Hon. Michael G. Oxley: “they never lost a bomber. The African-American fighter pilots we know today as the Tuskegee Airmen, flew more than…”

“they never lost a bomber. The African-American fighter pilots we know today as the Tuskegee Airmen, flew more than 15,000 sorties, mostly bomber-support missions, over North Africa, Sicily and Europe during World War II. They downed roughly 500 enemy aircraft, and sank a destroyer--and they destroyed an awful lot of prejudice in the process. It wasn't easy. More than 10 percent--66--were killed; 32 were downed and became prisoners of war. But all thousand or so who were trained at Moton Field near the old Tuskegee College in Alabama, now Tuskegee University, were heroes, whether or not they were among the 450 or so who saw combat duty. So were the roughly 12 black men and women who served as mechanics or other support crew for each pilot, and their black comrades who flew in medium bombers during the war. Mr. Speaker, no one--man or woman, adults or the near-child drummer boys of the Civil and Revolutionary Wars--no one who goes to war in the defense of this country and the liberty for which it stands can be described as anything but valiant and courageous. But usually, Mr. Speaker, the only fight these heroes have is with the enemy. The trailblazers of the first class of 13, all college grads and pilots, who went through fighter pilot training at Moton Field in the summer of 1941, and all who came after them, also had to fight prejudice.…”