[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 1, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H3549-H3553]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING TUSKEGEE AIRMEN AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION IN CREATING AN 
                   INTEGRATED UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 417) honoring the Tuskegee Airmen 
and their contribution in creating an integrated United States Air 
Force, the world's foremost Air and Space Supremacy Force.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 417

       Whereas the United States is currently combating terrorism 
     around the world and is highly dependent on the global reach 
     and presence provided by the Air Force;
       Whereas these operations require the highest skill and 
     devotion to duty from all personnel involved;
       Whereas the Tuskegee Airmen proved that such skill and 
     devotion, and not skin color, are the determining factors in 
     aviation;
       Whereas the Tuskegee Airmen served honorably in the Second 
     World War struggle against global fascism; and
       Whereas the example of the Tuskegee Airmen has encouraged 
     millions of Americans of every race to pursue careers in air 
     and space technology: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the United 
     States Air Force should continue to honor and learn from the 
     example provided by the Tuskegee Airmen as it faces the 
     challenges of the 21st century and the war on terror.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole).


                             General Leave

  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H. Con. Res. 417.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Oklahoma?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter), the author of this resolution.
  (Mr. PORTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, the storied history of our Nation's Armed 
Forces was written by the great men and women who served our country 
with honor and bravery. This past weekend, we celebrated the 
commemoration of a monument to World War II honoring all military 
veterans of the war, citizens on the home front, the Nation at large, 
and the high moral purpose and idealism that motivated our Nation's 
call to arms. In my home State of Nevada, I had the honor of spending 
Memorial Day at several events honoring veterans, many of whom served 
during World War II.
  Among the most courageous of all those who served our country was a 
group of men who defied both fascism abroad and racism at home while 
establishing a record as one of the most successful fighting units in 
American history.
  The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of dedicated and determined young 
men who enlisted to become America's first African American airmen. 
These airmen were trained at Tuskegee Army Airfield in Tuskegee, 
Alabama, beginning in 1941. Over the course of their service during 
World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen distinguished themselves over the 
skies of Europe.
  Airmen trained at Tuskegee received two Presidential Unit citations 
for outstanding tactical air support and aerial combat, and they 
established the incredible and unprecedented record of flying more than 
200 bomber escort missions without the loss of a single bomber to enemy 
aircraft. The outstanding record of these men was accomplished while 
fighting two wars, one against military forces overseas and the other 
against racism both at home and abroad.
  Over the course of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen returned home 
with some of our Nation's highest military honors, including 150 
Distinguished Flying Crosses, 744 Air Medals, eight Purple Hearts, and 
14 Bronze Stars. In addition, these brave pilots destroyed more than 
1,000 German aircraft.
  Many Americans became aware of the accomplishments of the Tuskegee 
Airmen from the 1995 feature film starring Lawrence Fishburn called 
``The Tuskegee Airmen.'' My first personal experience with these fine 
men came through a former member of my staff, Traci Scott, now serving 
with the Pentagon in Baghdad, whose father served with the Airmen, 
Captain Jesse H. Scott. After hearing his story, I wanted to do 
something special to honor this brave and honored group of soldiers.
  Captain Scott was an original member of the Tuskegee Airmen. In fact, 
he was so eager to join that he lied about his age to get accepted. As 
he progressed through flight training, Captain Scott learned he was 
color blind and went on to serve on the ground crew of General Ben 
Davis. Captain Scott passed away in the year 2000, and he is honored 
being buried in Arlington Cemetery.
  I am proud to offer a resolution in honor of Captain Scott and 
honoring

[[Page H3550]]

the Tuskegee Airmen for their contributions to our Nation and the 
example they continue to offer us today.
  I also had the opportunity to meet with Mr. George Sherman, another 
former Tuskegee Airman, who now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. I was 
privileged to spend the morning with Mr. Sherman and his son as he 
shared with me firsthand accounts of what it was like to be a Tuskegee 
Airman. Mr. Sherman's memories and photos provided a small glimpse into 
the life of these men and how their life was led. Mr. Sherman and his 
son now travel to various schools sharing the story of the Tuskegee 
Airmen and are also actively involved in the Young Eagles program 
encouraging students to become more involved in aviation.
  As a Tuskegee Airman, George Sherman gained a lifelong love of 
aviation, and today he continues to share that love as he passes his 
knowledge and experience to new generations.
  I urge Members to join in recognizing the accomplishments of this 
unique group of American heroes as our Nation engages in combating 
terrorism around the world. We rely upon the global reach and the 
presence provided by our Air Force. Mr. Speaker, the example set by the 
Tuskegee Airmen encouraged millions of Americans of every race to 
pursue careers in space and air technology. The Tuskegee Airmen proved 
that skill and determination, not skin color, are the determining 
factors in aviation.
  Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 417, 
introduced by the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter). This resolution 
recognizes and honors the Tuskegee Airmen for their contribution in 
World War II that led to the creation of an integrated United States 
Air Force.
  The Tuskegee Airmen not only faced the dangers of war but they did so 
in the face of prejudice and discrimination back home. Prior to 1940, 
African Americans were denied the opportunity to fly military aircraft. 
However, after pressure from civil rights organizations and others, the 
Army Air Force began a program to train African Americans as military 
pilots. The so-called ``Tuskegee Experiment'' began on July 19, 1941, 
at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. The institute, founded by Booker 
T. Washington in 1881, provided the primary flight training for the 
first fighter pilots and became the center of African American aviation 
during World War II.
  The Tuskegee Airmen included not only fighter pilots but also 
navigators, bombardiers, maintenance and support personnel that 
provided support for the famed 99th Fighter Squadron and the 332nd 
Fighter Group.
  I think of one of my constituents, Mr. Milton Crenshaw from Arkansas, 
who was one of the pilot instructors. In 1939, he took a bus from 
Little Rock to Tuskegee, a young, African American man seeking a career 
in car engineering at the Tuskegee Institute only to be drawn into the 
excitement of flight. He became one of the few African American pilot 
instructors in America and taught numerous Tuskegee Airmen of the 99th 
Fighter Wing how to fly. The 99th Fighter Squadron, led by the late 
General Ben Davis, was originally sent to North Africa but moved to the 
European continent and flew over Anzio in 1944. The 99th held the 
record of 200 combat missions without losing a single bomber to enemy 
fire.
  The men and women who were part of the Tuskegee experience proved 
that service, duty, and country were not limited by the color of a 
person's skin, but that all Americans regardless of race could succeed 
through hard work, dedication, and commitment. While their training 
occurred under a segregated condition, their focus was on the goal of 
all pilots regardless of race: avoidance of abrupt and surprising 
contact with Mother Earth.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to request consideration of 
H. Con. Res. 417 because this resolution honors a remarkable group of 
African Americans who played a pivotal role in the military history of 
our country. They are not the only segregated unit to do so, of course. 
The 54th Massachusetts during the Civil War, the 9th and 10th Buffalo 
Calvary, which were honored with the name Buffalo Soldiers by their 
native American adversaries in the latter part of the 19th century, a 
group which constructed Fort Sill in my own district and won lasting 
fame there. And of course more recently, the 761st Tank Battalion whose 
exploits have been chronicled in a fine volume by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
  But today, we are here to honor the Tuskegee Airmen who with their 
professionalism, their skill, and courage not only made an important 
contribution to fighting tyranny during the Second World War but also 
helped to forge the United States Air Force into the world's dominant 
air and space team.
  On July 19, 1941, the Army Air Force began a program in Alabama at 
the Tuskegee Institute to train African Americans as military pilots. 
The primary flight training was conducted by the Division of 
Aeronautics at the institute founded by Booker T. Washington, and the 
transition to combat aircraft was conducted at nearby Tuskegee Army 
Airfield.
  The first group of pilots completed training 9 months later in March 
1942. Among that vanguard group was then-Captain Benjamin O. Davis, 
Jr., a future living legend in the Air Force who went on to become one 
of its greatest leaders. In the National Defense Authorization Act for 
fiscal year 1999, the Congress authorized the President to advance 
Lieutenant General Davis to the grade of General on the retired list of 
the United States Air Force.
  That initial group of Tuskegee pilots was assigned to the famous 99th 
Fighter Squadron, which was eventually deployed on May 31, 1943, to fly 
P-40 Warhawks in combat missions in North Africa, Sicily, and 
throughout Italy. Later Tuskegee graduates were assigned to the 332nd 
Fighter Group and began overseas combat operations in Italy flying the 
P-40 and P-39 Airacobra.
  Before the war ended, the Tuskegee program had graduated 992 pilots 
and 450 Tuskegee Airmen had flown over 15,000 combat sorties overseas. 
Approximately 150 men had been killed over the course of the program, 
with 66 killed in action. The combat record of these segregated units 
was superb. They destroyed or damaged 136 enemy aircraft in air-to-air 
combat and another 273 on the ground. They were highly decorated with 
over 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses being awarded to African American 
pilots.
  The most impressive achievement of the 332nd Fighter Group was flying 
over 200 bomber escort missions over Central and Southern Europe 
without losing a single bomber to enemy aircraft. This unprecedented 
record was not lost on enemy fighter pilots who often elected to avoid 
attacking bomber formations when they realized that the fighter escort 
was the Red Tail fighters of the 332nd.
  The challenges confronted by the Tuskegee Airmen were not limited to 
the wartime skies over Europe. Each of these men proudly met all 
challenges with skill and determination when racism and bigotry had 
caused lesser men to harass them and to seek their failure. There are a 
number of ways for men to display courage in their lives, but seldom 
are men confronted with as many tests of courage as were the Tuskegee 
Airmen; and very few men can claim as successful and enduring a legacy 
as they.
  These combat pioneers distinguished themselves throughout their 
service in war and peace and over time redefined America's 
understanding of African Americans as warriors and leaders and set the 
stage for the racially integrated Air Force that achieved so much in 
the years to follow.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter) for 
introducing this resolution. I feel very fortunate to have had the 
opportunity to address the House on this issue and recognize the 
contributions of Tuskegee Airmen to America.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis), formerly from Arkansas.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Nevada 
(Mr. Porter) for introducing this legislation.

[[Page H3551]]

  It just happens that yesterday I spent part of the morning with 
several former, and one is never a former Tuskegee Airman, with several 
Tuskegee Airmen as we gathered, as we do every Memorial Day, at the 
Oakwood Cemetery in Chicago, to pay tribute to veterans and especially 
to our former mayor, Harold Washington. Of course, we got wet in the 
rain because these guys would never quit until they accomplished what 
they set out to do.
  All African Americans that I know take great pride in Tuskegee 
Institute, the institution founded by Booker Washington; but they take 
even greater pride in the exploits of this group of airmen who learned 
to fly, many of whom had no idea as they were growing up that they 
would get an opportunity to sail like a bird across the sky.

                              {time}  1445

  I have been fortunate to interact with the Dodo Chapter, and one of 
my most prized possessions is a jacket that they gave me one year that 
I still have, because every year we also honor African American women 
who pioneered in aviation. I am also fortunate because every year I 
have a picnic and parade for kids to go back to school, and the 
Tuskegee Airmen always fly a formation across the site of our picnic. 
So I say thanks to them on a very personal basis.
  My good friend Roy Chappell was president of the Dodo Chapter for a 
number of years; Mr. Rufus Hunt is their historian; and, yes, they have 
created and provide a great legacy; and they teach young African 
American children how to fly.
  I have been able to send a large number of youngsters, and they take 
them, and they used to use Meigs Field until it was closed, and now 
they use the airport in Gary, Indiana, and they take these young inner-
city children for their first ride in an airplane. So I salute their 
past exploits, but I also commend them for what they are doing today to 
continue this great legacy and this great tradition.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton).
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. 
Snyder) for yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to support this resolution honoring 
the Tuskegee Airmen and their valuable contribution to the United 
States of America.
  During the Second World War, the Army Air Force, as it was then 
known, and now, of course, known as the United States Air Force, played 
a vital role in achieving allied victory, particularly in Europe. With 
their superior aviation skills and with courage in the face of danger, 
the men who flew for the Army Air Force demonstrated the true meaning 
of honor.
  While World War II was being fought to provide human dignity and 
freedom to millions of people there on the European continent, here at 
home there were millions of people prevented on a daily basis from 
exercising full freedom and full equality.
  The Tuskegee Airmen were the first to break that cycle in the 
military and to emerge as highly qualified pilots in the United States. 
They proved that race does not matter, they proved that where you come 
from does not matter, and it does not matter whether anyone else thinks 
you are capable. The only thing that matters is that you devote 
yourself to your talents and let history take it from there, and that 
is just what happened. As a matter of fact, the Tuskegee Airmen, in 
escorting bombers on to the European continent, never lost a bomber 
that they were escorting; and they were sought after by the bomber 
pilots because of their tremendous record and tremendous skill.
  The Tuskegee Airmen led the way in opening doors for people from all 
races and all walks of life to follow their dreams of aviation and 
military service. Of course, I am very pleased that it was our own 
Missourian, Harry S. Truman, who integrated the Armed Forces in 1948 
after this very positive effort by the Tuskegee Airmen during the 
Second World War.
  As highly skilled pilots, the Tuskegee Airmen made great 
contributions to the fields of military air as well as space 
technology. The Nation owes these men a debt of gratitude for having 
the courage to stand up for something in which they believed and for 
forcing the rest of the Nation to look past its prejudices and truly 
appreciate the skills and loyalty with which they served our Nation. I 
am honored to stand here today and support this important resolution.
  As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, on two occasions I had the honor of 
being with Tuskegee Airmen. The first was a dinner where I was the 
Speaker at an event at then Richards Gebaur Air Force Base south of 
Kansas City, where Tuskegee Airmen from all across the country were 
honored; and another time at Ramstein Air Force Base, where a leader of 
that group was honored at a luncheon. So it is with great pride that I 
am here to speak in favor of this resolution.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer a personal observation that was 
actually provoked by the gentleman from Missouri.
  My father was a member of the United States Army Air Force. He joined 
in 1940. He grew up in a time and in a place where segregation was a 
very common thing, and not only common in the culture, but legal, 
recognized by law, enforced by law, and he thought joining the United 
States Army Air Corps was a way out and a way up for him, and it 
certainly was, given his background and given his station in life.
  But it did more than that. Over the course of his lifetime, it 
transformed his views, it widened his horizons. He often talked about 
the United States Air Force or the Army Air Corps and later the Air 
Force to me as I grew up. I actually grew up when he was still a member 
of that. And he reflected on the tremendous lesson it had taught him 
about humanity, about the wonderful diversity of America and about the 
equality of all men in combat and all men under the law.
  He often cited, frankly, the Tuskegee Airmen as people who had begun 
the transformation of the South, had begun the transformation of race 
in this country and had contributed mightily.
  So it is a particular honor again to recognize these people, who were 
not only so brave in defending their country and so skilled in combat 
that they were recognized by their enemy but who taught us Americans a 
far greater lesson than we could expect any group of men to do, who 
reminded us again of the unfulfilled ideals of our country and moved us 
toward the ultimate realization of those ideals.
  Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the House to support this resolution that 
recognizes not only the contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen to World 
War II but also how they helped transform America.
  Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in favor of H. Con. Res. 417, the 
Tuskegee Airmen Recognition Resolution. Books and movies both document 
the historic achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen. Today, I urge my 
colleagues to pass this resolution confirming the renown of these World 
War II heroes. Despite racial segregation and discrimination, the 
Tuskegee Airmen lived up to the words of General MacArthur, years 
before he spoke them: ``Yours is the profession of arms, the will to 
win, the sure knowledge that in war there is no substitute for victory 
. . . the very obsession of your public service must be duty, honor, 
country.''
  The Tuskegee Airmen were dedicated young men who became America's 
first African-American airmen, defying the many people who thought they 
lacked the intelligence, skill, courage, and patriotism to fly. 
Training for the first aviation class began in July 1941 and ended 9 
months later in May 1942 with the successful graduation of five of the 
13 original cadets. From 1942 until 1946, the Tuskegee Experiment 
produced nearly 1,000 pilots, with 450 serving overseas in the 99th 
Fighter Squadron and the 332nd Fighter Group. The 332nd flew 1,578 
missions which involved nearly 16,000 sorties and accumulated 111 kills 
(plus one destroyer sunk using a plane's machine gun).
  The feats of the Tuskegee Airmen weren't limited to its aviators. For 
every mission flown, there were scores of men and women who performed 
ground-support duty as aircraft and engine mechanics, armament 
specialists, radio repairmen, parachute riggers, control tower 
operators, military policemen, and administrative clerks. Their 
achievements represented a true team effort. The unit was highly 
decorated, earning 150 Distinguished Flying

[[Page H3552]]

Crosses, 744 Air Medals, 8 Purple Hearts and 14 Bronze Stars. But their 
most important achievement was never losing a single bomber to enemy 
aircraft--the only escort unit to earn that record.
  The impact of the Tuskegee Airmen was felt well beyond the skies of 
Europe and North Africa. Their actions spearheaded and influenced 
social changes back home, and resulted in the integration of our Armed 
Forces. In 1948, President Harry Truman enacted Executive Order Number 
9981 which directed equality of treatment and opportunity in all of the 
United States Armed Services. This order not only led to the end of 
racial segregation in the military; it was also a long step towards 
racial integration in the United States.
  I proudly salute the Tuskegee Airmen and ask my colleagues to support 
this resolution.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support this 
important resolution and to send a word of thanks to Mr. Porter of 
Nevada as well as to the Members of the House Committee on Armed 
Services for having passed it. At a time when we must deal with a human 
rights crisis potentially perpetrated by our own military, it is 
admirable that we now highlight a positive example of respect for human 
rights and civil rights in our Armed Forces.
  In conjunction with the ``Wings Over Houston Air Show'' (WOHA) that 
took place in Houston during this past fall school semester, five 
members of the famed Tuskegee Airmen visited middle and high school 
students at M.O. Campbell Educational Center in Houston's Aldine 
Independent School District. Lt. Col. Lee Archer, Lt. Col. Charles 
McGee, Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr., Lt. Col. Herbert ``Gene'' Carter and 
George Watson, Sr. visited with Leadership Officer Training Corps 
(LOTC) and Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) students to 
talk about their roles as pilots and ground support personnel during 
World War II and how their presence in the armed forces helped to break 
down racial barriers for those who came after them. I am proud to also 
acknowledge my father-in-law Philip Lee, a committed and dedicated 
Tuskegee Airman, his service contributed to the finest servicing their 
country well in time of war.
  One of the things that stood out was a question that Lt. Col. Charles 
McGee posed before leaving the students:

       Think about this, you are going to be responsible for what 
     happens in this country for the next 15 or so years . . . 
     What will you contribute to it?

  I highlighted this question because it is very applicable to the 
current situation that we face in Abu Ghraib. We must be accountable 
for the way we treat our brothers as well as our foreign neighbors. The 
human rights element of the civil rights struggle for African Americans 
can be used to guide our actions today in Iraq and every day. Because 
of the fortitude and commitment shown by the Tuskegee Airmen, our Armed 
Forces have the talent and skill that allow us to sleep at night 
knowing that we are in the most capable hands.
  A program began on July 19, 1941 in Alabama to train black Americans 
as military pilots. Flight training was conducted by the Division of 
Aeronautics of Tuskegee Institute, the famed school of learning founded 
by Booker T. Washington in 1881. Once a cadet completed primary 
training at Tuskegee's Moton Field, he was sent to nearby Tuskegee Army 
Air Field for completion of flight training and for transition to 
combat type aircraft. The first classes of Tuskegee airmen were trained 
to be fighter pilots for the famous 99th Fighter Squadron, slated for 
combat duty in North Africa. Additional pilots were assigned to the 
332d Fighter Group which flew combat along with the 99th Squadron from 
bases in Italy.
  In Sept. 1943, a twin-engine training program was begun at Tuskegee 
to provide bomber pilots. However, World War II ended before these men 
were able to get into combat. By the end of the war, 992 men had 
graduated from pilot training at Tuskegee. 450 of these men were sent 
overseas for combat assignment. Approximately 150 lost their lives 
while in training or on combat flights. More men were trained at 
Tuskegee for aircrew and ground crew duties--flight engineers, gunners, 
mechanics, and armorers.
  Mr. Speaker, as we move forward in the international fight against 
terrorism, the spirit and tenacity of the Tuskegee Airmen must inspire 
us to fight terror together as a team. The team must be comprised of 
all of our international neighbors. I support this resolution and am 
honored to share these words.
  Ms. KILPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I welcome the opportunity to speak in 
support of this resolution honoring the Tuskegee Airmen. It is only 
fitting after coming off a Memorial Day weekend where we celebrated and 
remembered those who served our country in World War II that we pay 
tribute to the contributions the Tuskegee Airmen made to the Allied 
victory. They did more than just help win the war. The Tuskegee Airmen 
had a major impact on the U.S. armed services, in general, and our air 
force in particular.
  The men of Tuskegee overcame prejudice, racism and bigotry in order 
to serve their country. In many quarters, they were not wanted. 
Tuskegee trainees were expelled from the flight-training program for 
the slightest reasons, but they would not be denied the opportunity to 
do their duty for their country. They were determined to overcome 
tremendous obstacles because they had to exceed standards established 
for regular recruits. From them, more was expected, and to the benefit 
of our country, more was given. The Tuskegee pilots who survived a 
rigorous training program were an elite and highly motivated group.
  The Tuskegee Airmen were organized in 1941 when plans were approved 
to establish a segregated air unit, the 99th Pursuit Squadron, and base 
it near Tuskegee, Alabama. They provided close air support and bomber 
escort missions and saw action in Italy, the Mediterranean, North 
Africa, and the bombing of Berlin.
  In World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen compiled a record of shooting 
down 111 enemy aircraft and destroyed another 150 aircraft on the 
ground. They destroyed transport railroads, sank a Germany destroyer 
and 40 other boats and barges. Some 450 pilots flew combat missions. 
They flew 200 bomber escort missions against some of the most heavily 
defended targets in Hitler's Germany and never lost a bomber to the 
German Luftwaffe.
  They played a vital role in defending our country against the Axis 
powers and just as importantly played a major part in breaking down 
racial barriers in the military and American society as a whole. They 
served in the most technically advanced and sophisticated branch of 
America's fighting forces, the Army Air Corps. When they earned their 
wings they engaged in one of the advanced air forces in the world, the 
Luftwaffe. And in doing so, they and we emerged victorious.
  Being privileged to represent a good part of the City of Detroit, I 
am proud to say Detroit hosts the National Museum of the Tuskegee 
Airmen. Among the Tuskegee alumni was our own former Mayor of Detroit, 
Coleman Young. It was in Detroit that the Tuskegee Airmen, Incorporated 
was founded. This organization exists to motivate and inspire young 
Americans to pursue careers in aviation, aerospace, the military and to 
become active participants in civic affairs. We in Detroit have a close 
affinity with the Tuskegee Airmen, and I thank the leadership for 
allowing this resolution to be scheduled for today.
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the Tuskegee Airmen, 
African-American pioneers for their courageous service to our country 
and lasting legacy of valor and military excellence. I strongly support 
H. Con. Res. 417 in honoring the Tuskegee Airmen and their contribution 
in creating an integrated United States Air Force, the world's foremost 
Air and Space Supremacy Force.
  The service that the Tuskegee Airmen performed during World War II 
for our country was extraordinary. In a time of racial turmoil they 
dedicated their lives and served this country to their fullest 
capability. They simultaneously defied the odds and limitations set 
both abroad and at home. These men overcame what were seemingly 
insurmountable obstacles at the time and are regarded as American 
military pioneers.
  The Tuskegee Airmen epitomize the American dream. History shows that 
blacks had been trying to gain entrance into the Army Air Corps since 
World War I. By the end of World War II the Tuskegee Airmen had 
received 95 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 744 Air Medals and Clusters, 
a Legion of Merit, completed 1,578 missions and 15,553 sorties, and 
graduated 993 pilots. They had gone from being barred from the Air 
Corps to being regarded as one of the most successful units in American 
history. The Tuskegee Airmen were called upon by our country and 
willingly accepted the challenge. They proved that skill and dedication 
were the determining factors of success, not race or skin color.
  The Tuskegee Airmen continue to serve as role models for members of 
the armed forces throughout the world. Many of their combat records are 
unmatched today and their sacrifices must never be forgotten. These 
courageous men embody the spirit of America and are an integral part of 
our nation's history. It is only appropriate that servicemen of such 
valor be acknowledged.
  Ms. MAJETTE. Mr. Speaker, as we stand here on the heels of Memorial 
Day, a time for honoring those who have fought and died to preserve our 
freedom, I rise to add my voice to the growing chorus of those singing 
the praises of the Tuskegee Airmen.
  When the brave men and women of our armed services swear their 
enlistment oath, they pledge to defend the Constitution against enemies 
both foreign and domestic. And although the Tuskegee Airmen won many a 
battle in the skies over North Africa and Europe, it is their triumph 
over oppression at home that counts as their greatest victory.
  From their inception at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in the summer of 
1941, to their first

[[Page H3553]]

combat in North Africa in 1943, to President Truman's desegregation 
order in 1948, the Tuskegee Airmen battled racism and hatred at every 
turn.
  They represented their country when we needed them most, and, despite 
all hardships, they did so with class, professionalism, and excellence, 
earning distinction among the Army Air Corps' most decorated pilots.
  The Tuskegee Airmen served with pride and honor, and returned home to 
find that the freedoms they had fought so hard to preserve were not 
extended to them. Instead of being welcomed as the heroes they were, 
they faced intense segregation in the very land many of them gave their 
lives to protect. Still, they held their heads high and continued to 
struggle for justice and equality, this time not in a far-of nation, 
but from their homes in rural Alabama.
   Mr. Speaker, we are all beneficiaries of the work of these brave men 
both at home and abroad, and I am privileged to count several of them 
among my constituents.
  Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Upton). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
417.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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