Governor Steve Beshear Unveils Highway Sign Honoring America's
First Black Airmen
Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear (D)
(pictured, right) joined local leaders last Friday to unveil a
sign designating the entire I-75 corridor in Kentucky as the
‘Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Trail’—a 191-mile
stretch of highway from the Ohio to Tennessee borders.
“The Tuskegee Airmen revolutionized modern military
standards by flying beyond enemy lines and racial
boundaries,” Gov. Beshear said. “These soldiers
never let racism and bigotry ground their skill, heroism and
patriotism. We honor their brave commitment to the safety and
freedom of our nation.”
House Joint Resolution 67, passed by the 2010 General Assembly,
directed the memorial designation. Kentucky is the first and only
state to install signs naming an entire interstate system in honor
of the Tuskegee Airmen. The resolution expands Senate Joint
Resolution 93, passed by the 2007 General Assembly, which only
included signage for Fayette County.
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“Naming the entire I-75 corridor is a great opportunity to
recognize the sacrifices of the Tuskegee Airmen, who laid the
foundation for freedom in the world and progress toward freedom at
home. They are true heroes who proved to be brave soldiers
during World War II,” Sen. Kathy W. Stein, of Lexington,
said. "I was privileged to meet three of these heroes in the
summer of 2008 when we had the opportunity to honor them at
Applebee's Park. They were gentlemen who wore the mantle of
their trail-blazing role in desegregation of the armed forces
honorably and humbly. We also owe thanks to Ron Spriggs who
has tirelessly promoted the need for our country to recognize the
unprecedented role these men shouldered for all Americans."
The African-American aviators, who derived their name from their
training at Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama in World War II, had
to overcome the institutionalized racism of a segregated American
military.
“The Tuskegee Airmen were
dedicated, determined young men who volunteered to become Americas
first black airmen,” Sen. Tom Buford, of Nicholasville,
said. “Today, Kentucky shows her appreciation to those
who accepted a call to duty to make and preserve this freedom for
the United States of America.”
The original group of Tuskegee Airmen included 11 Kentucky
cadets. In addition, the commandant of the cadet pilot training
program at Tuskegee, Col. Noel F. Parrish, was a native of
Versailles, Ky. Parrish was one of many white personnel
assigned and identified as a Tuskegee Airman.
“Each Kentuckian should proudly celebrate this small token
of our respect and appreciation for the Tuskegee Airmen; many of
whose pilots, air crew and officers call the Blue Grass State
home,” Rep. Reginald Meeks, of Louisville, said.
“Kentuckians have provided outstanding service and leadership
in all branches of the military service, and the outstanding record
of achievement established by the Tuskegee Airmen in the face of
opposition at home and abroad is second to none. I hope every
Kentuckian, when they ride on Interstate 75 from the Ohio River to
Jellico, does so with the recognition they are riding free on the
wings and the sacrifice of the Tuskegee Airmen.”
Willa Beatrice Brown, an aviation pioneer who was born in
Glasgow, KY, had a significant influence on the Tuskegee program by
supplying many of its early cadets from her school of aviation in
Chicago.
“Tuskegee Airmen were trailblazers in military
aviation,” Rep. Bob Damron, of Nicholasville, said.
“Their service to America and the greater cause of civil
rights deserves our praise and recognition, so I’m proud we
could extend this honor.”
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There was another Kentucky connection in the naming of one of
the airmen’s P51-D Mustangs – the “Miss Kentucky
State.” Its crew chief, Staff Sgt. Marcellus Smith, of
Louisville, KY, named the fighter in honor of a homecoming queen
from Kentucky State University. This specific plane was one of the
first of three planes flown by black pilots to defeat the enemy
Me-262 jet in aerial combat during the final days of WWII.
“This historical announcement by Kentucky to boldly state
its appreciation for those ‘Gladiators of the Skies,’
speaks volumes about what the airmen accomplished as a unit during
the rages of war and the attitude of discrimination. Kentucky has
raised the bar for others to follow their lead,” Ron Spriggs,
executive director of the Ron Spriggs Exhibit of Tuskegee Airmen
Inc., said. “The Tuskegee Airmen overcame many
obstacles and adverse conditions. By their sustained
performance, proved then as it does today, what a determined spirit
will do for all that give it their best.”
The saga of the Tuskegee Airmen began in July 1941, when 13
cadets entered training at Tuskegee Army Air Field. After nine
months of training, five were commissioned as officers and received
Army Air Corps silver pilot wings.
From 1942 to 1946, nearly 1,000 pilots graduated from the
Tuskegee program and received commissions and pilot wings.
During this time, 381 Tuskegee aviators served overseas. The 332nd
Fighter Group comprised initially of the 99th Pursuit Squadron saw
combat in North Africa, Italy and Sicily. Although they did
not see action during WWII, other pilots were trained as B-25
pilots for the 477th Bomber Group.
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The Tuskegee Airmen also created opportunities for
African-Americans who trained in an array of support specialties.
The sign unveiling today recognized not only the air crew but also
the invaluable contributions of nearly 14,000 ground support
personnel.