Denise Majette: “as we stand here on the heels of Memorial Day, a time for honoring those who have fought and died to preserve our…”

“as we stand here on the heels of Memorial Day, a time for honoring those who have fought and died to preserve our freedom, I rise to add my voice to the growing chorus of those singing the praises of the Tuskegee Airmen. When the brave men and women of our armed services swear their enlistment oath, they pledge to defend the Constitution against enemies both foreign and domestic. And although the Tuskegee Airmen won many a battle in the skies over North Africa and Europe, it is their triumph over oppression at home that counts as their greatest victory. From their inception at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in the summer of 1941, to their first combat in North Africa in 1943, to President Truman's desegregation order in 1948, the Tuskegee Airmen battled racism and hatred at every turn. They represented their country when we needed them most, and, despite all hardships, they did so with class, professionalism, and excellence, earning distinction among the Army Air Corps' most decorated pilots. The Tuskegee Airmen served with pride and honor, and returned home to find that the freedoms they had fought so hard to preserve were not extended to them.”