Lest We Forget From Here to Now

The Tuskegee Airmen, Men against the Odds! Poem

MEN AGAINST THE ODDS

We want to fly high in the sky - Where eagles have their heavenly domain

Amidst downy clouds puffed like snow - Kindly reflecting the images of newly formed dew drops Gleaming against the sun, a flamed and never tamed.

Long before finding their home on earth below.

We want to fly through the stars at night - Catching a glimpse of their twinkling light

Feeling the cool rays of a summer moon While remembering the fragrances of a bride in June. Like a young lad with kite and string in hand

Letting go until it floats out of sight. To some deserving soul in another land.

Thank you Tuskegee's Flying 99th for giving us a start

The memories you have taught are etched upon our hearts

Your story, we will teach to all that come near And share with others our humble beginning here.

Now we must climb full throttle ahead for history repeats itself, so it’s been said

We will return soon to make you happy,

That's a promise, signing off- now, the 99th and "Chappie."

From the beginning of time, history has recorded that man has always been intrigue and has had an interest to fly. Leonardo Da Vinci, a man far ahead of his time designed one of the first planes, and parachutes on record. The Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk put those principals into action and successfully performed the first recorded flight in 1903.

The first Solo Trans Atlantic flight occurred on May 21,1927 by Charles A. Lindbergh

The first out of space mission to the moon was on July 20, 1969 and accomplished when Neil Armstrong put his foot on the moon and said and I quote, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. End of quote.

Yes flight, man has always set his sights above, to the blue skies and the celestial heavens beyond the clouds.

But as we gather him today at this historical setting in celebration of another moment in history, the accomplishments of the African American pilots of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, we realize that this was another great step and another long awaited leap for mankind. If we listen carefully we can almost hear the shouting of commands and the marching of soldier’s steps to the beat and to the resounding cadence of the drummer. We can see well dressed cadets, we can hear the revving of the engines of red tail planes and the shouts of enthusiasms as the cadets finally finish their course and walk across the stage to receive their wings and make ready to take flight into the wild blue yonder. We can feel their enthusiasm and those of their family members and loved ones as they adorn their flight uniforms and proudly pin on their wings and take to the air.

But there is something different about this group of pilots; they are of a different shade they are of a different hue they are the sons of former slaves and slaveholders but now proud sons of America yearning to serve with honor and distinction!

These are men of purpose who had heard it said in years passed that they couldn’t read or they couldn’t write let along fly an airplane. They were the butt of jokes, ridicules and innuendoes, like “Who have heard of a Negro flying?” I cleaned that up a little.

But their chance came and they made good their opportunities. They studied hard, observed the training and skills of their teachers and learn their lessons well. They learned so well until they drew the attention of the world, even our First Lady at the time Lady Eleanor Roosevelt who flew right here in Tuskegee, Alabama with Alfred Anderson, chief as he was called by many of us, yes right here at historic Moton Field.

Her historical flight here at Moton Field seemed to have given confidence to the nation and placed for all the signature of approval. Making known that truly a new kid on the block, A new Man, a new era in history had been written, a new and daring institution of men had been born, the pilots of the fighting group of the 332nd, the Lonely Eagles, the men of the 99th pursuit squadron.

Yes the Tuskegee Airmen! Their plight does not end here for even after proving they could fly and after receiving their wings they could not engage the enemies in World War II because of their color and were not accepted by other pilots who had not had the privileged of being discriminated against. But as providence would have it, they got their chance, completed over 15,000 sorties and flew over 1500 missions over Sicily, the Mediterranean and Africa protecting themselves and others, so much so until Caucasian pilots begun to request that the pilot of the Flying 99th be their escort. It is said that out of all of their flight endeavors they never lost a transport. Yes the Tuskegee Airmen, they had arrived. They were men of courage, men of valor, and men of determination; not just Negro pilots but dynamic pilots of the United States of America! These brave men, the Tuskegee Airmen were awarded many honors including the Distinguished Flying Crosses, Legions of Merit, Silver Stars, Purple Hearts, the Croix de Guerre and the Red Star of Yugoslavia. Recently, each of the surviving members of the illustrious Tuskegee Airmen has received an honorary doctorate degree from Tuskegee University as well as many other recognitions and awards from all over the world.

I recall the times that I would talked too many of the members of the Tuskegee Airmen when they would come back to Moton field here in Tuskegee for the Historical FLY-IN that is held each year. They would gladly share their stories and exploits with you only for the asking. I also talked to many of the ladies that either married are desired to marry one of these men of distinction for you see many young ladies came to Tuskegee in hope of finding their husbands their life long mates in the ranks of the Flying 99th. Yes they were not only looking for an officer and a gentleman but they were looking for a man of valor, a man of distinction, they were seeking a Tuskegee Airman.

On several occasions when Tuskegee hosted the annual Fly-IN, I had an opportunity to ask several of these pilots if they could recall a Vincent Liggins who was also a Tuskegee Airman. Many of them would come to the home of B.T, Washington, the Oaks or visit the George Washington Carver Museum where I was an Historical Interpreter for the Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site. I was aware that there were more than 900 airmen that had gotten their wings here at Tuskegee. I thought by chance one would know Vincent who was my father-in law’s brother, my wife’s uncle whom my father in law talked about every time we would visit him in Washington DC. Finally my persistence paid off for there was one Airmen in particular, and several other who were visiting the Oaks that day when I inquired about this airmen by the name of Vincent Liggins and the airmen that I address said at first that he didn’t think he remembered him and couldn’t recognized that name. Then he asks me where he was from and I replied, Zenia, Ohio, a big smile came on his face and then he said Oh! You are talking about “Honey Dripper, We called him that because he was always sing that song!” They all laughed and then told me the story of how he had come to Tuskegee as a mechanic, who worked on airplanes but he had always had a desire to fly, to become a Tuskegee Airmen. They said one day he got his chance and was enrolled in the flight program where he finished the course and received his wings. Vincent Liggins I found served his country well and even gave his life when his plane went down over Europe. The Springfield News in Ohio gives an account of his deeds and exploits.

But Vincent Liggins was only one of many who served his country well.

For as we look over the historical annals of The Tuskegee Airmen, we find our own Col. Herbert Carter, Col. Dryden, General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. General Daniel Chappie James who was the first Black four star General and one who headed the North American Defense Command and the list goes on and on and because these men of the Tuskegee Airmen dared to make a difference. Because of their persistence, dedication contributions and fortitude, now there are pilots of all nationalities colors, hues, ethnicity and religious persuasion serving and protecting our country with their honor and some even with their lives. All because a group of men of the 99th called the Tuskegee airmen dared to make a difference for God, for country, for families, for themselves and for the United States of America.