Warfare6 Apr 2022

Tuskegee Airmen: A WW2 Pilot's Story

The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American military aviators in American military history. They faced discrimination and segregation at home but in the skies of Europe, they became one of the most successful and feared fighter units as they escorted bombers on raids in Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Poland and Germany.

In this week's episode from the archive, Dan discovers just how dangerous becoming a Tuskegee Airmen was. We also hear about a fascinating project to recover the wreckage of the downed plane of a Tuskegee Airman and erect a memorial to honour those pilots who gave their lives whilst training. Dan speaks to Wayne Lusardi, State Underwater Archaeologist for Michigan, and Erik Denson, Lead Instructor with Diving With a Purpose, about their important archaeological work.

In the second half of the episode, we hear from Col Harry Stewart Jr., one of the last surviving Tuskegee airmen. Harry discusses his experiences of dogfights in the skies over Europe during World War Two, the discrimination he and his colleagues faced, the progress that he has seen in his lifetime and what it was like to get back into the cockpit of a P-51 Mustang after 70 years.

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