[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6258]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING FLIGHT OFFICER WILLIAM A. COLBERT, JR., OF THE TUSKEGEE 
                                 AIRMEN

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I wish to recognize Flight Officer William 
August Colbert, Jr., for his honorable service to the United States as 
a member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. Mr. Colbert is a lifelong 
Marylander who was born in Annapolis and attended Anne Arundel County 
public schools, graduating from Wiley H. Bates High School. Upon his 
graduation, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and was stationed 
in Allegany County, MD where he met and married his wife, the late 
Vivian Lee Colbert. He ultimately made Cumberland his home.
  After spending time working in the Baltimore shipyards, Mr. Colbert 
enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1943 and achieved the rank of flight 
officer at the Tuskegee Army Air Field. He was alerted for overseas 
duty on two occasions, but the war ended prior to his deployment. While 
Mr. Colbert never saw combat, he learned to fly with the best, and 
became a Red Tail. Mr. Colbert has always considered his contribution 
to the Tuskegee Airmen as what he was called to do as a U.S. citizen. 
He did so without expectation of fame or fanfare.
  When Mr. Colbert returned to Cumberland after his military service, 
he worked as a tire builder for the Kelly-Springfield Tire Company for 
33 years until his retirement. He became a member of Fulton Myers 
American Legion Post. He and his wife had two children but lost one due 
to complications of childbirth. They raised their son William Augustus 
Colbert, III, who went to Bowie State University, where he met and 
married his wife Anna Hudson Colbert. Mr. Colbert has been blessed with 
four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Last July, Mr. Colbert 
became a great-great-grandfather. He is an admired family man who has 
opened his home, heart, and talents--including hunting, fishing, 
photography, and jazz--to family and friends alike. Mr. Colbert has 
enjoyed gardening and carpentry, and he personally ensured that the 
U.S. flag was raised and lowered each day on the former Pine Avenue 
playground, which was located directly across the street from his 
house.
  The contributions of Mr. Colbert and his fellow Tuskegee Airmen--the 
first African American combat unit in the Army Air Corps--played a 
crucial role in integrating the U.S. armed services. They helped to 
shatter stereotypes through their distinguished service at home and 
abroad.
  In the 109th Congress, I was honored to cosponsor legislation 
awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the Tuskegee Airmen in 
recognition long overdue of their unique military record, which 
inspired revolutionary reform in the Armed Forces, and to join the 
President of the United States and my colleagues in Congress in 
presenting the medal to 300 members of the Tuskegee Airmen in a 
ceremony in the U.S. Capitol. The medal features three Tuskegee Airmen 
in profile--an officer, a mechanic and a pilot. The eagle symbolizes 
flight, nobility, and the highest ideals of our Nation. The years 1941-
1949 indicate the years during which these airmen were assigned to 
segregated units. The reverse side depicts three types of airplanes 
flown by the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II: the P-40, P-51 and B-25. 
The original gold medal remains on display at the Smithsonian 
Institution.
  Mr. Colbert was in failing health at the time, so he was unable to 
attend that ceremony and be presented with a copy of the medal. I am 
pleased to announce that on Friday, May 15, 2015, Mr. Colbert will 
finally receive the recognition he has earned during a presentation of 
the Congressional Gold Medal along with presentations by State and 
local elected officials, veterans service organizations, and the 
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP, in 
his hometown of Cumberland, MD.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in expressing sincere appreciation and 
congratulations to Mr. Colbert for his outstanding service to our 
country in uniform and in his community.

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