USA HISTORY

____ were African American fighter pilots in WWII.

(A) The Blue Angels

(B) ** The Tuskegee Airmen

(C) The Thunderbirds

(D) The Rough Riders

Concept note-1: -The Tuskegee Airmen /tʌsˈkiːɡiː/ were a group of primarily African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332d Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).

Concept note-2: -The Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 15, 000 sorties between May 1943 and June 1945. Bomber crews often requested to be escorted by these “Red Tails, ” a nicknamed acquired from the painted tails of Tuskegee fighter planes, which were a distinctive deep red. Sixty-six Tuskegee Airmen died in combat.

Concept note-3: -The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African American military aviators in the United States armed forces. During their years of operation, 1940 to 1946, 996 pilots were trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field.

Concept note-4: -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.