[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12569]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN IN CELEBRATION OF OBERLIN, OHIO'S 
                         JUNETEENTH CEREMONIES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 15, 2007

  Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 
Tuskegee Airmen who were recently awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, 
specifically seven men being honored by their home community of 
Oberlin, Ohio in its annual Juneteenth celebration: Norman E. Proctor, 
Wayman E. Scott, Ferrier H. White, William Young, Gilbert Cargill, 
Perry Young, and William L. Williams, Jr.
  On March 29, 2007, we were privileged to be witnesses to history as 
the largest group ever to be awarded a Congressional Gold Medal was 
honored in the Capitol rotunda. The elder men and their families who 
joined us that day were there not only to be feted for their own 
achievements, but represented dozens more of these gallant heroes who 
could not be there. I am proud that many residents in our own Ninth 
Congressional District of Ohio were part of this elite cadre of men.
  The story of the Tuskegee Airmen continues to unfold, for they were 
truly unsung heroes of their time. Their outstanding service during 
World War II became legendary. Even while they fought a common enemy in 
foreign lands, they also fought racism at home. Despite discrimination 
they helped to tear down racial barriers in the U.S. armed services. 
History books tell the story that no U.S. military pilot was African-
American prior to World War II. Eventually, in 1941, guided by leaders 
of the African-American civil rights movement the United States 
Congress directed the Army Air Corps to form an all-black combat unit. 
In June of that year, the 99th Fighter Squadron was formed at the 
Tuskegee Institute, a well-regarded university founded by national 
leader Booker T. Washington in Tuskegee, Alabama. The squadron was 
placed under the command of Capt. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., one of the 
few African-American West Point graduates.
  During World War II the Tuskegee Airmen flew escort for heavy 
bombers, established an impressive combat record, and often entered 
combat against greater numbers of superior German aircraft. By war's 
end, the unit was credited with shooting down 109 Luftwaffe aircraft 
and destroying numerous fuel dumps, trucks and trains. The squadrons of 
the 332nd Fighter Group flew more than 15,000 sorties on 1,500 
missions.
  The unit was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission 
flown on March 24, 1945, escorting B-17s to bomb the Daimler-Benz tank 
factory at Berlin, Germany, an action in which its pilots destroyed 
three Me-262 jets in aerial combat. The meritorious individual 
achievements of the pilots were also recognized. Together, the Tuskegee 
Airmen were awarded 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, seven Silver 
Stars, fourteen Bronze Stars, and 744 Air Medals. From 1940 to 1946, 
992 pilots were trained as Tuskegee Airmen. Of these, 445 went overseas 
and 150 lost their lives in service to our Nation and freedom's cause.
  Booker T. Washington once noted that ``A life is not worth much of 
which it cannot be said, when it comes to its close, that it was 
helpful to humanity.'' The corps of airmen who hailed from the school 
Mr. Washington founded most assuredly fulfilled that destiny. Our world 
remains profoundly grateful.

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