Thought To Be The Only Black "Ace"

Retired Air Force Lt. Colonel Lee A. Archer (below, left), who is widely recognized as America's only black Ace pilot, passed away Wednesday in New York City. Archer was 90.

Archer is credited with shooting down four enemy planes, and he and another pilot claimed the fifth. Air Force research showed that Archer inflicted the damage on that airplane that brought it down, and was credited with the kill.  He is the only black U.S. Air Force pilot to have been designated an Ace.

The Associated Press reports that Archer went on to a successful career as a vice president at General Foods, and later as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist after retiring from the Air Force in the 1970's. While at General Foods, he ran one of the company's small business investment arms which funded such projects as Black Enterprise magazine. After retiring from General Foods, he opened his own venture capital firm Archer Asset Management.

Archer was one of the Tuskegee Airmen to be invited to attend President Obama's inauguration in 2009. He and the other members of the unit were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by then-President George W. Bush in 2007.

Archer is survived by his wife, a daughter, and three sons.

FMI: www.tuskegeeairmen.org