The African American WWI and WWII Experience

An online exhibit devoted to the role of African Americans in The Great War at home and at the front.

[markersofmontgomery]

Sherman W. White, Jr. 1919-1943 First Lieutenant, 99th Fighter Squadron

Sherman Sr. and Nettie White lived at this address on W. Jeff Davis Ave. Both teachers, they taught their children, Sherman Jr., Willia, James and Samson, to love their country and value education. Willia, James and Samson would graduate from college. Sherman Jr. left school at the U. of Chicago to enlist as an Army Air Forces aviation cadet at Tuskegee, Alabama. At Tuskegee were trained the first African-American military aviators in the history of the U.S. Armed Forces. In the third class at Tuskegee, White graduated in May 1942 as a 2nd Lieutenant, allowing him to make the payments on his parents house. White joined the 99th Fighter Squadron at Tuskegee, the U.S. Armed Forces’ first all-black tactical air unit. Willa (WAC) and James White (QM Corps) served in the Army in World War II. Samson later was in the Army in the Korean War. Lt. Sherman White and the 99th moved to North Africa for combat. On July 2, 1943, escorting bombers over the Mediterranean, 99th P-40 fighters intercepted attacking German fighters. While protecting the bombers, the 99th had two of its P-40s shot down into the sea. White was one of the U.S. Armed Forces’ first two black aviators killed in action. (Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Historical Preservation and Promotion Foundation, Alabama Historical Association)

(32.366234 / -86.319612)

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[milwaukeecargo]

P-51 Mustang

[pleasantvile]

P-51C variant in Tuskegee Airmen livery as flown by Commemorative Air Force.

[indypendenthistory]

March 1945. “Tuskegee Airmen series. ‘Escape kits’ (cyanide) being distributed to fighter pilots at air base in Ramitelli, Italy.” Theodore G. Lumpkin Jr., seated, with (L-R): Joseph L. “Joe” Chineworth, Memphis, Class 44-E; Robert C. Robinson, Asheville, Class 44-G; Driskell B. Ponder, Chicago, 43-I; Robert W. Williams, Ottumwa, Iowa, 44-E. Gelatin silver print by Toni Frissell. 

(via Shorpy Historical Photo Archive :: Suicide Rations: 1945)

[formfollowsfunctionjournal]

Mission Briefing

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Tuskegee Airmen The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American military aviators in the United States armed forces. During World War II, African Americans in many U.S. states were still subject to the Jim Crow laws. The American military was racially segregated, as was much of the federal government. The Tuskegee Airmen were subjected to racial discrimination, both within and outside the army. Despite these adversities, they trained and flew with distinction. All black military pilots who trained in the United States trained at Tuskegee, including five Haitians.

[indypendent-thinking]

Lena Horne visiting Tuskegee Airmen in Alabama in 1943

[indypendenthistory]

Lena Horne, shown here with some of the Tuskegee Airmen in 1945, was a favorite of both black and white servicemen during World War II.

(via The Commercial Appeal)

[demons]

[aawwi-blog]

scarligamerluss:

demons: 92nd “Buffalo” Division liberate Genoa, Italy in April 1945.

[awwyisswwii]

Soldiers of the 92nd Infantry Division with a captured German soldier, September 1944

[operationbarbarossa-deactivated]

Sgt. John C. Clark and S/Sgt. Ford M. Shaw of the 93rd Infantry Division clean their rifles in a bivouac area alongside the East West Trail on Bougainville  - 4 April 1944

[awwyisswwii]

May 1, 1944. Members of the US 93rd (93d) Infantry Division, the first African American infantry unit to see action in World War II, on the Numa-Numa Trail, Bougainville (Territory of New Guinea).

[aawwi-blog]

The 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion was the U.S.'s first black paratroopers. They were assigned to the Pacific Northwest during WWII to pioneer the tactic of "smoke jumping". This assignment was due to the Japanese floating fire balloons towards the U.S. and white commanders reluctance at having them serve in the European Theatre. During the Summer of 1945 they took part in 1200 jumps responding to 36 fire calls. 

[humanoidhistory]

A stereographic view of African-American troops taking a break at a railway stop on the way to France, circa 1915. Courtesy of the New York Public Library. (1915 is date give by source.)

[dodlive-blog]

The only African-American ace of World War II, and a former Tuskegee Airman, went on to have a career in the Air Force, as well as success in the business world.

Lee A. Archer joined the Army in 1941 with high hopes of becoming a pilot, but was initially denied because of his race. When the Army’s policy changed about a year later, Archer was accepted to the training program for black aviators at the Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama.

Archer is best known for a day in late 1944 when he was involved in a series of dogfights over German-occupied Hungary. Flying a P-51 Mustang fighter, Archer shot down three German fighters. He would go on to add two more German fighters to his credit to become the first and only African-American ace of the war.

As a civilian, Archer enjoyed even greater success, serving as vice president for urban affairs with General Foods, as CEO of North Street Capital Corp. and chairman of Hudson Commercial Corp. He also served on the board of directors of Beatrice International Foods and the Institute for American Business.

Read the rest of his story here.

[ww2inpictures]

African-American tank crews and their M5 Stuart light tanks wait for orders in Coburg, Germany - 25th of April 1945.

[aawwi-blog]

I'm going to expand this blog to WWII. Here is a shot of my grandfather(right) while serving in England.