[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 126 (Thursday, July 28, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING THE LIFE OF JAMES SHIPLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BLAINE LUETKEMEYER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 28, 2022

  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a 
great man who served his country valiantly during World War II. Mr. 
James Shipley sadly passed away on July 21st at the age of 99. At only 
19 years of age, Mr. Shipley made the decision to go to his local 
recruiting station and serve his country during a time of war. Little 
did Mr. Shipley know this decision would have him in one of the most 
respected military organizations from World War II which would pave the 
way for African Americans service in the armed forces.
  Prior to his enlistment Mr. Shipley had worked as a mechanic. With 
that experience he was selected to serve as a mechanic for military 
aircraft. He completed his basic training at the Tuskegee Institute, 
the exact site selected to train the primarily black squadrons that 
would later be known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
  Once his preparatory training had completed, he and the rest of his 
squadron boarded ships bound for overseas service. In January of 1944, 
Mr. Shipley was assigned to the 332nd Fighter Group based in Italy. For 
21 months, he and his fellow mechanics kept many aircrafts such as the 
P-39s, P-40s, P-47s, and P-51s in top condition. During this time the 
Tuskegee Pilots flew nearly twice as many missions as their fellow 
pilots due to the shortage of pilots in the 332nd Fighter Group. The 
group escorted over 200 bombing missions and during that time they 
logged over 15,500 sorties which destroyed over 400 enemy aircraft and 
ammunition sites.
  After the Surrender of Germany, Mr. Shipley would soon return home to 
Tipton, Missouri where he spent time at various jobs until he became a 
mechanic for a local electric cooperative until he retired in 1985. In 
2007, he, alongside other Tuskegee Airmen received their replicas of 
the Congressional Gold Medal for their valiant efforts in defeating the 
Axis powers in World War II.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring an American hero, Mr. James 
Shipley, for the life he lived and the thousands of lives he changed.

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