February 26, 2014
The
Portland Observer
Black History Month
Page 5
Portland resident Don Bachman (back row, second from left) was saved from certain death during a World War II battle with German fiohter Dianes because o f the
intervention of the histoncal 332nd Figthter Group, the all-black Air Force unit known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
White
Courageous African Americans
by
Thanks for
bringing Uncle
Don Home
During World War II many mili
tary commanders believed that Af
rican Americans were not capable
of learning how to fly airplanes. It
was a silly notion, but n ev erth e
less it was there. Obviously the
doubters were wrong.
At the Tuskegee Alabama Army
Airfield in the early 1940s a group of
young black men would come to not
only meet the arduous task of be
coming Air Force fighter pilots, they
would make an incredible mark in
history for their pilot prowess and
become a shining example in the
fight against racism.
From the first graduating class
on March 6, 1942, through the last
class on June 29,1946, a total of 926
black pilots earned their wings. Of
these graduates, approximately 450
went overseas to fly in combat. They
flew more than 15,000 sorties and
almost 600 missions. Sixty-six black
pilots were killed and another 32
R on W eber
became prisoners of war.
Our nation’s first African Ameri-
can pilots fought hard for a country
that had rejected them on many dif
ferent fronts. They were often de-
nied access in stores, hotels, and
restaurants. They were “redlined”
in regards to housing, barred from
co n tin u e d
on p a g e 8
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You're invited to Balm in Gilead
| HIV/AIDS Prayer & Healing Breafcf<r$f/|
Brunch: Saturday, March 8
10:00am-12 noon
I
Legacy Emanuel Atrium
501 N. Graham St., Portland
Key Note Speaker: Zuline Gray Wilkinson
Bethesda Christian Center, Philadelphia, PA
RSVP by calling 503-988-3030
ext. 25691 before Thursday, March 6 at 5 pm
W orship Service: Sunday, March 9
3:30-5:00 p.m.
rF6G o rc o k fâ s t,
Grace Covenant Fellowship Church
5450 NE Flanders St., Portland
& Local resources...