[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 134 (Thursday, September 17, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1308]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





          HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF CALVIN GEORGE MORET

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CEDRIC L. RICHMOND

                              of louisiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 17, 2015

  Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Calvin 
George Moret, the last surviving Louisiana member of the Tuskegee 
Airmen, a group of African-American pilots who fought in World War II 
and were the first African-American pilots in the United States 
military. Mr. Moret passed away on September 12, 2015, at the age of 
90.
   Mr. Moret entered the military in 1943 and trained as a military 
pilot at Tuskegee, Alabama, receiving his wings and commission as a 
Flight Officer on November 20, 1944. His preparation for overseas 
combat duty continued through the end of the war in Europe and then 
through the end of the war in the Pacific. He was discharged from 
military service on January 31, 1946.
   Following his discharge from military duty he returned to the family 
printing business, Moret Press. To help the family business Moret 
needed to look outside of New Orleans for school, because segregation 
laws prohibited him from studying at Delgado Trade School. He was able 
to gain admission to the printing department at Southern University in 
Baton Rouge and completed the course.
   Mr. Moret's flying experience did not stop upon discharge from the 
military. In the spring of 1949, he and his brother Adolph, who had 
learned to fly before the war, formed a flying club. Along with twenty 
other men, they purchased a 3-place Piper Super Cruiser airplane and 
hangered it at Lakefront Airport in New Orleans until the summer of 
1953, where they introduced members to the miracle of human flight.
   On June 17, 2008, as a result of Hurricane Katrina and the flooding 
aftermath that decimated the city, Moret Press was destroyed and the 
family was separated for months. The business has not operated since 
the Friday before the hurricane struck.
   Following the release of ``The Tuskegee Airmen'' movie in 1995, Mr. 
Moret frequently lectured about his experiences and promoting the proud 
history of African-American accomplishments in American life.
   In 2007, Mr. Moret was present when he Tuskegee Airmen received the 
Congressional Gold Medal in the rotunda of the Capitol.
   Mr. Moret was a trailblazer, clearing the path for countless men and 
women of color to enter the military and fight to defend their country. 
He will be sorely missed by his family, his friends, and all of those 
who are able to pursue their dreams because of his courage. His memory 
will serve an inspiration for generations to come.
   Mr. Speaker, as a beneficiary of Mr. Moret's courage, commitment and 
sacrifice, I celebrate his life and legacy, because he has made America 
a more perfect union.

                          ____________________