Tuskegee Airman Dies at 99

[Aros]

God bless each and every one, only a few left.

A handful of years back I was at our Seattle Museum of Flight looking at the Tuskegee Airmen exhibit and on my way out I noticed a African American gentleman sitting on a nearby bench with a Tuskegee Airman hat on. At the time I just assumed he was a fellow aviation fan, honoring the Tuskegee Airmen. It wasn't until one year I was looking at a reunion photo of the surviving members and I recognized one of them as the man sitting on that bench.

It haunts me to this day that I didn't think to ask him if he was one. I would have given anything to shake the man's hand and listen to anything he wanted to share with me.

https://komonews.com/news/nation-wor...2019-191146986

[Alpha]

Here, here. Rest in peace, courage, and honor.

[Aros]

Amen. It's humbling to consider what they had to overcome racially on top of becoming some of the best flyers in the entire war.

[Grossman56]

Pretty sad to see yet another WWII veteran make his last takeoff. These guys were special, there's just no other way to describe them (and it really doesn't do them justice) but HEROES


Grossman56

[Aros]

Amen brother!

[Hardway]

Roger! I just received an FMS P-51D Red Tail. I didn’t need it, but did it out of respect and to honor our hero brothers and how they served! God bless them all!

[boomer108]

I had the honor and privilege to meet a group of Tuskegee airmen we invited on a local refueling mission during Black History Month during the 90s. A very interesting group of gentlemen indeed. Very sad to loose another one . May God speed.

[Aros]

Roger! I just received an FMS P-51D Red Tail. I didn’t need it, but did it out of respect and to honor our hero brothers and how they served! God bless them all!

Good on ya brother! I remember getting my FMS 1700mm Red Tail Mustang years back and the pilot was white. I was like, "Really FMS?!" :Scared: :Crying: :Not-Talking:

[Hardway]

LOL. Not this time! They figured it out! :(;):Cool:

[Hardway]

And with FMS, you mean he was PINK! LOL:):):Confused:

[Hardway]

Really pink! :Silly:

[BluesDragon]

Riding with the PGR (Patriot Guard Riders) back in the day, I had the pleasure of shaking the hand of one of these great servicemen during a funeral we stood for. I'm ashamed to admit I can not recall the gentleman's name, but it was an honor I'll never forget...

[Hardway]

Riding with the PGR (Patriot Guard Riders) back in the day, I had the pleasure of shaking the hand of one of these great servicemen during a funeral we stood for. I'm ashamed to admit I can not recall the gentleman's name, but it was an honor I'll never forget...

Roger that! The guy who owned our deer camp was one of their mechanics. What a great gentleman! :Cool:

[Hardway]

Inells Goode. Thank you Sir! :Crying:

[Gringotuerto]

I met Lt Col Friend back in 2015, and he autographed the canopy of my Tuskegee P-51. So I re-did the whole plane as his "Bunny." He was super nice and had a ton of amazing stories. For example, we were talking about how he got started, and he said when they were learning aerial gunnery, they had some trainer where the synchronizing gear malfunctioned and shot a hole through the prop. So to balance the prop, the crew drilled an equivalent hole in the opposite blade! LOL, wartime maintenance, I guess. Farewell, Robert.Friend. A great hero and a great person.

[Aros]

Great story, thanks for sharing!

[Hardway]

I met Lt Col Friend back in 2015, and he autographed the canopy of my Tuskegee P-51. So I re-did the whole plane as his "Bunny." He was super nice and had a ton of amazing stories. For example, we were talking about how he got started, and he said when they were learning aerial gunnery, they had some trainer where the synchronizing gear malfunctioned and shot a hole through the prop. So to balance the prop, the crew drilled an equivalent hole in the opposite blade! LOL, wartime maintenance, I guess. Farewell, Robert.Friend. A great hero and a great person.

AMEN!!!! True hero for sure!!! God Speed and rest your soul now... You earned it!!! Thank you for our Freedom!!!

[Grossman56]

You just have to love these guys! Here was our country at a time when we wouldn't cut a fellow American an even break. In spite of this, they went to war to fight for their country and proved beyond any doubt that people of color were just as capable as anyone out there. In fact, their record says they were better!!
# 1 in my books, and so is every veteran who stood between us and evil, thanks guys and girls, past present and future.

Grossman56

[Aros]

I hate racism of any kind and that is why I was especially drawn towards the Tuskegee Airmen and what they had to endure not only in the skies but on the ground. And to not only prevail but EXCEL and be widely considered the best fighters in the war is simply extraordinary and cannot be overstated enough in my book. Hat's off to them all, and to piggy back on Grossman's sentiment, and to all of our brave men and women who put themselves in harms way to protect our freedom.