The Tuskegee Airmen of World War II

An exploration of the history and heritage of America's first black military aviators; with Tuskegee Airman and Chicago native O. Lawton Wilkerson, historian and Tuskegee expert Dr. Daniel Haulman, and WGN TV's Robert Jordan. Sponsored by the Seedlings Foundation in honor of the Museum & Library's Holt Oral History Program dedication.

In the years leading up to the start of the second World War—amid widespread racial segregation and discrimination in the United States—civil rights leaders launched a campaign for the acceptance of African Americans who wished to enlist and train as military aviators.

After more than two decades of advocacy, the U.S. Army Air Corps activated its 99th Pursuit Squadron in March 1941, including the men who would go on to train near Tuskegee, Alabama and become the first black pilots in the history of the American military. 

Popularly known as the Tuskegee Airmen and best remembered for the legendary red tails of their P51 Mustangs, the aviators, navigators, bombardiers, and support personnel of the 332nd Fighter Group and 477th Bomber Group have long been revered for their sterling records of service, and for their invaluable contributions toward ending racial inequality in America.

By the end of the war, there were more than 15,000 Tuskegee Airmen, including 900 pilots—many of whom risked their lives in combat to defend a nation that wasn’t ready to accept or appreciate their service. Among them was Chicago native O. Lawton Wilkerson, who earned his wings as a B-25 pilot at Tuskegee and who works to this day to perpetuate the legacy of his fellow trailblazers.

Also working to document and preserve this important legacy are scholars like Dr. Daniel Haulman, an historian at Maxwell Air Force Base charged with preserving the history of the Tuskegee Airmen on behalf of the American people.

The subject of many inspirational books and films, the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II should be remembered both as heroes of war and as soldiers for equality—earning more than 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses for their achievements and paving the way for the eventual integration of the United States Armed Forces.

O. LAWTON "WILK" WILKERSON  grew up in Chicago Heights, Illinois and joined the Army at age 18. He trained at Tuskegee Army Air Force Base and earned his wings as a B-25 pilot, but the war ended before he was sent to fly overseas. A graduate of The New York Institute of Photography, Wilk has worked in several fields—including as an insurance salesman, bus driver, and radio host. Today, he is an active member of the Chicago “DODO” Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, which perpetuates the legacy of the Airmen and encourages minority youth to pursue post-secondary education and careers in the aerospace industry.

DR. DANIEL L. HAULMAN is Chief, Organization History Division at the Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell Air Force Base, where he has worked since 1982. He is the author of five books about aviation history, including The Tuskegee Airmen: An Illustrated History, 1939-1949 with Joseph Caver and Jerome Ennels, and Eleven Myths About the Tuskegee Airmen.

DR. ROBERT JORDAN, JR., moderator of this program, is an anchor and reporter for WGN-TV News. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he earned a doctorate in Philosophy of Education from Loyola University Chicago in 1999. Bob's television career spans more than 40 years.