGHWAY (HW Y. 43) MARYLHURST. OREGON - JUST 10 MINUTES SOUTH OF PORTLAND Serving students since 1 8 9 3 . w w w .m a ry lh u rs t.e d u 8 0 0 .6 3 4 .9 9 8 2 Advertise with diversity in 1,1 ^ K u t l a n h (¡D hsevuer Call 503-288-0033 or email: ads@portlandobserver.eom WELLS FARGO The Next S tage1 From I to we. 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