University honors Tuskegee Airmen with Presidential Medallion
Two U of I alumni were among the
contingent of the famed Tuskegee Airmen
and their families invited to the Urbana
campus during fall 2007 semester and
honored with Presidential Medallions.
Captain Harvey Alexander '47, the first
black to matriculate in the College of
Commerce, came back to the Urbana
campus from his home in North Carolina.
The other alumnus, Col. Charles McGee
'42, had a previous commitment at the
Truman Library and was represented by
his niece.
Before they could fight the enemy, the
Tuskegee Airmen had to fight racism
to become the first black pilots in the
US military. In 1941, Congress passed
legislation creating an all-black Army Air
Corps unit. The War Department resisted
by setting a high bar for flight experience
and education. Despite persistent attempts
to keep the blacks from becoming war
pilots, the men triumphed over every
adversity and were trained at the Tuskegee
Institute in Alabama.
Ultimately, the 99th Fighter Squadron
of the 332nd Fighter Group flew
1,500 missions in North Africa and
Italy, shot down 109 Luftwaffe
aircraft, and received two
Distinguished Unit Citations, 150
Distinguished Flying Crosses, 14
Bronze Stars and 744 Air Medals.
In all, half of the 1,000 Tuskegee
pilots were deployed overseas
with 150 giving their lives.
Trustee David Dorris helped
organize the awarding of the
Presidential Medallions and the fall
reception with Michele Thompson,
secretary of the University. Dorris
called the Tuskegee Airmen "the Jackie
Robinsons of the military."
The Presidential Medallion is awarded
"to recognize individuals who support and
bring distinction to the University
in profound ways."
