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The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-Americans in the U.S. armed forces. Popularly called ‘Tuskegee Airmen’ because they trained in Tuskegee, Alabama, they comprised the 477th Bombardment Group and the 332nd Fighter Group in the United States Army Air Corps or the U.S. Army Air Forces after June 20, 1941. They served with distinction in the European Theatre.
The Tuskegee Airmen became known as ‘Red Tails.’ The sobriquet evolved from the color red painted on the tails of their P-47 and P-51 airplanes. In later years, the Airmen wore red jackets at speaking engagements, a symbol of their historic achievement. Various books, a PBS documentary, a Hollywood movie (“Red Tails”), and a play (“Fly”) chronicle the Tuskegee Airmen’s journey.
Rings of Trust Page 7