News: Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Groundbreaking
Supporters of the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial at the United States Air Force Academy gathered Saturday, Sept. 27, to break ground on a long-awaited project honoring these American heroes.
Thanks to the generosity of Charles ’81 and Karen Phillips, The Boeing Company, and the USAFA classes of 1986, 1990 and 1996, the memorial will feature two striking airplane replicas at the entrance of Davis Airfield: a P-51 Mustang — the aircraft famously piloted by Tuskegee Airmen in World War II — and a Boeing T-7A Red Hawk, painted with a red tail flash to honor the Tuskegee Airmen.
The Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American flying unit in the U.S. military, flew fighter aircraft in the European and African theaters during World War II, escorting bombers. Nearly 1,000 pilots graduated from the program, training at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University), and they went on to fly over 1,500 missions. Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., for whom the Academy airfield is named, was their most notable commander.
This morning’s ceremony featured remarks from Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91, superintendent of the Academy; Charles Phillips, a member of the Air Force Academy Foundation board of directors; and former Commandant of Cadets Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Sam Cox ’84 on behalf of The Boeing Company.
