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The '''Tuskegee Airmen''' were the 1000 black airmen who fought in segregated units of the Air Force during World War II, flying combat, reconnaissance, and other missions.  They trained at Tuskegee Institute, a predominantly black private college in Alabama.

The '''Tuskegee Airmen''' were the 1000 black airmen who fought in segregated units of the Air Force during World War II, flying combat, reconnaissance, and other missions.  They trained at Tuskegee Institute, a predominantly black private college in Alabama.  It was an era of [[Jim Crow]] and most whites thought it unwise to have all-black combat units. Nevertheless President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] (a liberal Democrat) and Secretary of War [[Henry Stimson]] (a conservative Republican) demanded they be gioven a chance.

The 99th Pursuit Squadron, using Curtiss P-40 fighters, was based in Tunisia in 1943. On June 2, 1943, it entered combat for the first time in a bombing mission against the German-held island of Pantelleria. The squadron later supported the Allied invasion of Sicily.  The 332nd Fighter Group escorted bombers on air combat missions over Europe, using P-39, Curtiss P-40, [[P-47]] and [[P-51 Mustang]] fighters.  The two units shot down 111 enemy planes.

The 99th Pursuit Squadron, using Curtiss P-40 fighters, was based in Tunisia in 1943. On June 2, 1943, it entered combat for the first time in a bombing mission against the German-held island of Pantelleria. The squadron later supported the Allied invasion of Sicily.  The 332nd Fighter Group escorted bombers on air combat missions over Europe, using P-39, Curtiss P-40, [[P-47]] and [[P-51 Mustang]] fighters.  The two units shot down 111 enemy planes.

   

   

[[Category:United States Air Force]]

[[Category:United States Air Force]]