What did the War Department say at first about allowing African American soldiers to serve as pilots?
They said everyone should get a fair chance at learning to fly
They said African American soldiers weren't capable of learning how to fly an airplane
What important job did the Tuskegee Airmen have in the Army Air Corp?
They escorted bombers to their targets
They served as ground forces in the Pacific Theater
They escorted bombers to their targets.
Website Excerpt-
"From 1941-1946, some 1,000 Black pilots were trained at Tuskegee.
The Airmen's success in escorting bombers during World War II – having one of the lowest loss records of all the escort fighter groups, and being in constant demand for their services by the allied bomber units.- is a record unmatched by any other fighter group."
How did African American soldiers serve in the U.S military during WWII? What barriers did they face?
Write 1-2 sentences.
Many served as....
African American soldiers faced...
They proved that...
Many served as ground forces, but some also served as pilots and other roles.
African American soldiers faced discrimination, segregation, and were often denied opportunities for advancement.
They proved that they were just as capable and brave as their white counterparts despite facing systemic racism within the military and society overall.
Picture Reflection
Airmen Marcellus G. Smith and Roscoe C. Brown in Italy, 1945
Complete these THREE sentence starters about this picture:
1. The first thing I notice about this picture is…
2. This picture is connected to this topic because…
3. This picture makes me wonder about...
Captionless Image
1. The first thing I notice about this picture is the two men, Marcellus G. Smith and Roscoe C. Brown, standing in front of a plane wearing their military uniforms with serious expressions on their faces.
2. This picture is connected to the Tuskegee Airmen, as the two men were likely part of the famous all-Black U.S. Army Air Corps unit and were likely stationed in Italy during World War II.
3. This picture makes me wonder about the experiences and challenges these two men may have faced as Black pilots in a mostly white military. I also wonder about their accomplishments and the impact they had during their service.