Charles Rangel: “I rise to acknowledge the Tuskegee Airmen, African-American pioneers for their courageous service to our country and…”

“I rise to acknowledge the Tuskegee Airmen, African-American pioneers for their courageous service to our country and lasting legacy of valor and military excellence. I strongly support H. Con. Res. 417 in honoring the Tuskegee Airmen and their contribution in creating an integrated United States Air Force, the world's foremost Air and Space Supremacy Force. The service that the Tuskegee Airmen performed during World War II for our country was extraordinary. In a time of racial turmoil they dedicated their lives and served this country to their fullest capability. They simultaneously defied the odds and limitations set both abroad and at home. These men overcame what were seemingly insurmountable obstacles at the time and are regarded as American military pioneers. The Tuskegee Airmen epitomize the American dream. History shows that blacks had been trying to gain entrance into the Army Air Corps since World War I. By the end of World War II the Tuskegee Airmen had received 95 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 744 Air Medals and Clusters, a Legion of Merit, completed 1,578 missions and 15,553 sorties, and graduated 993 pilots. They had gone from being barred from the Air Corps to being regarded as one of the most successful units in American history. The Tuskegee Airmen were called upon by our country and willingly accepted the challenge. They proved that skill and dedication were the determining factors of success, not race or skin color.”