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May, 1939--Two pilots of The National
Airman's Association, an organization comprised of black pilots, meet with
Senator Harry S. Truman from Missouri. Truman helps sponsor a bill to allow
black pilots to serve in the Civilian Pilot Training Program.
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December, 1940--The Army Air Corps
submits a plan to the War Department for an "experiment" forming an all black
fighter squadron with thirty-three pilots.
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January 16, 1941--The 99th Pursuit
Squadron is formed by the War Department to be trained at Tuskegee Army Air
Field in Tuskegee, Alabama.
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July 19, 1941-- Tuskegee Army Air
Field officially opens.
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March 1, 1942--Captain Benjamin Davis,
Jr. is promoted to Lt. Colonel.
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March 7, 1942--the first class of
Tuskegee pilots graduates and earn their wings.
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August 24, 1942--Lt. Colonel Benjamin
Davis, Jr. takes command of the 99th Fighter Squadron.
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April 15, 1943--The 99th (The Lonely
Eagles) heads for North Africa.
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July 2, 1943--Captain Charles B. Hall
is the first Tuskegee pilot to down an enemy aircraft. He shoots down a FW-190
and damges an Me-109.
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1943--Lt. Colonel Benjamin Davis,
Jr. leaves the 99th to return home to command the 332nd Fighter Group. The
332nd is comprised of the all black 100th, 301st and 302nd Fighter
Squadrons.
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October 7, 1943 --The 99th is attached to
the 79th Fighter Group of the 12th Air Force.
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January of 1944 --Lt. Colonel Benjamin
Davis, Jr. and the 332nd arrive in Taranto, Italy and attached to the 12th
Air Force.
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June 25, 1944--pilots of the 302nd
Fighter Squadron sink a German destroyer with machine gun fire from their
P-47's.
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June,1944--The 332nd is attached to
the 15th Air Force. The 99th Fighter Squadron is added to the 332nd Fighter
Group as its fourth squadron.
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August, 1944--The 332nd participates
in the invasion of southern France by escorting bombers and on ground attack
missions in Rumania and Czechoslovakia.
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September 10, 1944--Four pilots of
the 332nd are awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
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March 15, 1945--The all black 477th
Bombardment Group is moved from Godman Field, Kentucky to Freeman Field,
Indiana.
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April 1, 1945--The men of the 477th
protest the strict segregationist policies ordered by base commander Colonel
Robert Selway in a document called Regulation 85-2.
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April 5, 1945--The some black pilots
led by 2nd Lt. Roger C. Terry and Lt. Marsden Thompson try to enter the
segregated officer's club.
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April 9, 1945 -- Base commander Colonel
Robert Selway orders the black officers to sign a statement that they have
read and accepted Regulation 85-2. The 101 officers refuse in what was called
the Freeman Field Incident. [Note: For more information, see the book "The
Tuskegee Airmen Mutiny at Freeman Field" by Lt. Col. James C.
Warren.]
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June, 1945--Colonel Benjamin Davis,
Jr. is named commander of the 477th Composite Group, which includes the 99th
and 100th Fighter Squadrons. They begin training for combat in the Pacific
Theater.
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August 14, 1945--World War II ends
with the surrender of Japan.
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August 12, 1995--The Air Force clears
the service records of Tuskegee Airmen involved in the so called "Freeman
Field Mutiny" vindicating their stand for equality.
